Leaders across political parties on Saturday hailed the dedication and passion of ISRO scientists, urging them not to be disheartened after Chandrayaan-2's Vikram lander lost contact with ground stations minutes before its planned touchdown on the lunar surface. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday asked ISRO scientists not to get disheartened by the hurdles in the moon mission Chandrayaan-2 and asserted that there will be a "new dawn and better tomorrow".

Congress' Jyotiraditya Scindia says Chandrayaan-2 has "united us all towards our collective goal of scientific advancement."

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra says "there is no success without setbacks."

Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari's pep talk for ISRO: Advertisement

Shah Rukh Khan is 'Proud of ISRO' | Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan harps on "hope" and "belief" as he tweets for the ISRO and its team of scientists who worked invested their lives for the success of mission Chandrayaan-2 mission.

Meanwhile, actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan said yesterday's setback "does not tantamount to failure."

Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati, in two consecutive tweets, said the Chandrayaan-2 mission has thrilled the entire country and the success that Indian scientists, especially 'ISRO' scientists have achieved so far, is a matter of pride and should be appreciated.

Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala, congratulated the team of scientists for contributing their blood and sweat and working round the clock to make India's Chandrayaan-2 mission a successful feat.

Former Chief Minister of Karnataka, Siddaramaiah, salutes the scientists at ISRO for their "achievements." Advertisement

Bhutan Prime Minister Sends Heartfelt Note to PM Modi | Prime Minister of Bhutan, Lotay Tshering, conveyed his best wishes for the country and its scientists. "We are proud of India and its scientists today. Chandrayaan-2 saw some challenges last minute but courage and hard work you have shown are historical. Knowing Prime Minister Narendra Modi, I have no doubt he and his ISRO team will make it happen one day," he said.

PM Modi Concludes Speech | "India is one of the major space powers in the world. The credit goes to all of you. It was you who were the first to reach Mars. ISRO has made many records. When success is your mantra then you can never go out of trajectory. Science never gets satisfied with the results. Its inherent quality is that it tries for more. I trust your confidence. I am not here to lecture you. I am meeting you all to get inspired from you," said Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he concluded his addressal.

Chandrayaan-2 Journey Was 'Shandaar', 'Jaandaar' | Over the disappointment of the scientists at the ISRO, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "Every difficulty and every struggle teaches us something new and motivates us for some new inventions, new technologies and this determines our future success. If someone is the greatest teacher of knowledge, then it is science. Science is not a failure, only experiments and efforts. The journey of Chandrayaan-2 was 'Shandaar', 'Jaandaar."

There will be a new dawn and a brighter future soon, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, adding that the journey and the efforts are as important as the final result of the Chandrayaan-2 mission. "I can proudly say that the effort was worth it and so was the journey. Our team worked hard, travelled far and those teachings will always remain with us. The learnings from today will make us stronger and better. The citizens of this country and I am proud of your efforts no matter what the result is," PM Modi said.

"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 and gone on to do spectacular things. This is why our civilisation stands tall," PM modi said in Bengaluru.

To the scientists, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the country will rise to the occasion and scale newer heights of success. "India is with you. You came as close as you could. I also salute the families of our space scientists," said PM Modi.

"The entire nation was awake in solidarity with our scientists who had embarked on one of the most ambitious mission of space. You are exceptional citizens who have given incredible contribution in progress of the nation," said Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he addressed the scientists at ISRO after Chandrayaan-2's Vikarm lander went incommunicando.

India is Undeterred by the Obstacles, Says PM | PM Narendra Modi, in his address, said that "the eyes of the ISRO scientists conveyed a lot." " You live for India's honour, I salute you," said the Prime Minister, adding that the obstacles in Chandrayaan-2 have not weakened the spirits of the country, but have strengthened them. "Today, there may have been a blockade in our path. But we are not deterred from the path of our destination," PM Modid said.

Uplifting the spirits of the dejected scientists at the ISRO, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "You are those people who live for the nation and work towards its progress. You have given your life for the country. You have sacrificed your life, your dreams for the country. I could understand you all last night. I could read the disappointment on your faces. You all have not slept since so many nights. I wanted to meet and talk to you all."

