India Moon Mission

In this undated photo provided by the Indian Space Research
Organization, Chandrayaan-1, India's maiden lunar mission, is taken to the
launch pad in this undated photo at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in
Sriharikota, about 100 kilometers (63 miles) north of Chennai, India. India was
set to launch its first lunar mission from the center in southern India at 06:20
a.m (0050 GMT) WednesdayOct. 22, 2008, putting the country in an elite group of
nations with the scientific know-how to reach the moon, but also heating up a
burgeoning Asian space race. The 3,000 pound (1,400 kilogram) satellite
Chandrayaan-1 (Moon Craft in ancient Sanskrit) will join Japanese and Chinese
crafts currently in orbit around the moon for a two-year mission designed to map
out the whole lunar surface. (AP Photo/ Indian Space Research Organization, HO)

In this undated photo provided by the Indian Space Research
Organization, Chandrayaan-1, India's maiden lunar mission, is taken to the
launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, about 100
kilometers (63 miles) north of Chennai, India. India was set to launch its first
lunar mission from the center in southern India at 06:20 a.m (0050 GMT)
Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2008, putting the country in an elite group of nations with
the scientific know-how to reach the moon, but also heating up a burgeoning
Asian space race. The 3,000 pound (1,400 kilogram) satellite Chandrayaan-1 (Moon
Craft in ancient Sanskrit) will join Japanese and Chinese crafts currently in
orbit around the moon for a two-year mission designed to map out the whole lunar
surface.(AP Photo/ Indian Space Research Organization, HO)

In this undated photo provided by the Indian Space Research
Organization, Chandrayaan-1, India's maiden lunar mission, sits on the launch
pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, about 100 kilometers (63
miles) north of Chennai, India. India was set to launch its first lunar mission
from the center in southern India at 06:20 a.m (0050 GMT) Wednesday, Oct. 22,
2008, putting the country in an elite group of nations with the scientific
know-how to reach the moon, but also heating up a burgeoning Asian space race.
The 3,000 pound (1,400 kilogram) satellite Chandrayaan-1 (Moon Craft in ancient
Sanskrit) will join Japanese and Chinese crafts currently in orbit around the
moon for a two-year mission designed to map out the whole lunar surface.(AP
Photo/ Indian Space Research organization, HO)