BANGALORE: India´s space agency on Saturday lost communication with Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft just before it was due to land near the South Pole of the Moon, in a blow to the nation´s lunar ambitions.
"The Vikram lander descent was (ongoing) as planned and normal performance was observed," ISRO chairman Kailasavadivoo Sivan said in the control room at the southern city of Bangalore.
"Subsequently the communication from lander to ground station was lost. The data is being analysed," he said.
The United States, Russia and China have so far successfully land on the Moon.
"If the communication (with the lander) starts again... hope for the best... Our journey will carry on. Be strong. I am with you."
ISRO acknowledged before the landing, due to occur at about 1:55 am New Delhi time (2025 GMT), was a complex manoeuvre, with Sivan calling it "15 minutes of terror".
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