Chandrayaan "INDIAN Mission to Moon"

Chandrayaan I (Sanskrit चंद्रयान-1) which literally means "Moon Craft" is an unmanned lunar mission by the Indian Space Research Organization The mission includes a lunar orbiter as well as an impacter. The spacecraft will be launched by a modified version of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle.

Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has identified Mylswamy Annadurai as Project Chief and in a press statement in September 2004 ISRO announced that planning has now made enough progress that they are confident that the mission will take place in 2007 or 2008.
They estimate the cost to be only INR 3.8 billion (US$ 83 million).

The mission includes six ISRO payloads and Six more payloads from other international space agencies such as NASA and ESA, and Bulgaria .

Mission Objectives

Carry out high resolution mapping of topographic features in 3D, distribution of various minerals and elemental chemical species including radioactive nuclides covering the entire lunar surface using a set of remote sensing payloads. The new set of data would help in unraveling mysteries about the origin and evolution of solar system in general and that of the moon in particular.
Realize the mission goal of harnessing the science payloads, lunar craft and the launch vehicle with suitable ground support system including DSN station, integration and testing, launching and achieving lunar orbit of ~100 km, in-orbit operation of experiments, communication/telecommand, telemetry data reception, quick look data and archival for scientific utilization by identified group of scientists.

Specific Areas of Study

High resolution mineralogical and chemical imaging of permanently shadowed north and south polar regions
Search for surface or sub-surface water-ice on the moon, specially at lunar pole
Identification of chemical end members of lunar high land rocks
Chemical stratigraphy of lunar crust by remote sensing of central upland of large lunar craters, South Pole Aitken Region (SPAR) etc., where interior material may be expected
To map the height variation of the lunar surface features along the satellite track
Observation of X-ray spectrum greater than 10 keV and stereographic coverage of most of the moon's surface with 5 m resolution, to provide new insights in understanding the moon's origin and evolution