Chandrayaan-1 update: Spacecraft delivered to Sriharikota, launch date October 22

Posted By Emily Lakdawalla

2008/10/07 04:59 CDT

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A couple of news sources now indicate that the launch of Chandrayaan-1 is scheduled for October 22. RIA Novosti informs us that the orbiter has been delivered to Sriharikota, the launch site. The Bangalore Business Standard has the alarming information that during the delivery, which took a few days beginning October 3, "For security threats arising from Naxalites and other possible extremist attacks, the exact location of Chandrayaan is being kept under wraps even as it is being provided tightest possible security, according to sources in ISRO." Indianexpress.com corroborates the October 22 date, and further states that the launch period stretches from October 19 to 28. And this appears to be an Indian-enthusiast-created, English-language website about the mission; it has a helpful news page collecting mainstream media stories about the mission, and even a forum.