Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is all set for it's first unmanned lunar exploration mission, Chandrayaan 1. The l 1304 kg rocket will be launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikotta, Andra Pradesh on Wednesday morning.

The final 52 hour countdown for the launch began early on Monday and now the final check is going on.

In Sanskrit Chandrayaan means Moon Craft or Lunar Craft. Chandrayaan 1 project was announced by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee On 56th indepence day, August 15 2003. The estimated cost of the project is 380 crore rupees.

Using Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), ISRO would put the 590kg lunar craft near moon and would orbit around moon 100 km from moon surface.

The mission includes five payloads/experiments from ISRO. Terrain Mapping stereo Camera (TMC), Hyper Spectral Imaging camera (HYSI), Lunar Laser Ranging Instrument (LLRI), High Energy X-ray spectrometer (HEX) and Moon Impact Probe (MIP).

Apart from 5 indigenous payloads/experiments developed by ISRO Chandrayaan 1 also includes 6 payloads from other agencies

Chandrayaan-1 X-ray Spectrometer (C1XS), Near Infra Red spectrometer (SIR-2), Sub KeV Atom Reflecting Analyser (SARA) from European Space Agency

Radiation Dose Monitor Experiment (RADOM) from Bulgarian Academy of Science

Miniature Synthetic Aperture Radar (MiniSAR), Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) from National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)