Countdown to Chandrayaan's launch starts on Monday

Sriharikota (Andhra Pradesh), Oct 18 : The countdown to the launch of Chandrayaan-1, India's first unmanned moon mission to be launched on October 22, will start on Monday.

Satish Dhawan Space Centre Associate Director M Y S Prasad said, "The countdown will start on Monday early morning."

On Friday, the spacecraft was moved to the launch pad.

Prasad said that preparatory activities, including checking of various parameters in payloads, to start the countdown are going on.

"All operations are progressing satisfactorily for the launch of the spacecraft on Wednesday at 6.20 p.m," he added.

During the countdown period, about 42 tonnes of propellant would be filled in the launch vehicle.

The spacecraft would be carrying 11 payloads (scientific instruments) and weigh about 1,380 kg at the time of its launch, according to reports.

ANI