what is chandrayaan 2

Chandrayaan-2 is the second lunar exploration mission developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), after Chandrayaan-1. It is an Indian mission to send an orbiter, lander, and rover to the Moon. The spacecraft consists of a lunar orbiter, and formerly included the Vikram lander and the Pragyan rover, all of which were launched as one combined spacecraft in July 2019 to lunar orbit. The lander, carrying the rover, attempted but failed to touch down in the Moons southern hemisphere. The orbiter continues to study the Moon from above, mapping the Moon’s topography, investigating the surfaces mineralogy and elements, studying the lunar exosphere, and looking for signatures of water ice. The mission is designed to expand the lunar scientific knowledge through detailed study of topography, seismography, mineral identification and distribution, surface chemical composition, thermo-physical characteristics of topsoil and composition of the tenuous lunar atmosphere, leading to a new understanding of the origin and evolution of the Moon. The orbiter is planned to operate for seven years, while the lander and rover were designed to operate for one lunar day, which is equivalent to about 14 Earth days.