Chandrayaan-2

Chandrayaan-1

Bengaluru

orbit

instruments

By Hemanth C SM Annadurai, who helmedmission, set to retire this month while the launch is expected in OctAkey member of the lunar mission will hang up his boots months before the prestigious launch of the Chandrayaan-2 mission.Director of the Bengaluru- based UR Rao Satellite Centre (URRSC), M Annadurai, the man who helmed India’s lunar missions (and Chandrayaan-2) for the last 10 years, will retire by the end of this month. Chandrayaan-2is expected to be launched in October.The launch window for the mission during 2018 is between April and October and the India Space Research Organisation (ISRO) had initially planned to launch the Rs 800 crore Chandrayaan-2 mission in April. However, it has now been postponed to October.Annadurai, who joined ISRO in 1982, has spent a major part of his career at the URRSC (earlier known as the ISRO Satellite Centre). He has been the director of the centre since 2015.As the director, Annadurai has overseen the design, development and testing aspects of the Chandrayaan-2 mission, which comprises an Orbiter, Lander and Rover. That apart, he was also the mission director the Chandrayaan-1 mission having successfully overseen its launch in 2008.When approached, Anna- durai refused to comment about him exiting the project at a critical juncture just months before its launch. He also refused to answer the query whether his term would be extended to oversee the launch.Annadurai’s retirement coincides with the sacking and subsequent transfer of former director of the Ahmedabad-based Space Application Center, Tapan Misra.Misra was last week transferred from Ahmedabad to ISRO headquarters inwhere he has been appointed in a rather unusual position of advisor to ISRO Chairman. This post at the headquarters earlier did not exist.Speculation is rife that Misra might be appointed as the new director of the URRSC.The Chandrayaan-2 mission is one of the most challenging missions undertaken by ISRO. After reaching the 100-km lunar, the Lander, housing the Rover, will separate from the Orbiter. After a controlled descent, the Lander will soft-land on the lunar surface at a specified site and deploy a Rover.The mission will carry a six-wheeled Rover which will move around the landing site in semi-autonomous mode as decided by the ground commands. Theon the Rover will observe the lunar surface and send back data, which will be useful for analysis of the lunar soil.