PM Modi Addresses Nation from ISRO HQ | Prime Minister Narendra Modi is speaking from the ISRO headquarters in Bengaluru hoyrs after Chandrayaan 2’s lander Vikram lost contact with ground control around 2.1 km from the lunar surface.

Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter Safe in Lunar Orbit | The Chandrayaan-2 orbiter is healthy and safe in the Lunar orbit, an ISRO official said after the Vikram lander lost contact with ground stations minutes before the touchdown on Moon's surface early on Saturday. "The orbiter is healthy, intact, functioning normally and safely in the Lunar orbit," the official said. The mission life of the 2,379-kg orbiter is one year.

In another tweet, Vice President of India, Venkaiah Naidu said, "There is nothing to despair. ISRO only lost communication with the Lander and not the hopes of 1.3 billion Indians. The Orbiter with its payloads is performing its mission."

In an early-morning tweet, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that he would be interacting with the scientists at the ISRO shortly. Earlier, ISRO had tweeted that PM Modi would be interacting with the nation at 8am today.

Timeline of India's second unmanned lunar mission Chandrayaan -2: June 12: ISRO Chairman K Sivan announces India's second sojourn to the moon, Chandrayaan-2, would be launched on July 15.

June 29: Rover after completion of all tests integrated with lander Vikram.

June 29: Vikram lander (assembled with Pragyan Rover) integrated with Orbiter.

July 4: Integration of encapsulated assembly of Chandrayaan-2 with launch vehicle (GSLV MkIII-M1) completed.

July 7: GSLV MkIII-M1 moved to launch pad.

July 14: Countdown for GSLV MkIII-M1/Chandrayaan-2 launch on July 15 commences.

July 15: ISRO calls off Chandrayaan-2 launch as a technical snag is observed in launch vehicle system about one hour before blast-off.

July 18: Chandrayaan-2 launch rescheduled for July 22, at 2.43 pm from second launch pad of SDSC, Sriharikota.

July 21: Countdown for GSLV MkIII-M1/Chandrayaan-2 launch on July 22 commences.

July 22: GSLV MkIII-M1 successfully launches Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft.

July 24: First earth bound orbit raising manoeuvre for Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft was performed successfully.

July 26: Second earth bound manoeuvre performed.

July 29: Third earth bound manoeuvre performed.

August 2: Fourth earth bound manoeuvre performed.

August 4: ISRO releases first set of images of the Earth captured by Chandrayaan-2 satellite.

August 6: Fifth earth bound manoeuvre performed.

August 14: Chandrayaan-2 successfully enters Lunar Transfer Trajectory.

August 20: Lunar Orbit Insertion. Chandrayaan-2 successfully inserted into Lunar orbit.

August 22: First set of pictures of Moon taken by Chandrayaan-2's LI4 Camera from an altitude of about 2,650 km from the lunar surface released by ISRO.

August 21: Second lunar orbit manoeuvre performed.

August 26: ISRO releases second set of images of lunar surface captured by Terrain Mapping Camera-2 (TMC-2) of Chandrayaan 2.

August 28: Third lunar bound orbit manoeuvre performed.

August 30: Fourth lunar orbit manoeuvre performed.

September 1: Fifth and final lunar orbit manoeuvre performed.

September 2: Vikram lander successfully separates from Orbiter.

September 3: First de-orbiting manoeuvre performed to bring Vikram closer to moon.

September 4: Second de-orbiting manoeuvre performed.

September 7: Vikram lander begins its powered descent, normal performance was observed up to an altitude of 2.1 km, but loses contact with ground stations minutes before the crucial touchdown on the lunar surface.

