From correspondents in Kerala, India, 07:01 PM IST

Weather permitting, Chandrayaan 1, India's first mission to the moon, will lift off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh Oct 22, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman G. Madhavan Nair said Friday.

Addressing reporters on his arrival here, Nair said the countdown for the unmanned mission was proceeding on schedule.

'A final decision would be taken on the 17th of this month. All the tests so far have been successful. Weather permitting it should lift off on the 22nd,' Nair said.

Once that happens, India will join the elite club of space-faring nations that have the wherewithal to undertake such complex and challenging missions.

The Chandrayaan-1 mission involves placing a 525-kg spacecraft in lunar orbit to help expand scientific knowledge about the moon besides upgrading India's technological competence and providing challenging opportunities for planetary research to the younger generation.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)