Chandrayaan-2: ISRO loses contact with Vikram lander during descent

Bengaluru, Sep 07: The ISRO was unable to confirm the landing of Chandrayaan-2 on the Moon's surface as the ground station lost the communication with the Vikram Lander from during the final phases of power descent.

ISRO Chief K Sivan said that descent was normal till the lander was 2.1 km from the surface, after that the communication was lost He said that data will have to be analysed to arrive at any conclusion.

"Vikram lander descent was as planned and normal performance observed up to an altitude of 2.1 km Subsequently, communications from the lander to the ground station was lost. The data is being analysed," Sivan said.

As of now, there is no update about lander. Reports say that the data from the orbiter would have to be analysed to arrive at any conclusion.

The lander Vikram was 35 km from the lunar surface when power descent began. The main aim of the powered descent was to ensure that Vikram achieves a soft-landing. The powered descent had four phases. The rough braking phase was fine and fine braking was initiated, and then the communication is said to been lost.

"India is proud of our scientists! They've given their best & have always made India proud," PM Modi said.

Communication with Vikram lander has been lost. The data is right now being analysed by scientists.

The process of landing involved the lander's enAs the powered descent of the lander began at around 1.38 am, scientists at ISRO Telemetry Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) here were glued to their terminals, anticipating the soft landing. They clapped and cheered as the moon lander completed the rough braking phase before the fine braking phase started. It was then that the scientists started becoming tense and went into a huddle. ISRO Chairman K Sivan was seen engaged in intense discussions with some scientists.

Soon he announced that the Vikram lander descent was as planned and normal performance observed up to an altitude of 2.1 km. Subsequently, communications from the lander to the ground station was lost, he said, adding the data was being analysed.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked ISRO scientists to "be courageous" and hope for the best soon after India's space agency announced that communication with Chandrayaan-2's Vikram lander was lost before touchdown on Saturday. Modi, who witnessed the proceedings at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) centre here, told the scientific community that the country was proud of them and asked them to be courageous.