ISRO scientists, including its chief K Sivan, looked glum soon after the fine braking phase commenced, indicating that all was not well. Here’s how the ‘terrifying’ night unfolded at ISRO command centre

Politicians, celebrities, sportspersons and common citizens across India stood in solidarity with the ISRO on Saturday after Chandrayaan-2’s lander went incommunicado barely a couple of kilometres from the moon’s surface. The first words of support following ISRO chairman K Sivan’s disappointing announcement came from Prime Minister Narendra Modi who was at the ISRO control centre in Bengaluru. Click here to read

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 Modiwill address the nation from ISRO Control Centre today(September 07, 2019) at 0800 hrs IST," ISRO tweeted. ISRO's plan to soft-land Chandrayaan-2's Vikram module on the Lunar surface did not go as per script in the early hours of Saturday, with the lander losing communication with ground stations during its final descent. Vikram's descent was as planned and normal performance was observed up to an altitude of 2.1 km. Subsequently, communication from Lander to the ground stations was lost, ISRO said, adding that data was being analyzed.

Vikram lander descent was as planned and normal performance was observed up to an altitude of 2.1 km. Subsequently, communication from the lander to ground stations was lost, ISRO Chairman K Sivan said, his voice choking. "The data is being analysed", he added at the Mission Operations Complex at ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) here as disappointment was writ large on the faces of ISRO scientists.

Scientists led by Sivan went into a huddle and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was keenly tracking the progress was briefed on the development and a sombre mood enveloped the Mission Operations Complex at ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) here which quickly led to dejection; all in a span of about half an hour after the process began. Later, Sivan made the announcement that communication was lost with the lander, while Modi boosted the morale of the scientists asking them not to lose hope.

ISRO's plan to soft land Chandrayaan 2's Vikram module on the lunar surface did not go as per script in the early hours of Saturday, with the lander losing communication with ground stations during its final descent. The "terrifying 15 minute" complex landing process, which commenced with a lot of expectation, tinged with a sense of jubiliation was going on well till the successful rough braking phase which was marked by rounds of applause. When the top ISRO scientists including its chief Sivan looked glum soon after the subsequent fine braking phase commenced, it was the first indication that all was not well.

With a mission life of one year, Chandrayaan 2’s Orbiter can take several pictures of the moon and send it to the ISRO. The Orbiter can also take pictures of the lander to know its status, an ISRO official has said. The Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft comprised three segments — the Orbiter (weighing 2,379 kg, eight payloads), 'Vikram' (1,471 kg, four payloads) and 'Pragyan' (27 kg, two payloads). On September 2, the Vikram separated from the Orbiter.

'95% of Chandrayaan 2 Intact as Orbiter Flying Around Moon' | Even though the fate and the status of India's moon lander Vikram is not known, all is not lost as far as the Rs 978 crore Chandrayaan-2 mission is concerned, an ISRO official said on Saturday. "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," news agency IANS has quoted an ISRO official as saying.

What is the Most Interesting Aspect of Chandrayaan 2? One of the most intriguing aspects of the Chandrayaan 2 mission is that ISRO will attempt to land the Vikram rover between two craters on Moon's South Pole, which has not been accessed by any country till date. Although several countries have made attempts to reach the Lunar South Pole, India might be the first if everything goes as per plan. One of the most major reasons behind it is the fact that the craters on this part have remained “untouched by sunlight for billions of years”, and hence, it will offer an undisturbed record of the solar system's origins.

Here are the Technological Challenges That ISRO is Likely to Face During Chandrayaan-2 Landing | A journey of 3,84,000 km, traversed on a pre-defined path will see Chandrayaan-2 face its moment of truth after a month-and-half-of being launched from Sriharikota. The lander module, Vikram, has already detached itself from the main spacecraft and will soon begin the final descent to the moon's surface from the nearest point in its current orbit, which is 35kms in vertical distance, sometime after 1.30am. Click to read the full story here.

With Just 35km Left to be Covered, NASA Keeps a Minute-by-Minute Watch on India's Chandrayaan 2 | US space scientists, including those from NASA, are all over the moon as they await with bated breath for India's ambitious lunar mission Chandrayaan-2's historic soft landing on the moon in the early hours of Saturday. Chandrayaan 2's landing module 'Vikram' will begin its final descent to pull off a historic soft landing on the lunar surface on Saturday. Read the full story here.

