"Have Come To Be Inspired By You": PM Tells ISRO Scientists

"You are among those who live and work hard to take India to new heights," PM tells ISRO scientists..

New Delhi/Bengaluru:

Hours after witnessing Chandrayaan 2's journey towards the Moon where its lander lost communication with ISRO, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was back at the space agency's headquarters in Bengaluru to meet scientists who were part of the mission. "You all came ever so close, as close as one could be to success. Learn from your experience and move forward, look forward. Carry on the work you do, for there will be many opportunities ahead and many missions ahead," PM Modi told the scientists. PM Modi was among those present at ISRO's mission control room to watch what could have made India the first nation to reach closest to the lunar south pole. ISRO lost contact with Chandrayaan 2 lander when it was about 2.1 km from the Moon surface.

The ambitious Chandrayaan 2 mission, however, has been far from a flop. With a mission life of one year, the Chandrayaan 2 orbiter remains in operation and will continue to study the Moon from afar. "Only 5 per cent of the mission has been lost - Vikram the lander and Pragyan the rover - while the remaining 95 per cent - that is the Chandrayaan 2 orbiter - is orbiting the moon successfully," an official at ISRO told news agency IANS.

Here are highlights of PM Modi's address to the nation after ISRO lost contact with Chandrayaan 2 Lander:

You are among those who live and work hard to take India to new heights. You contribute to the building of the nation.
I can understand sadness in your face. I lived every moment with you.
You all had been working non-stop for days. You were so passionate about this mission. I didn't want to add to your stress by being around when I saw that things didn't go exactly as planned... which is why I left and gave you some time for you all to gather your thoughts and emotions.
Today we may have faced a roadblock but that should not bring down our confidence. It should not stop us from achieving our goals.
Despite all that has happened through our many missions, our ups and downs, we move forward with courage and even more determination.
The Moon landing of Chandrayaan 2 may not have gone as intended, but this is certainly just the beginning of our ambitious space programme.
There are new frontiers to discover. Many more opportunities will come.
We will rise to the occasion and scale newer heights of success.
To our scientists I want to say- India is with you! You are exceptional professionals who have made an incredible contribution to national progress.
Today our resolve to touch the moon has strengthened.
You all are those who etch your name on stone, not in sand.
You all came ever so close... as close as one could be to success. Learn from your experience and move forward, look forward and carry on the work you do, for there will be many opportunities ahead, many missions ahead.
I salute not just you all (scientists), but also your families, for their contribution is priceless towards you all achieving so much over the years.
There will be a new dawn and a brighter tomorrow very soon.
Our team worked hard, travelled far and those teachings will always remain with us. The learnings from today will make us stronger and better.
As important as the final result is the journey and the effort. I can proudly say that the effort was worth it and so was the journey.
And the culture at ISRO to never give up is in the very foundation and core of your organisation and values.
Think about the amazing achievements of ISRO. It was your Chandrayaan 1 which showed the world that there were traces of water on the Moon - a spectacular discovery. It was your Mangalyaan mission which made India the first country to successfully reach Mars in its first attempt. It was you all that set a world record of successfully placing over a hundred satellites in orbit in a single launch... there are numerous such examples... never forget those.
Resilience and tenacity are central to India's ethos. In our glorious history, we have faced moments that may have slowed us but they have never crushed our spirit.
We have bounced back again & gone on to do spectacular things.
This is why our civilisation stands tall.
ISRO is recognised by the world as one of the greatest space agencies. No matter where I travel, the name that ISRO has created for itself is something that makes the nation proud of you all.
Keep working hard, keep looking forward. Set your eyes beyond the skies. ISRO shows the nation how to look beyond the stars, not look back. Today, we must all look ahead, not look back and be disappointed.
We will succeed for sure. In the next attempt of this mission and every other mission, success will be ours.
There is never any failure in science, there is only learning in science.
I have not come here to advise you all. I have come here to learn from you all, to be inspired by you all.
ISRO has many many more missions to look forward to. There will be many opportunities in the future, carry on your good work and always remember, the nation, us all, are standing behind you in full support.