Addressing the nation from the ISRO's control centre in Bengaluru after communication from Chandrayaan 2's 'Vikram' lander to ground station was lost, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the nation is proud of the scientists who have given their best.
Prime Minister 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".
ISRO's plan to soft land Chandrayaan-2's Vikram module on the Lunar surface did not go as per script in the early hours of Saturday, with the lander losing communication with ground stations during its final descent.
Talking to 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."
Modi expressed solidarity with ISRO scientists after the module lost communication with the ground station during the powered descent leading to huge disappointment. “Communication has been lost. I could see the anxiety on your faces. There is no need to get disappointed because it is not a small achievement. The country is proud of you,” he said.
Modi became emotional as he hugged ISRO chief K Sivan in the morning.
“We have to learn a lot from your effort.As the scientists have told me if communication is re-established, it will send data. Let us hope for the best”, Modi said. “My best wishes to you. You have done a great service to the nation and science. We too are learning a lot from you all. In future too our journey will continue. I am fully with you all. Let us move with courage. I have belief that due to your efforts, the country will once again start celebrations,” the Prime Minister said.
"India is proud of our scientists! They’ve given their best and have always made India proud. These are moments to be courageous, and courageous we will be! Chairman @isro gave updates on Chandrayaan-2. We remain hopeful and will continue working hard on our space programme," said Modi in a tweet after ISRO chairman K Sivan briefed him on the status of the mission.
"Honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will address the nation from Isro Control Centre today (September 07, 2019) at 0800 hrs IST, " ISRO tweeted after Chandrayaan-2's Vikram lander lost communication with ground stations during its final descent.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, dozens of students from across the country selected by ISRO though an online quiz, a large media contingent and others had gathered to watch the event as it happened, from the ISRO Telemetry Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC).
Meanwhile, the space agency said that Chandrayaan-2 is not totally lost and said the scientists are still working on the data received during the mission. "Vikram lander's descent was as planned and normal performance was observed up to an altitude of 2.1 km. Subsequently, the communication from the lander to ground station was lost. The data is being analysed," the ISRO chairman K Sivan said.
If the lander had pulled off the historic touchdown, the country could have joined the US, Russia and China in soft landing on the lunar surface. India could have also been the first to lower its lander on the hitherto unexplored south polar region of the moon.