Chandrayaan 2 landing is now less than 3 hours away. You can watch it live here.

Here is the Chandrayaan 2 timeline for the next few hours. Vikram lander touchdown will take place at 1:53 am and Pragyan rover will be turned on at 4:23 am.

Around 70 students from different parts of the country are present in Bengaluru to witness Chandrayaan 2 landing with PM Modi.

Here are some details about the Pragyan Rover.

What will Happen After the Landing of Chandrayaan 2 on Moon? A few hours after Chandrayaan-2's landing module Vikram touches down on the moon early Saturday, Rover 'Pragyaan' will emerge from the lander and roll out onto the lunar surface. The touchdown of 'Vikram' is scheduled between 1.30 am and 2.30 am, followed by the rollout of rover between 5.30 a.m and 6.30 a.m. Read the full story here.

Know More About M Vanitha, Project Director of the Chandrayaan 2 Mission | The classmates of M Vanitha, Project Director of the Chandrayaan-2 mission, are planning to hold a felicitation function in Chennai in October to honour her. "We would like to hold a small felicitation function to honour Vanitha. We are all proud of her. She is a reserved person and I hope she agrees to our proposal," CSG International Director Jawahar Sabapathy told reporters. Vanitha is the first female Project Director of India's inter-planetary mission. She passed out of the College of Engineering, Guindy, in Chennai.

Chandrayaan 2 is more cost effective than these Hollywood movies.

Here's a view of the majestic lift-off of GSLV MKIII-M1 carrying Chandrayaan 2.

Who is Chandrayaan 2 Director Ritu Karidhal? Senior scientist Ritu Karidhal, along with Vanitha M, is helming the moon mission. Karidhal played a key role in realising the Mars Orbiter Mission, which created history by being the first mission to reach Mars in its first attempt. Karidhal, who joined ISRO in November 1997, has worked for several prestigious missions of the space agency and has also been in the position of Director of Operations for many missions.

Here is an infographic explaining all the details of Chandrayaan 2.

Watch Chandrayaan 2 landing on Nat Geo with NASA Astronaut | National Geographic on Tuesday announced that it is all set to take its viewers on a once in a lifetime expedition to witness a historic event in the country's space endeavours, the Chandrayaan-2 landing on September 7 at 1.30 a.m.-2.30 a.m. The TV channel is bringing in NASA astronaut Jerry Linenger in an exclusive live show where he will share his experiences in space.

PM Urges People to Watch Chandrayaan-2 Descent, Share Photos | Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday urged people to watch the final descent of Chandrayaan-2 on the moon surface and share their photos on the social media. "I urge you all to watch the special moments of Chandrayaan-2 descending on to the Lunar South Pole! Do share your photos on social media. I will re-tweet some of them too," Modi Tweeted. The Prime Minister will be at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) headquarters in Bengaluru on Saturday to watch the final descent of Chandrayaan-2 on the Moon's surface.

PM to watch Chandrayaan 2 Final Descent with Students at ISRO | Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be at the ISRO headquarters in Bengaluru on Saturday to watch the final descent of Chandrayaan-2 on the Moon's surface. Officials said Modi will witness the final descent of Chandrayaan-2 on the lunar south pole from Satellite Control Centre (SCC), ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC). He will also interact with the winners of the 'space quiz', which was conducted for students between classes 8 and 10 to coincide with the event.

Chandrayaan 2 Project Director's Classmates Plan Felicitation | The classmates of M. Vanitha, Project Director of the Chandrayaan 2 mission, are planning to hold a felicitation function here sometime this year to honour her. "We would like to hold a small felicitation function to honour Vanitha. We are all proud of her. She is a reserved person and I hope she agrees to our proposal," Jawahar Sabapathy, Director, CSG International, told IANS. He said the felicitation function is planned sometime in October. Vanitha is the first female Project Director of India's inter-planetary mission. She passed out of the College of Engineering, Guindy here.

