India’s moon mission, Chandrayaan 2 was moments away from making a soft landing on moon on Saturday early morning before it lost contact with India’s space agency, ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation).
It all appeared to be going according to the plan.
Following its launch on July 22, Chandrayaan-2 entered lunar orbit successfully on August 20.
On September 2, 1,471-kilogram Vikram lander and 27-kilogram Pragyan rover successfully separated from the mission’s orbiter, and began a series of braking maneuvers to lower its orbit and ready itself for landing.
On Friday, September 6, the lander successfully carried out rough braking and began fine braking.
The lander and the rover were just 2.1 kilometers away from landing on the Moon’s south pole before images on a computer screen froze.
Half an hour after losing contact, ISRO Chairman Dr K Sivan made the solemn announcement.
"The communications from the lander to ground station was lost. The data is being analyzed," ISRO chief Kailasavadivoo Sivan announced to mission control.
Had the mission of landing on the Moon’s South Pole been achieved, India would have been the fourth country in the world to land on the moon following the U.S., China, and the former Soviet Union.
Despite no communication from lander Vikram, Chandrayaan-2 mission’s orbiter remains safely in the lunar orbit, which will allow India to continue its year-long scientific mission.
“India is proud of our scientists! They’ve given their best and have always made India proud,” Indian prime minister Narendra Modi said on Twitter. “These are moments to be courageous, and courageous we will be!
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