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China's second lunar spacecraft reached the moon this week, but another Asian country has moon plans of its own: India.
Like China, India is hoping to build on the success of its first moon probe — called Chandrayaan 1 — with a robotic sequel, Chandrayaan 2. The probe is slated to launch in 2013, long after China's current Chang'e 2 moon mission ends.
China launched the Chang'e 2 probe on Oct. 1. It reached the moon Wednesday (Oct. 5).
India, meanwhile, approved plans for its Chandrayaan 2 mission in August. But unlike China's new probe, which is an orbiter, Chandrayaan 2 actually includes three vehicles: an orbiter, lander and rover, the Indian Space Research Organisation said.
Russia will provide the lander, but ISRO will build the orbiter and rover, both of which will be packed with instruments, Indian space officials have said.
Chandrayaan means "moon craft" in Sanskrit. Chandrayaan 1 launched in 2008 and shut down unexpectedly in 2009, but only after playing a key role in confirming the presence of water and water ice on the moon. Space.com
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