Special Prayers Held for Vikram's Successful Landing | Seeking the Moon God Chandran's blessings for the successful landing of India's moon lander Vikram, special prayers were held at the Chandranaar Temple in Tamil Nadu's Thanjavur district, said a temple official. "We had a special 'abhishekam' and 'archana' today (Friday) evening, seeking the divine blessings of Chandran," said V. Kannan, Manager at the Sri Kailasanathan Temple or the Chandranaar Temple. A special pooja was also organised for the success of Chandrayaan 1 before the rocket lifted off in 2008, he said.

Chandrayaan 2 to Benefit Mankind Across Globe, Says Former NASA Astronaut | Former astronaut Jerry Linenger, who spent five months inside the space station Mir, says Indias contribution towards space exploration over the years has been instrumental in unravelling some great discoveries. "India's contribution towards space exploration over the years has been instrumental in unravelling discoveries beyond Earth. Chandrayaan 2 is a breakthrough mission that will enable us understand the presence of water on the moon," Linenger said.

Here is a look at the major differences between Chandrayaan 1 and Chandrayaan 2.

How Did Chandrayaan 1 Pave Way for Chandrayaan 2? ISRO that had hit a milestone with the success of Chandrayaan 1 is all set to make history yet again with the Chandrayaan 2 moon mission. If successful, it will make India only the fourth country after the United States, Russia and China to performs a 'soft' landing on the Moon and put a rover on the lunar surface. Notably, China successfully landed a rover on the lunar surface in January this year. The Rs 1000-crore mission is set to carry an orbiter, a lander named ‘Vikram’ and a moon rover christened ‘Pragyan.' Here is how Chandrayaan 1 paved way for Chandrayaan 2.

PM Modi Arrives in Bengaluru to Witness Historic Moon Landing at ISRO Command Centre | Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Bengaluru on Friday night to witness the historic landing of the Chandrayaan-2 mission in the early hours of Saturday. The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) on Twitter said that Modi was welcomed by Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, Union ministers DV Sadanand Gowda and Pralhad Joshi, as well as ministers of the Karnataka Cabinet and other officials. Read the full story here.

As India's first moon lander Vikram is all set to land on the moon on early on Saturday, Tamil Nadu's Sona College revealed its Special Electrical and Electronics Drives Division (SPEED) supplied three products that are its parts, including two vital components that will allow its smooth landing on the moon and collection of soil and rock samples. Read the full story here.

More Visuals from ISRO's Monitoring Centre in Bengaluru

Visuals from ISRO Monitoring Centre | With the final descent of Chandrayaan 2 to take place on the Lunar South Pole tonight, here is a visual from ISRO monitoring centre in Bengaluru.

Why is Chandrayaan 2 Lander Named Vikram? | The country is celebrating the 100th birth anniversary of scientist and innovator Dr Vikram A Sarabhai. Considered to be the father of India's space program, Dr Sarabhai's centenary comes just weeks after India's Chandrayaan-2 mission to the moon. Dr Vikram A Sarabhai started a project for the fabrication and launch of an Indian satellite. As a result, the first Indian satellite, Aryabhata, was put in orbit in 1975 from a Russian cosmodrome. Click here to find out why Why ISRO named chandrayaan 2 lander 'Vikram'.

Which Countries Other Than India have Landed on Moon? With Chandrayaan 2 likely to land on the Moon near the South Pole in a few hours, click here to find other nations that have sent missions to the moon.

Why is ISRO Aiming for the South Pole? India launched the Chandrayaan-2 moon mission into space on Monday to perform a soft landing of a rover on the moon, the country's most ambitious mission yet to cement its position as a leading low-cost space power. The Rs 10 billion ($146 million) mission, if successful, will enable India to carry out studies on the presence of water on the south pole of the moon. Only the United States, Russia and China have been on the moon. Here is why ISRO is aiming for the virgin south pole of the Moon

ISRO has tweeted a video explaining the functions and components of Pragyan rover. Once the lander touches down on the Moon's surface, the ramp would be lowered, which is when rover Pragyan will come down from it. Pragyan rover will come down and it will begin its journey of moving around the Moon's South Pole area. It will carry out various experiments during the 14 days of its existence.

