Article Posted on : - Apr 11, 2010

AHMEDABAD (PTI): Some of the proposals of Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) for the Chandrayaan-2 mission are under final review by ISRO's scientific advisory board, a top PRL scientist has said.

"PRL has submitted few proposals for Chandrayaan-2 mission including the ones for rover and orbiter. Some of the proposals are now under final phase of review by the scientific advisory board (of ISRO)," PRL Chief Prof J N Goswami told PTI on Saturday.

PRL, located in the city, is the basic science research branch of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

The launch vehicle for Chandrayaan-2 mission is proposed to carry a lander along with a motorised rover besides an orbiter, Goswami said.

When Chandrayaan-2 lands on lunar surface, the motorised rover will detach from the lunar orbiter.

The proposed rover shall move on lunar surface to collect rock and soil samples, he said, adding so far the scientific advisory body has reviewed around 30 proposals on scientific payloads for the mission.

"The scientific advisory board is considering about 30 proposals on different type of scientific payloads to be carried during Chandrayaan-2 and is expected to finalise in next few months which centre of ISRO will develop what payload," according to a senior PRL scientist.

"Once the proposals on scientific payloads for the missions are cleared by the Scientific Advisory Board, they shall also be discussed with the Advisory Committee for Space," Goswami said.

PRL had developed the scientific payload called High Energy X-ray spectrometer (HEX) for Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft in collaboration with the ISRO satellite centre of Bangalore.

The instrument was capable of sensing emission of X-rays from 'heavy' elements that were radioactive, and more importantly in spotting presence of water in polar areas of the moon.

Chandrayaan-1 mission was successful in finding evidence of ice on the moon, besides discovery of water there.

The purpose of country's second mission on moon will be to further enhance data collection in this connection, a PRL scientist said.

Evidence of proper deposits of ice in polar areas of moon were found by Chandrayaan-1, he added.