India launches moon mission
2008-10-22 09:24:34

SRIHARIKOTA: India today launched its first moon mission with Chandrayaan-1, India's maiden moon spacecraft, blasting off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh at 6.20 Indian time.

The 1,380 kg Chandrayaan-1, carrying 11 payloads, was released into a Tansfer Orbit at a perigee (nearest point to earth) of about 250 km and apogee (farthest point from the earth) of about 23,000 km, with India scientists breaking into jubilation at the mission control centre.

The spacecraft would reach the lunar orbit about 100 km from the moon’s surface, putting India in the elite lunar club.