Watch: Here is why Chandrayaan 2 is special.

If Successful, Chandrayaan 2 Could Herald the Start of Cheaper Space Missions | The Chandrayaan-2 mission stands out because of its low cost, with some $140 million spent on preparations -- a much smaller price tag compared with similar missions by other countries. The spacecraft also carries an orbiter, lander and a rover, all almost entirely designed and made in India. The US, which recently marked the 50th anniversary of Neil Armstrong becoming the first human on the Moon, spent the equivalent of more than $100 billion on its Apollo missions. Chandrayaan-2, if successful, could herald the start of cheaper missions, at a time when private industry is entering the space race and striving to make exploration cheaper -- and more profitable.

How Moon's South Pole Can Serve as a Pit Stop for Journey to Mars | Reaching Mars -- which lies an average of 225 million kilometres (140 million miles) from Earth -- is hugely challenging. The Moon is a relatively near 380,000 kilometres from Earth. As such, scientists say the lunar South Pole, if as believed it has an abundance of water, will serve as a pitstop as well as a testing ground for technologies to be used to journey to Mars. "Flying to Mars isn't an easy task. You need to learn about technology, you need to test technologies and you need to do it on the Moon. You need to have a testbed somewhere," Weiss says.

Why Chandrayaan 2 Landing Can be the Next Giant Leap Towards Humans Exploring Mars | The last time humans were on the Moon was in 1972 when the US Apollo 17 mission took Eugene Cernan, Harrison Schmitt and Ronald Evans - and five mice Fe, Fi, Fo, Fum, and Phooey -- there and back. According to Chandrayaan-1's director Mylswamy Annadurai, the new Indian mission could be a "precursor for future manned missions". This could be the first step towards exploring Mars, with reaching and colonising the Red Planet viewed by government and private interests as the next challenge. The US space agency NASA said last year it believes it can put humans on the Red Planet within 25 years. Billionaire Elon Musk wants to get people there too.

Why Chandrayaan 2 Landing is Important for Lunar Colonisation​ | India's first lunar mission in 2008 -- Chandrayaan-1 -- did not land on the Moon, but using radar detected ice in the frigid shadows of craters at the lunar poles. Scientists believe that large amounts of water are in the South Pole, and Chandrayaan 2 will explore further how much there might be. This is important because it could determine whether having people live on the Moon is feasible, said Mathieu Weiss, a representative in India for France's space agency CNES. "If any future (human) settlements will happen on the Moon, it will be in that area, because it is the only area where the temperature is constant as it's a shadowed area," Weiss said.

Ahead of the scheduled landing of Chandrayaan 2 today, here are some of the reasons why India's moon mission is important for future lunar and space exploration. South Pole The Vikram lander of Chandrayaan 2, or Moon Chariot 2, is due to land in the lunar South Pole region, a region the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) says is "completely unexplored". The lunar rover that will emerge from the spaceship will help scientists understand better the origin and evolution of the Moon through studying the area's topography and minerals.

What is Soft Landing? | We've all heard that Chandrayaan 2 is going to make a soft landing on moon today but what exactly does 'soft landing' mean? Read this infographic to find out.

Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik is excited to witness the soft landing of Chandrayaan 2 on moon.

Upon arriving in Bengaluru for the landing of Chandrayaan-2, PM Modi was welcomed by Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa.

Earlier in the day, PM Modi urged the citizens of the country to watch the landing of Chandrayaan-2 on moon and share their pictures on Twitter.

Meet the Director of Chandrayaan-2 Mission | When four-year-old Ritu Karidhal imagined the moon walking with her wherever she went in her hometown Lucknow, she must not have dreamt of a day when she would lead ISRO’s second mission to the moon — Chandrayaan 2. “Chandrayaan-2’s unmanned landing will provide a technology which can eventually help explore habitation on another planet. It is the first step towards that,” Karidhal was quoted in the book ‘Those Magnificent Women and their flying machines, Isro’s mission to Mars’. Click here to read more about the director of Chandrayaan-2.

