India to launch second mission to moon by 2017

India plans to launch its second mission to moon by 2017 in the wake of the success of its maiden lunar mission. "Chandrayaan-II is a mission where we essentially need to move on (lunar) surface to conduct experiments. We will launch Chandrayaan-II with an indigenous rover and lander using GSLV by 2016 or 2017," Indian Space Secretary K. Radhakrishnan told the media in the national capital Friday. "In May 2012, we conducted a feasibility study on development of a lander and this has been completed. We find that we will be able to develop a lander in India. We need two to three years' time," he added. India had in October 2008 successfully launched its maiden mission to moon, Chandrayaan-I, meant to orbit the Earth's natural satellite at a height of 100 km from the lunar surface for chemical, mineralogical and photo-geologic mapping.