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Chandrayaan-2: India's Vikram Lander Presumed to Have Crashed

posted by chromas on Saturday September 07 2019, @03:20AM   Printer-friendly

takyon writes:

ISRO lose contact with Chandrayaan-2 lander during final descent

Following a historic July 22 launch on a GSLV Mk-III rocket from the east coast of India, the Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft – the robotic lander and rover, specifically – attempted a soft landing on the surface of the Moon on Friday. All was proceeding to plan until just 2km above the surface when telemetry was lost and the vehicle will have likely crashed into the lunar surface.

[...] The Vikram lander was aiming to softly touch down about 350 kilometers (218 miles) away from the South Pole-Aitken Basin rim on Friday evening. However, with all proceeding to plan, including the braking phase of the mission ahead of final descent, telemetry was lost.

[...] Although no explanation was provided, it is clear the mission has failed.

Also at NYT and India Today.

Previously: Chandrayaan-2 Updates: Lunar Orbit Insertion and Lunar Orbit Maneuver

Original Submission

 
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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday September 08 2019, @03:07AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Sunday September 08 2019, @03:07AM (#891152)

    Fact alert:

    There was/is something particularly difficult for landing a.. lander... at this surface of the moon. India and Russia entered an agreement some years ago where India was supposed to build the orbiter and Russia was supposed to build lander. Then Russia gave up and pulled out of the agreement after which India said it will do the lander itself. So it is not like Russia has the know-how. But I think India will get there.