PM Modi Arrives in Bengaluru for Chandrayaan-2 Landing | PM Narendra Modi arrives in Bengaluru to witness the landing of Chandrayaan-2 on moon.

Journey of Chandrayaan-2 Explained | The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), which launch a billion dreams into space with the lift-off of the Chandrayaan-2 mission, waits with bated breath as the spacecraft eyes landing on the moon early on Saturday. The mission, launched onboard the heavy-lift rocket GSLV-MkIII, nicknamed Baahubali, will land a rover near the unexplored lunar southern pole. Here is the journey of Chandrayaan-2 explained in 5 simple steps.

Here is the mission timeline of Chandrayaan-2.

Why ISRO is Aiming for the Virgin South Pole of the Moon? | According to ISRO, the lunar south pole is an interesting surface area which remains in shadow than north pole. There is a possibility of the presence of water in permanently shadowed areas around it, the agency said, adding craters in the south pole region have cold traps and contain fossil record of the early solar system.

CLICK TO READ | As Chandrayaan-2 Readies for Moon Landing Tonight, Its Journey Explained in 5 Simple Steps With Chandrayaan-2, in which home grown technology is deployed, scientists aim to expand India's footprint in space, shed light on unexplored section of Moon the South Pole region enhance knowledge about space, stimulate advancement of technology and promote global alliances.

Chandrayaan-2, a three-component spacecraft weighing 3,850 kg comprises an orbiter, the lander and the rover. The Chandrayaan-2 has 13 payloads in total, with eight of them in the orbiter, three payloads in Vikram and two in Pragyan. Five payloads are from India, three from Europe, two from the US and one from Bulgaria. A Laser Retroreflector Array (LRA) of NASA is among the payloads and is aimed at understanding dynamics of Earth's Moon system and deriving clues on Lunar interior.

CLICK TO READ | 'Butterflies in Stomach': Will Wait for Great Moment, Says ISRO Chief as Chandrayaan-2 Eyes Moon Landing

As the nation awaits with bated breath for the soft-landing of the 'Vikram' lander on the south pole of the lunar surface, the first attempt by any country, ISRO said on Friday everything related to the much-awaited touchdown is going as per plan. Joining the nation in wishing ISRO a success, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the mission manifests the best of Indian talent and spirit of tenacity.

Chandrayaan-2, ISRO’s second unmanned lunar mission, is boldly taking India where no country has gone before – the south pole of the moon. Launched on board 'Bahubali' GSLV Mk III, the Rs 603-crore rover will analyse minerals, map the moon's surface and search for water. The mission is a sequel to the successful Chandrayaan-1, which orbited the moon in 2008 and helped confirm the presence of water on the lunar surface.

When and Where to Watch ISRO Live Telecast of Moon Mission | The Chandrayaan-2 moon mission is scheduled to land on the lunar surface at 1.55 am on Saturday, September 7. This will become a record as India will be the first nation to reach closest to the moon's South Pole. The historic moment will be live telecast across 100+ countries, and many TV channels have taken the initiative to live stream the event. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with the selected school children, will see the historic landing live from the space agency ISRO's control room. Click Here to Know When and Where to Watch ISRO Live Telecast

How a Lucknow Girl Took Four Days & 6 Minutes to Reach PM Modi | "When I came to know about the quiz first, I wasn't really interested. But once I saw a documentary on NASA and ISRO in our school, I thought of giving it a go. It took me four days to prepare for the exam and I finished my exam within six minutes. I was excited when I came to know that was shortlisted, but my happiness doubled when I was informed that I will be meeting PM Modi," Rashi Verma, a class 10 student of Lucknow's Delhi Public School, said.

