Bengaluru / We have got no signal from lander but Chandrayaan-2 orbiter is working very well: ISRO Chief K Sivan

The Chandrayaan-2 orbiter is performing "very well" and has commenced carrying out all the experiments that it is supposed to, Indian Space Research Organisation chief K Sivan said Thursday. Sivan also said a national-level committee is looking into what went wrong with the Chandrayaan-2 lander Vikram that lost communication with Earth during its descent on to the lunar surface.

Sivan was speaking at an event in Ahmedabad where he also said Isro's next big focus will be on the missions to send a probe to the Sun and to sending humans to space on an Indian spacecraft. Isro is also working on a rocket to launch small satellites, Sivan said.

K Sivan, ISRO Chief: #Chandrayaan2 orbiter is doing very well. All payload operations have commenced, it's doing extremely well. We have got no signal from lander but orbiter is working very well. A national level committee is now analysing what really went wrong with the lander. pic.twitter.com/XZKC2KKoNO

— ANI (@ANI) September 26, 2019

The Chandrayaan-2's Vikram lander has not been heard from since September 7 when it lost contact with Isro. A 14-day period to re-establish contact with the Chandrayaan-2 lander ended on September 21 when night enveloped the lunar south polar region where Vikram attempted landing. With no heating instruments on board to survive Moon's harsh, cold winters Vikram will be dead by the time sunlight returns to the area.

The Chandrayaan-2 orbiter, on the other hand, is performing exactly like it is supposed to. The orbiter carries on board eight payloads, or scientific instruments, meant to carry out experiments.