A new dawn and a brighter tomorrow soon: PM Modi to ISRO scientists

New Delhi, Sep 07: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation on Saturday, in the backdrop of Chandrayaan-2's lander Vikram losing contact with ground stations.

Modi asked ISRO scientists not to get disheartened by the hurdles in the moon mission Chandrayaan-2 and asserted that there will be a "new dawn".

Addressing the scientists hours after ISRO announced that it had lost communication with the lander, he also said that the country's determination to land on the moon has become even stronger.

"We came very close, but we need to cover more ground.... Learnings from today will make us stronger and better," he told the scientists, adding, "The best is yet to come in our space programme. India is with you."

Here are the top quotes from PM Modi's address:

• Friends I could feel what you were going through few hours back, your eyes were conveying a lot. You live for India's honour, I salute you.
• You all had been working non-stop for days. You were so passionate about this mission. I didn't want to add to your stress by being around when I saw that things didn't go exactly as planned... which is why I left and gave you some time for you all to gather your thoughts and emotions.
• Today we may have faced a roadblock but that should not bring down our confidence. It should not stop us from achieving our goals.
• For last few hours the entire nation was worried. Everyone stands in solidarity with our scientists. We are proud of our space program. Today our resolve to touch the moon has grown even stronger.
• There are new frontiers to discover. Many more opportunities will come.
• You all are those who etch your name on stone, not in sand.
• You all came ever so close... as close as one could be to success. Learn from your experience and move forward, look forward and carry on the work you do, for there will be many opportunities ahead, many missions ahead.
• I salute not just you all (scientists), but also your families, for their contribution is priceless towards you all achieving so much over the years.
• There will be a new dawn and a brighter tomorrow very soon.
• As important as the final result is the journey and the effort. I can proudly say that the effort was worth it and so was the journey.
• We have bounced back again and gone on to do spectacular things.
• We will succeed for sure. In the next attempt of this mission and every other mission, success will be ours.
• There is never any failure in science, there is only learning in science.
• I have not come here to advise you all. I have come here to learn from you all, to be inspired by you all.

Modi had earlier watched the proceedings as the lander began its descent towards the moon surface at an ISRO centre here.