Chandrayaan-2 orbiter doing very well, no communication with Vikram lander: ISRO chief Sivan

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief K Sivan on Saturday said that Chandrayaan-2 orbiter is doing very well and the next priority is Gaganyaan mission.

''Chandrayaan-2 orbiter is doing very well. There are eight instruments in the orbiter and each instrument is doing exactly what it meant to do. Regarding the lander, we have not been able to establish communication with it. Our next priority is Gaganyaan mission,'' Sivan said.

Earlier, ISRO said that National level committee consisting of academicians and ISRO experts are analyzing the cause of communication loss with the lander.

They also said that Orbiter continues to perform scheduled science experiments to complete satisfaction.

Earlier this month, ISRO Chairman K Sivan had stated that the Chandryaan-2 orbiter has clicked a thermal image of Vikram Lander.

The Lander Vikram was to soft-land on the far side of the moon at on September 7.

Minutes before its scheduled soft-landing, the communication with Vikram Lander was lost.

The Vikram Lander successfully separated from Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter on September 2.

After revolving around the Earth's orbit for nearly 23 days, the craft began its journey to the moon on August 14.

The mission took off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on July 22.