A GIANT LEAP, A FIRST STEP
The MIP (above) is a bit of India on the Moon. Only the US, erstwhile USSR and the European Space Agency have landed objects on the moon before India. “It’s a tremendous scientific achievement, with huge symbolic value,” said mission director M Annadurai.
But the real experiments start now. MIP’s primary objective was to demonstrate technologies for future lander and rover missions on Chandrayaan-2, slated for 2011-12. Initial reports said all instruments on board worked perfectly.
Chandrayaan will now orbit the Moon for the next two years, carrying out a variety of scientific experiments.