Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday morning addressed the nation in the backdrop of Chandrayaan-2's lander 'Vikram' losing contact with ground stations.
Communication with Chandrayaan-2 lander Vikram was lost seconds before it was supposed to touch down on the moon’s surface, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief said.
Below are the live updates:
8:29 AM: PM Modi finishes his address to scientists and the nation with the chants of "Bharat Mata Ki Jai."
8:25 AM: "We don't have to look back. We have to move forward and not stop till we reach our destinations," says PM Modi. I wish you all the best for all the upcoming missions, says PM Modi.
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8:24 AM:
8:20 AM: "I am with you, so is the entire nations," says PM Modi, "Every struggle teaches us something new. It encourages us to try and do something new".
8:18 AM: Resilience & 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, says PM Modi.
8:15 AM: You came as close you could. "I salute the families of our scientists. Their silent but valuable support remains integral," says PM Modi. In our glorious history, we have faced tough moments but they could never crush our spirit, says PM Modi.
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8:10 AM: I can understand what you are going through. I understand your state of mind, PM Modi tells scientists.
8:04 AM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi starts addressing the nation.
7:56 AM: ISRO’s achievement with getting Chandrayaan-2 so far has made every Indian proud. India stands with our committed and hard working scientists at @isro. My best wishes for future endeavours.
7:39 AM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation at 8 AM on Saturday, in the backdrop of Chandrayaan-2's lander 'Vikram' losing contact with ground stations.
"#ISRO Honorable Prime Minister Shri. Narendra Modi will address the nation from ISRO Control Centre today (September 07, 2019) at 0800 hrs IST," ISRO tweeted.
3:09 am: Data is still being analysed, Saturday's planned press conference has been called off, announces ISRO
3:06am: "ISRO’s achievement with getting Chandrayaan-2 so far has made every Indian proud. India stands with our committed and hard working scientists at @isro. My best wishes for future endeavours," tweets Home Minister Amit Shah
2:54am: "We are with you @isro. You have brought the nation, it’s young minds and all, together in sensing your achievements in Space. You will succeed," tweets Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman
2:52am: Media persons at ISRO headquarters asked to wait for another 15 mins
2:39am: "India is proud of our scientists! They’ve given their best and have always made India proud. These are moments to be courageous, and courageous we will be!" tweets PM Modi.
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2:22am: The country is proud of you. You have done great service to the nation and to the mankind. I am with you: PM Modi tells ISRO scientists
2:20am: 'Be courageous, it's not a small feat we have achieved,' PM Modi tells ISRO scientists
2:18am: Communication lost at 2.1km from touchdown, says ISRO chief
2:16am: Communication from lander Vikram was lost and data is being analysed, says ISRO chief K Sivan
2:00am: ISRO control room awaits signal from Vikarm lander
1:52am: ISRO chairman briefs PM Modi amid tense moments
1:49am: 'Vikram' starts fine braking 7.4km from spot
1:45am: Lander 'Vikram' begins descent towards moon
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1:24am: PM Modi arrives at ISRO headquarters
1:12am: Amazon Founder and Blue Origin CEO Jeff Bezos wishes India good luck. "Rooting for team India. Good luck, India! #Chandrayaan2," tweeted Bezos.
12:44am: While controlling its movement, the Mission Control Station of the ISRO will pass on instructions to Pragyaan to stop and determine the elemental composition of lunar rocks and soil using a payload called APXS on the front, right below the two cameras.
12:42am: A few hours after Chandrayaan-2's landing module Vikram touches down on the moon, Rover 'Pragyaan' will emerge from the lander and roll out onto the lunar surface.
12:12am: Less than an hour to go for the historic landing on moon
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10:20pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived at the Yelahanka Airbase to witness the planned landing of Chandrayaan-2's 'Vikram' module on lunar surface
8:52pm: A group of 31 children in Patna, Bihar, on Friday performed a special prayer for Chandrayaan-2's soft landing on the surface of the moon. The children blew several conches in unison for the mission's successful landing.
5:15pm: The Chandrayaan-2 is a Rs 978 crore unmanned moon mission (satellite cost Rs 603 crore, GSLV MK III cost Rs 375 crore).
5:10pm: A successful touch-down will make India the fourth country after Russia, the US and China to achieve a soft landing on the moon, and the first to launch a mission to the unexplored south polar region.
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5:06pm: 'Vikram' will perform a series of complex braking manoeuvres to soft land in the South polar region of the Moon between two craters, Manzinus C and Simpelius N, on September 7.
5:05pm: Chandrayaan-2's 27-kg robotic vehicle 'Pragyan', which translates to 'wisdom' in Sanskrit, can travel up to 500 metres from the landing spot on the Moon and leverages solar energy for its functioning.
5:00pm: Did You Know? The 1,471-kg lander 'Vikram', named after Dr Vikram A Sarabhai, father of the Indian space programme, is designed to execute a soft landing on the lunar surface, and to function for one lunar day, which is equivalent to about 14 earth days.
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4:42pm: Hours before the soft landing, the ISRO came out with the Chandrayaan-2 chronicles indulging in 'banter' involving the orbiter, lander and rover 'Pragyan'.
4:40pm: In a series of tweets, PM Modi said the mission manifests the best of Indian talent and spirit of tenacity. "The moment 130 crore Indians were enthusiastically waiting for is here! In a few hours from now, the final descent of Chandrayaan - 2 will take place on the Lunar South Pole. India, and the rest of the world will yet again see the exemplary prowess of our space scientists," he said.
4:39pm: Following the landing, the rover 'Pragyaan' will roll out from 'Vikram' between 5.30 am and 6.30 am.
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4:36pm: ISRO Chairman K Sivan said the proposed soft landing on the Moon was going to be a "terrifying" moment as the ISRO has not done it before, whereas Lunar Orbit Insertion (LOI) manoeuvre was successfully carried out during the Chandrayaan-1 mission.
4:34pm: 'Vikram' with rover 'Pragyaan' housed inside is scheduled for a powered-descent between 1 am and 2 am on September 7, followed by its touchdown between 1.30 am and 2.30 am.
