The Indian Space Research Organisation has started conducting simulation tests for its second moon mission, Chandrayaan-II, at its facility in Challakere, Karnataka.

Isro Chairperson AS Kiran Kumar told that several simulated craters that resemble the moon's terrain have been created on the ground at the facility. The terrain will test the instruments and sensors on Chandrayaan-II's lander. Kumar said that an aircraft carrying some of the instruments was being flown over the simulated area. “These tests are part of our 'hazard avoidance and landing' exercise,” he added. Chandrayaan-II has an orbiter, lander and rover. It will perform mineralogical and elemental studies of the lunar surface once the lander soft-lands on the moon.