(a) whether the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is in the process of launching a Rover to explore moon and to study the potential for mining a source of waste-free nuclear energy;
(b) if so, the details thereof including the cost of the project and the time by which the project would be launched; and
(c) the total number of rockets/ satellites launched by ISRO during the last three years ?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PG & PENSIONS AND IN THE PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE
(DR. JITENDRA SINGH):
(a) & (b)
The Chandrayaan-2 mission, stated for launch in early 2019, involves a lunar rover to explore the southern polar region of the moon. It carries two experiments to study the composition of lunar soil in this unique location near the pole. It does not carry instruments to detect Helium-3, largely believed to have been deposited by the wind from the sun over millions of year. Since these are present only at very low concentration levels, an experiment to detect and quantify the amount of Helium-3, for a future extraction programme can be designed later.
(c) During the last three years i.e. 2016, 2017 & 2018, ISRO launched 19 rockets (13 PSLV, 4 GSLV and 2 GSLV Mk-III) which carried a total of 239 satellites (22 National satellites, 212 customer satellites and 5 student satellites).
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