Chandrayaan -2 : Nasa releases high-resolution images of lander Vikram

NASA shared high-resolution images of Vikram on September 26 . During its flyby of the lunar region, Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camre (LROC) captured images where initially Vikram Lander had attempted its soft landing.

“Vikram had a hard landing and the precise location of the spacecraft in the lunar highlands has yet to be determined,” stated NASA, on their official website.

Our @LRO_NASA mission imaged the targeted landing site of India’s Chandrayaan-2 lander, Vikram. The images were taken at dusk, and the team was not able to locate the lander. More images will be taken in October during a flyby in favorable lighting. More: https://t.co/1bMVGRKslp pic.twitter.com/kqTp3GkwuM

— NASA (@NASA) September 26, 2019

The lander Vikram was on its way to attempt a ‘soft landing’ just near the south pole of the moon. It was because scientists had this notion that there was water ice. Vikram was only 2.1 km away to make its first ever history for being the world’s first space mission by successfully attempting in soft landing near the lunar south pole.

As for now, the LROC team has not been able to find or image the lander Vikram. The agency of United States added that the site was located for about 600 kilometers from the south pole in a relatively ancient terrain.

India’s Chandrayaan 2 Lander Vikram was about to make history in the last critical minutes of the mission. It was supposed to direct itself by taking assistance of its own propulsion system. “15 minutes of terror” ISRO chief had explained.

“It was dusk when the landing area was imaged and thus large shadows covered much of the terrain; it is possible that the Vikram lander is hiding in a shadow. The lighting will be favorable when LRO passes over the site in October and once again attempts to locate and imagine the lander” NASA said.

Also Read: Chandrayaan-2: Lander Vikram Intact; ISRO Trying To Restore Link