Despite the demise of the Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft in a crash landing on the Moon, the Indian Space research Organization will attempt another soft landing in the near future. The third lunar mission, Chandrayaan-3, could launch by the end of this year, although 2021 is a possibility, reports C/Net.
The Chandrayaan-3 mission will be much cheaper, about 6.15 billion rupees ($86.2 million) compared to 9.6 billion rupees for its ill-fated predecessor. The new mission, which include a rover and lander, will aim for the same spot on the south pole where vast water deposits are believed to exist.
Chandrayaan-2 was launched July 22, 2019, and consisted of three components: a lunar orbiter, a lunar lander and a rover. Though the lander and rover were lost during the crash landing, says C/Net, the orbiter still orbits the moon and is expected to continue surveying for seven years.