Chandrayaan 2: Space researchers, scientists in the city share hope of Vikram lander surviving impact

With ISRO saying that Chandrayaan-2 lander ‘Vikram’ is unbroken but lying tilted on the surface of the Moon after a hard landing very close to the scheduled touchdown site, space researchers and scientists in the city say there is still hope. Space reseacher Debi Prasad Duari told reporters here it is good news that ‘Vikram’ has been located and everyone is keenly waiting for detailed information. Putting the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter on its path was a remarkable feat, he said. Images sent by the orbiter’s onboard camera showed that the lander is very close to the scheduled touchdown site. [caption id=“attachment_6988751” align=“alignnone” width=“1280”] An illustration of Vikram lander and Pragyan rover on lunar surface. Image: ISRO[/caption] “So far we have heard it was not a case of a soft-landing. We do not know what is the condition inside the lander, but we know that ISRO scientists are making every bid to establish contact with it. If different components of the lander can work as expected, if ISRO confirms that it remains unbroken and intact, that is a success in the true sense,” Duari, who is also director of M P Birla Planetarium, here said. Space scientist Sandip Chakraborty said bringing out of the rover ‘Pragyan’ from the lander and making it functional is crucial for the moon mission. “We should not give up hope (about the lander), let’s wait for more news,” he said. ‘Vikram’, which encases rover ‘Pragyan’ went out of contact during its final descent when it was just 2.1 km above the lunar surface in the early hours of September 7. Chandrayaan-2 comprises an orbiter, lander (Vikram) and rover (Pragyan).