Published 15:29 IST, September 21st 2019
Chandrayaan-2: ISRO Chief K Sivan Says '98% Objectives Achieved'
On Saturday, ISRO Chairman, K Sivan said that the Chandrayaan-2 mission achieved 98 per cent of its objectives & new moon mission is on the way by 2020.
On Saturday, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman, K Sivan said that the Chandrayaan-2 mission achieved 98 per cent of its objectives and even after this achievement the scientists are still working hard to establish contact with 'Vikram' lander. The ISRO Chairman also shared that the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter was doing well and performing the scheduled experiments. "Why we are saying Chandrayaan-2 achieved 98 per cent success is because of two objectives, one is science and the other is technology demonstration. In case of technology demonstration, the success percentage was almost full," K Sivan said at the airport before he headed to IIT-Bhubaneswar to attend the 8th convocation ceremony.
'Analysing the Cause of Loss of Communication'
K Sivan also shared that ISRO is focusing on another moon mission by 2020 and the discussions for the mission are on but nothing is finalised. "Our priority is on an unmanned mission by next year. First, we have to understand what exactly happened to the lander," the ISRO Chairman said. A committee of national-level academicians and experts are analysing reason for the loss of communication with 'Vikram' lander. K Sivan said that though the communication has not been established with the lander but if any data is retrieved, then it will be used to take the necessary steps. "Orbiter continues to perform scheduled science experiments to complete satisfaction. There are eight instruments in the orbiter and each instrument is doing exactly what it is meant to do," he added.
NASA Captures Lander's Landing Site
NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft has been able to snap a series of images during its flyby of Vikram's attempted landing site on the South Pole of the Moon. It flew over the area of the Vikram landing site when the local lunar time was near dusk; large shadows covered much of the area, LRO Mission deputy project scientist John Keller said. The probability of establishing contact with the 'Vikram' lander has a deadline of September 21 because after that the Moon region will enter into a lunar night.
(with PTI inputs)
Updated 16:10 IST, September 21st 2019