India has successfully launched the countries first unmanned lunar orbiter. The launch took place on schedule at the start of its 15 minute launch window, at 1:52 GMT, 22nd October, 2008.
There are astrologers among the astronomers in the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) too. They have declared that the day set for the country's first moon mission, October 22, will be auspicious.
India's lunar explorer, Chandrayaan-1, will try to unravel the moon's origins as it scouts for minerals and water there, according to project director M. Annadurai.
The enhanced capabilities of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and accurate modelling of the forces that act on the Chandrayaan-1 satellite in orbit make Indias mission to Moon possible next week. The PSLV will put the satellite into an elliptical orbit under the influence of earths gravity. The inbuilt rockets of the satellite will then push it to the moons sphere of influence.
Hectic activity was under way at ISROs launch centre in Sriharikota, 100 km north of here on Tuesday, with the integration of the Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft with the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C11) proceeding smoothly. The spacecraft was moved to the 83-metre tall Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) of the second launch pad complex on the midnight of October 13/14. It is in the VAB that the PSLV-C11 rocket stands majestically on a massive launch pedestal.