"Panel Analysing What Went Wrong With Chandrayaan 2 Lander": ISRO Chief

The Indian Space Research Organisation has not been able to contact Chandrayaan 2 lander but the orbiter is doing "extemely well", ISRO Chief K Sivan said today, adding that a national-level panel is now analysing what really went wrong with the lander. Gaganyaan mission is the next priority of the premier space agency, he added.

"Chandrayaan2 orbiter is doing very well. All payload operations have commenced," Mr Sivan told news agency ANI.

"We have got no signal from lander. A national-level committee is now analysing what really went wrong with the lander. May be after the committees submits the report, we'll work on the future plan. Necessary approvals and other processes are required. We are working on that," he added.

"Our next priority is Gaganyaan mission," Mr Sivan said.

On September 7, India made a historic attempt to soft land on the lunar surface. Moments before the lander Vikram was about to land on the moon's surface, it lost contact with the ground station. 

The deadline to contact the lander, which had a 14-day mission life, ended on Saturday as the lunar night began to fall in the south polar region of the moon where the lander was attempting a descent. 

ISRO had said earlier that the fall of lunar night would make it impossible for the lander to get any sunlight and generate power for its functioning. 

India had expected to make space history with the Rs. 1,000-crore Chandrayaan 2 mission.

A successful soft landing on the moon's surface would have made the country only the fourth - after the United States, Russia and China - to achieve the feat. It would also have made India the first country to complete a soft landing near the South Pole on its first attempt.