The Chandrayaan-I mission has sent a clear signal internationally that India is really a space power and it means business. "That message has been given to everybody," Nair said.

Now that Chandrayaan-I is set for the normal phase of its two-year mission, ISRO's immediate priority is on 'Aditya' (to study the outermost region of sun called corona), Astrosat (an astronomy satellite to be launched next year), Oceansat (which looks at the ocean very closely), radar imaging satellite and indigenous cryogenic stages.

Asked if Team Chandrayaan-I would be rewarded with some kind of incentives, the ISRO chairman said he personally would like to do that, but noted that there is a process that has to be gone through. "I have to work out something with the government."

Nair also indicated that ISRO and Russia's Federal Space Agency (Roskosmos) are expected to finalise exact sharing of work on Chandrayaan-II (slated to be launched by 2012) in December this year.

"I expect a team of Roskosmos led by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to come here (India) in beginning of December...There is broad understanding between the two space agencies...Now we are working out exact details of Chandrayaan-II," he said.

Chandrayaan-II is a joint lunar mission involving a lunar orbiting spacecraft and a Lander/Rover on the Moon's surface. ISRO will have prime responsibility for the Orbiter and Roskosmos will be responsible for the Lander/Rover.

Chandrayaan-II will be launched on India's Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV). Nair said Chandrayaan-I Project Director Mayilsamy Annadurai will continue in that position for Chandrayaan-II as well.

... contd.