Orbiter, Rover (Pragyan), and Lander (Vikram) form the main parts of Chandrayaan-2. It was a mission to the moon, about human being’s journey to that scanty gravitational space. Even water is not available on the moon, although, scientific efforts have not fully stopped in that direction. If the Lander would have been successful in completing its soft-landing on the lunar surface, there would have ample chances of getting more detailed information.
Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Telemetry, Tracking, and Command network are trying to re-establish a link with the located Lander, but chances appear bleak, according to scientists. A news report said, Jonathan O’Callaghan, a UK-based freelance journalist, who writes on space and climate-change, claimed in a tweet that the widely shared image of Lander Vikram on the moon is actually that of NASA’s Curiosity rover on Mars.
Also just quickly, I'm seeing this image shared a lot too claiming it is the #VikramLander on the Moon. It is not, it is NASA's Curiosity rover on Mars. pic.twitter.com/QhFd1vHZQM
— Jonathan O’Callaghan (@Astro_Jonny) September 8, 2019
The inputs from this will be of much use for our scientists. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also consoled a teary-eyed K Sivan, ISRO’s Chairman. His face brightened when he received a thermal picture of the Lander in a tilted position.
Undeniably, it is a great feat by the scientists who felt a little saddened with the news of their pay cut from July this year. However, it has not decreased research into the mysteries of space.
The much-publicised moon landing by ISRO is getting linked with politics too, as many have come to realise. The project, which continued for more than a decade, I feel, will be brought as a big mudda (issue) in the ensuing assembly polls in a number of states. Will it have an impact on voting trends? Seemingly devoid of political tint, this scientific mission appears far from the political sphere. Then, its use for politics appears unjust. It is linked to rocket science. So, why float an idea to distract people from basic problems? India failed somewhere, standing with Russia, America, and China in this feat, but it is absolutely not demoralising in any way. ISRO has decided to take humans to the moon, and this can be achieved one fine day.