ISRO will continue its efforts to re-establish contact with lander, which had had a harsh landing on the lunar surface
Bengaluru: The visuals of Prime Minister Narendra Modi consoling director of Indian Space Research Organisation last month in the wake of the lander (Chandrayaan 2) going incommunicado are still fresh in our minds.
The PM’s invigorating speech propelled ISRO to continue with its effects to reconnect with the space vehicle.
Though the efforts continued they had to be suspended falling nightfall on the moon.
The Space Director said, “Now it's not possible, it's night time there. Maybe after this, probably we will start. It's night time at our landing site, power may not be there. We will make efforts afterwards (during day-time on the lunar surface) also."
The life of the lander and the rover is one lunar day. One lunar day is equal to fourteen earth days.
But things don’t appear to be easy at all. Republic TV quoted an ISRO official as saying, “I think finding link after so many days is going to be extremely difficult but there is nothing wrong in trying."
He added, “Not only cold, impact shock is something one has to worry about; the lander has come down at a high speed the shock generated can damage many things inside, that way it's highly doubtful. Communication antenna which orientation... where it's looking... that way it's extremely difficult to establish contact.”
However, as regards the Orbiter, it is fine and doing well. It will hep scientists understand the evolution of the moon as it maps the lunar surface.
Republic TV also added that the ISRO had constituted a national level committee consisting of academics and agency experts to analyse the cause of the communication loss with the lander.
An official said, "The committee is seriously working on that, and their report will be available soon. I don't think it will take more than a month."
Read Exclusive COVID-19 Coronavirus News updates, at MyNation.