Chandrayaan-2 lander Vikram started its power descent towards soft landing on the Lunar South Pole at around 1.38 am on September 7.
The process was completely autonomous, which meant the lander would make its own decisions until it landed. It also explains what ISRO Chairman K Sivan had earlier described as the "terrifying 15 minutes" in the mission.
Through live screening of the control room that was arranged in another building for the media, we saw scientists monitoring each trajectory. At the screening area, other scientists were also curiously watching the screen, with fingers crossed.
Back in the control centre, a scientist was explaining the different phases before Vikram's landing as it orbited at 30 km: It would descend to 7.4 km in six minutes, then reach 5 km, and then 400 metres before it began its vertical descent to soft-land on the moon.
The clock struck 1.46 am.
The lander/rover combination Vikram should have reached the designated 7.4 km soon. Even before the announcement came in, the screening hall erupted with claps and victory shouts - the lander’s trajectory was on schedule.
It was 1.48 am. The second trajectory was a success.
On-screen, one could see project director M Vanitha clapping like a child and Sivan’s widespread smile as he monitored the movements. Scientists at the screening hall were in high spirits. It was now time for the penultimate descent before Vikram soft-landed on the moon.
All seem to be going well, except that it was not.
Smiles were gone. There was absolute silence. Not a word uttered, either at the screening place or the control centre. We were all trying to understand what was happening, looking at each other in confusion.
Vanitha got up from her seat. Sivan could be seen briefing Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the situation. Back at the hall, the tension was palpable.
"The Chandrayaan-2 team is waiting for the signal from the lander," an announcement came.
"We do not know what happened yet. I do not think it is the worst," said one of the scientists, visibly tensed. It was nerve-wracking for media personnel too, who were as invested in the mission's success.
Till an hour back none of us entertained the thought of any setback. There was so much excitement and easy banter as a bunch of science journalists got together talking space jargons.
Even as we were sipping hot chai to brace the cold Bengaluru night at 1 am, discussions were around what can be done between 2 am and 5.45 am till the rover lands.
"Can’t sleep on chair," we decided. Prime Minister’s address was not until 6 am and the press conference till 8 am. "Man, it is going to be really long and cold night," exclaimed a journalist, before going to grab his third cup of tea.
Little did we realise that it would be cut short.
It was 2.15 am.
As per schedule, Vikram should have landed. But scientists headed by Sivan were looking up the data. The other group of scientists at the screening hall were not any help either.
The clock ticked to 2.35 am.
Sivan made an announcement. "Normal performance was observed in the lander till it reached 2.1 km. Then the connection was lost. The data is being analysed," he said.
For some reason, a sense of loss overwhelmed all of us. It was as if we had been a part of the project right from the beginning. It was our project mission too. So, it took us a few seconds to take in the situation and ask "what next?"
Was this mission a failure? No.
Just because the communication was lost does not mean that lander crashed or Chandrayaan-2 mission failed. One of the scientists pointed out that orbiter is still in operation and that can be used to locate the lander or make minor adjustments if needed.
It will be hard but not impossible, the scientist added.
Even assuming the worst, it was still one of the most challenging missions ISRO had handled so far, and that at a modest budget of Rs 978 crore. ISRO has time and again proved they always succeed. This is no different.
In fact, ISRO has no time to lose as it gears up for 'Gaganyaan', India’s first manned mission set to launch in 2022.
It is ISRO again on which we are thrusting the dreams of billions!
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