Chandrayaan 2 lander located on moon, trying to establish contact: ISRO Chief
Bengaluru, Sept 8 (IBNS): Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chief K Sivan on Sunday said the lunar lander Vikram of Chandrayaan 2 has been located on the moon's surface and the ground station is working to establish contact.
"We've found the location of lander Vikram on lunar surface and orbiter has clicked a thermal image of the lander. But there is no communication yet. We are trying to have contact. It will be communicated soon," Sivan told ANI news agency.
The Lander of Chandrayaan 2 is named Vikram, after Indian space program architect Dr Vikram A Sarabhai, is designed to function for one lunar day, which is equivalent to about 14 Earth days.
Vikram has the capability to communicate with IDSN at Byalalu near Bangalore, as well as with the Orbiter and Rover. The Lander is designed to execute a soft landing on the lunar surface.
While India waited with bated breath to watch live the landing of Chandrayaan 2 on lunar surface, disappointment greeted them in the wee hours of Saturday when ISRO Chairman after tense moments said they have lost communication with Lander Vikram at the last stage (2.1 km above the Moon's surface).
"VikramLander descent was as planned and normal performance was observed up to an altitude of 2.1 km. Subsequently, communication from Lander to the ground stations was lost. Data is being analyzed," said a rather grim-faced Sivan.
He has blamed the faulty execution in the last stage of the operation for the failure.
Sivan also informed the efforts to contact Chandrayaan 2 lander will continue for the next 14 days,
Cheering up, Prime Minister Narendra Modi present at the control room on Saturday, told the scientists: "I am with you." "Country is proud of you. Congratulations from my side. You have done a great service to the country and to humankind. Your efforts will go on and I am completely with you," said the PM.
India was expecting to script a space history by becoming the first nation to reach closest to the Moon's south pole.
The Chandrayaan 2 soft landing on the lunar surface was to occur at 1:55 am on Saturday.
The moon lander Vikram, which separated from its orbiting mothership, earlier performed two manoeuvres.
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