Monday, September 9, 2019

Isro continues effort to contact Vikram; Chandrayaan-2 lander 'not broken'


Isro Chairman K Sivan had said on Saturday that the space agency would try to restore link with the lander for 14 days.


Not losing hope, the Indian Space Research Organisation continued to make all-out efforts to establish link with Chandrayaan-2's 'Vikram' lander, now lying on the lunar surface after a hard-landing.

Vikram, with rover 'Pragyan' housed inside it, hit the lunar surface after communication with the ground-stations was lost during its final descent, just 2.1 km above the lunar surface, in the early hours of Saturday.

"It had a hard-landing very close to the planned (touch-down) site as per the images sent by the on-board camera of the orbiter. The lander is there as a single piece, not broken into pieces. It's in a tilted position," an Isro official associated with the mission claimed on Monday.

"We are making all-out efforts to see whether communication can be re-established with the lander," the official said.

"An Isro team is the on the job at IsroTelemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) here."


Chandrayaan-2 comprises an orbiter, lander (Vikram) and rover (Pragyan).

The mission life of the lander and rover is one Lunar day, which is equal to 14 earth days.
Isro Chairman K Sivan had said on Saturday that the space agency would try to restore link with the lander for 14 days, and reiterated the resolve on Sunday after the orbiter's camera spotted it on the Lunar surface.

An Isro official said: "Unless and until everything is intact (lander), it's very difficult (to re-establish contact). Chances are less. Only if it had soft-landing, and if all systems functioned, then only communication can be restored. Things are bleak as of now."

Business Standard

No comments:

Post a Comment