Kicking off the countdown for Chandrayaan-2's 'terrifying 15 minutes', the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has come up with an uber-cool way of sharing the excitement with citizens. From animations to quizzes, photos and actual footage, ISRO has recently been using interactive methods on social media to engage people, capturing the imagination of lakhs of Indians. Read More

Why World Wants to Reach the Moon's South Pole | Though several countries have made attempts to reach the Lunar South Pole, India might be the first if everything goes as per ISRO's plan. Taking to Twitter, ISRO has explained as to “why the world over, countries, companies and even individuals are turning to moon, vying with each other to fly their flags on the lunar South Pole.” One of the most major reasons behind it is the fact that the craters on this part have remained “untouched by sunlight for billions of years”. Read More





Shillong Chamber Choir to Sing Vande Mataram During Chandrayaan 2's Landing | The Shillong Chamber Choir, who shot to fame after winning the second season of India's Got Talent, have a new achievement in their kitty. The soft landing of Chandrayaan 2 on the surface of the moon will take place early morning on September 7, somewhere between 1:30 am and 2:30 am. To celebrate this moment, the 15 member choir from the Northeastern state of Meghalaya will sing their rendition of Vande Mataram.

CLICK TO READ | Chandrayaan-2 May be India's Moonwalk Into History, But Who Actually Owns Space?

Why is it 'Terrifying' 15 Minutes for Chandrayaan-2 ? | Explaining the landing manoeuvres, ISRO Chairman K Sivan had said once the manoeuvre starts from about 30 km to land on the surface of the moon, it will take 15 minutes. "This 15 minutes travel of lander is new to ISRO. It is for the first time we are going to another body where there is no atmosphere and using the propulsion system we will have to break the velocity and bring the vehicle safely to soft-land. To achieve this we will have to balance between the gravity and thrust. So we have to modulate the thrust of the engine," he had said. Following the landing, the rover 'Pragyaan' will roll out from 'Vikram' between 5.30 am and 6.30 am.

'Terrifying' 15 Minutes Await Chandrayaan-2 | ISRO has said Chandrayaan-2 will attempt to soft land the lander and rover in a high plain between two craters, Manzinus C and Simpelius N, at a latitude of about 70 south. 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.

How the Chandrayaan 2 compares with its predecessor the Chandrayaan 1

Doordarshan has made extensive arrangements to telecast LIVE, the Chandrayaan landing of Lander Vikram and Rover Pragyan roll out events from ISRO Control Centre in Bangalore. Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with a select group of children from across the country is expected to be present during the occasion, where the PM may also interact with the children. He is also expected to deliver an address on the occasion.

Verma, a Class 10 student of DPS Jankipuram here, is among 60 students selected to witness the proceedings based on an online quiz on space and science conducted by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) from August 10-25. Two top scoring students from each state and Union territory have been invited by the space agency to watch at its centre here the landing of Chandrayaan-2's "Vikram" module on the lunar surface.

Lucknowites over the Moon ahead of Chandrayaan-2 Touch Down | As Chandrayaan-2 lands near the Moon's uncharted south pole in the early hours of Saturday, Lucknow will celebrate a dual connect with India's ambitious lunar mission. There's Mission Director Ritu Karidhal Srivastava, who did her MSc in Physics from the University of Lucknow, and young Rashi Verma, the daughter of a farmer who has been chosen to watch the landing along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at ISRO's Bengaluru headquarters.

Chandrayaan-2's landing module 'Vikram' will begin its final descent to pull off a historic soft landing on the lunar surface in the early hours of Saturday, as the Indian Space Research Organisation awaits with bated breath for the "terrifying moment." A successful landing will make India the fourth country after Russia, the US and China to achieve a soft landing on the moon. But it will be the first to launch a mission to the unexplored lunar South Pole.

PM Modi to Witness Soft-landing on Moon As it Happens | Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in Bengaluru to witness live, Chandrayaan-2's landing module 'Vikram' trying to pull off a historic soft-landing on the lunar surface in the early hours of Saturday. Around 60- 70 students from across the country will be watching live India's proposed soft landing on the moon in the early hours of Saturday, along with Prime Minister Modi, ISRO has said.

As the nation awaits with bated breath for the soft-landing of the 'Vikram' lander on the south pole of the lunar surface, the first attempt by any country, ISRO said on Friday everything related to the much-awaited touchdown is going as per plan. Joining the nation in wishing ISRO a success, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the mission manifests the best of Indian talent and spirit of tenacity.