Rakesh Sharma: Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, AC, (born January 13, 1949) is a former Indian

Air Force test pilot, and Cosmonaut who flew in space aboard Soyuz T-11 as part of an Intercosmos
Research Team. Sharma was the first Indian to travel in space.
Spaceflight: Sharma, then a Squadron Leader and pilot with the Indian Air Force embarked on a
historic mission in 1984 as part of a joint space program between the Indian Space Research
Organisation and the Soviet Intercosmos space program, and spent eight days in space aboard the
Salyut 7 space station. During the flight, Sharma conducted multi-spectral photography of northern
India in anticipation of the construction of hydroelectric power stations in the Himalayas.

Chandrayaan-1, was India's first unmanned lunar probe. It was launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation
in October 2008, and operated until August 2009. The mission included a lunar orbiter and an impactor. India
launched the spacecraft by a modified version of the PSLV, PSLV C11 on 22 October 2008 from Satish Dhawan
Space Centre, Sriharikota, Nellore District, Andhra Pradesh, about 80 km north of Chennai, at 06:22 IST (00:52
UTC). The mission was a major boost to India's space program, as India researched and developed its own technology
in order to explore the Moon. The vehicle was successfully inserted into lunar orbit on 8 November 2008.
Objectives: The stated scientific objectives of the mission were:

To design, develop, launch and orbit a spacecraft around the Moon using an Indian-made launch vehicle.

Conduct scientific experiments using instruments on the spacecraft which would yield the following data:

Preparation of a three-dimensional atlas (with high spatial and altitude resolution of 5-10 m) of both the near
and far side of the Moon.

Chemical and mineralogical mapping of the entire lunar surface at high spatial resolution, mapping
particularly the chemical elements magnesium, aluminium, silicon, calcium, iron, titanium, radon, uranium, &
thorium.

Specific areas of study

High-resolution mineralogical and chemical imaging of the permanently shadowed north and south polar
regions.

Search for surface or sub-surface water-ice on the Moon, especially at the lunar poles.

Identification of chemicals in lunar highland rocks.

Chemical stratigraphy of lunar crust by remote sensing of the central uplands of large lunar craters, and of the
South Pole Aitken Region (SPAR), where interior material may be expected.

To map the height variation of the lunar surface features.

Observation of X-ray spectrum greater than 10 keV and stereographic coverage of most of the Moon's surface
with 5 m resolution

To provide new insights in understanding the Moon's origin and evolution.

Journey: Chandrayaan operated for 312 days as opposed to the intended two years but the mission achieved 95%
of its planned objectives.