Instrument Host Information
IDENTIFIER urn:nasa:pds:context:instrument_host:spacecraft.ch1-orb::1.2
NAME CHANDRAYAAN-1 ORBITER
TYPE Spacecraft
DESCRIPTION The Chandrayaan-1 mission consisted of two components: an orbiter and a Moon Impact Probe (MIP). While the impactor contributed to early discoveries, the primary focus of the mission was the Chandrayaan-1 Orbiter, which was designed to study the Moon?s surface, mineral composition, and potential water-ice deposits.The orbiter, weighing 1,380 kg at launch, was equipped with advanced instruments to conduct remote sensing and scientific observations from a 100 km circular polar orbit. Key payloads included the Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3), which identified water molecules on the lunar surface, the Terrain Mapping Camera (TMC) for high-resolution 3D mapping, and the Mini-Synthetic Aperture Radar (Mini-SAR) for detecting ice in shadowed polar regions. Other instruments, such as the X-ray and gamma-ray spectrometers, provided detailed insights into the Moon?s elemental composition.The orbiter?s design featured solar arrays generating up to 700 watts of power, thermal control systems to withstand the extreme lunar environment, and a monopropellant propulsion system for precise orbital adjustments. These systems ensured the spacecraft?s functionality during its operational lifetime.Launched aboard a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C11) on October 22, 2008, the Chandrayaan-1 Orbiter operated successfully for 10 months, exceeding expectations despite an initial two-year mission plan. During this time, it delivered groundbreaking discoveries, including the first definitive evidence of water molecules on the Moon?s surface.Chandrayaan-1?s success established India as a significant player in planetary exploration and provided a strong foundation for future lunar missions, such as Chandrayaan-2.
NAIF INSTRUMENT IDENTIFIER
SERIAL NUMBER
REFERENCES Bhandari, N., Chandrayaan-1: Science Goals, Journal of Earth System Sciences, 114(6), 701-709, 2005.

Goswami, J.N., and M. Annadurai, Chandrayaan-1 mission to the Moon, Acta Astronautica (ISSN 0094-5765), Vol. 63, Iss. 11-12, 1215-1220, 2008, doi:10.1016/j.actaastro.2008.05.013.