A technical snag was observed in launch vehicle system at T-56 minute. As a measure of abundant precaution,… https://t.co/lSWKBq7IiJ — ISRO (@isro) 1563138467000

A technical snag was observed in launch vehicle system at 1 hour before the launch. As a measure of abundant precau… https://t.co/N2YBX8bbPj — ISRO (@isro) 1563140389000

SRIHARIKOTA: Just a few minutes before 2.51 am launch of the Chandrayaan-2 mission from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SHAR) in Sriharikota , Indian Space Research Organisation early Monday morning made an announcement from the mission control room that the launch of the country's second moon mission has been called off. The news created commotion in the media gallery of the SHAR where journalists from not only different parts of the country but abroad came to cover the most high-profile launch.A few minutes later, an official spokesperson of Isro made the announcement, "A technical snag was observed in the launch vehicle system at T - 56 minutes (the countdown). As a measure of precaution, the launch has been called off today. The revised launch date will be announced later."Had the GSLV MKIII lifted off with Chandrayaan-2 and the lunar craft landed on the moon on its scheduled date of September 6-7, India would have become the fourth country in the world after USSR, US and China to land on the moon.The postponement of the launch is a setback for Isro as President Ram Nath Kovind came to Sriharikota to witness the launch. However, Isro does not want to take any chance as it has spent nearly Rs 1,000 crore on the mission and put years of hard work on the second moon programme. Till now, it is not sure whether the launch will be resumed in coming days till Isro finds out the exact reason for the technical snag in the vehicle system, which will certainly take time.In April this year, Israel's Beresheet lunar craft had crashlanded on the moon. Soon after the failure of Israel's Beresheet mission, Isro had postponed its launch of Chandrayaan-2 from April till July. Now with the technical snag stalling the launch, the country has to wait for India's date with the moon.