NASA has given ISRO a friendly pat on the back
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) gave ISRO a pat on the back even after the latter suffered a setback in Chandrayaan-2 moon mission. The premier space agency of the US said that ISRO has "inspired" them.
"Space is hard. We commend @ISRO’s attempt to land their #Chandrayaan2 mission on the Moon’s South Pole. You have inspired us with your journey and look forward to future opportunities to explore our solar system together," the agency tweeted.
ISRO's ISTRAC headquarters in Bengaluru saw tense moments in pre-dawn hours of Saturday as the agency lost contact with Chandrayaan-2's Vikram lander literally moments before its scheduled landing on the surface of the moon.
Lander of the Chandrayaan-2, named Vikram, detached from the orbitter and proceeded to land on the surface of the moon. However, when the lander was at a distance of 2.1 km from the surface, ISRO lost contact with the lander.
The moment was tough for ISRO scientists as Chandrayaan-2 moon mission was a result of years of research and painstaking work.
Even ISRO Chairman K Sivan was visibly upset as he made an announcement inside ISRO centre that communication with the Vikram lander was lost.
PM Modi, who was present in the viewing gallery at the time of scheduled moon landing, sought to boost morale of the scientists. He assured them that he stands resolute with the ISRO.
Also Read | Who is ISRO Chairman K Sivan? Check out lesser known facts about him
Watch | PM Modi consoles ISRO Chairman K Sivan after Chandrayaan-2 setback
