Chandrayaan-2 mission planned for middle of April: ISROJan 12 (AZINS) The launch of India's second Moon mission, Chandrayaan-2, is planned for the middle of April this year, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman K Sivan announced Friday.

ISRO had earlier said Chandrayaan-2 will be launched in a window between January-February 16 this year.

The mission, costing nearly Rs 800 crore, is an advanced version of the previous Chandrayaan-1 mission about 10 years ago.

"Regarding Chandrayaan-2 schedule, right now Chandrayaan is scheduled from March 25 to April end. Most probably, the normal targeted date is April middle," Sivan told reporters here.

He said the space agency had earlier planned to launch the spacecraft sometime between January and February but it could not materialise because certain tests could not be conducted.

"Once we missed the February target, next available target is April. Right now it is planned for April," the ISRO chief added.

He also informed that India is targeting sending astraonauts to space by December 2021. "The target for two unmanned missions to space is December 2020 and July 2021", he added.

ISRO Chief further informed, "The inital training for Gaganyaan will be done in India and advanced training maybe in Russia. Women astronauts will be there on the team."

We will set up six incubation and research centres across the country. We will bring the Indian students to ISRO. Why do the Indian students need to go to NASA?", Saivan said.

"The preparations for Gaganyaan Mission are underway. It has been a major turning point for ISRO", ISRO chief assured.

The union cabinet earlier approved the Gaganyaan project under which a three-member crew will be sent to space for seven days, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said. The project will cost Rs 10,000 crore, he had said.

The Gaganyaan project was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day speech.