Chandrayaan means `` moon craft '' in Sanskrit -- on a two-year mission to take high-resolution , three-dimensional images of the lunar surface , especially the permanently-shadowed polar regions . India made its first rocket launch on 2008 . Indian space group list more than 60 events it considers `` milestones '' China launches its first unmanned mission to the moon in 2008 . The Asian nation is seen as being in an Asian space race with India .
India made its first rocket launch on 2008 . Indian space group list more than 60 events it considers `` milestones '' China launches its first unmanned mission to the moon in 2008 . The Asian nation is seen as being in an Asian space race with India .