Joining the US, the Soviet Union and the European Union, the 35-kg Moon Impact Probe hit the moon exactly at 8.31 PM, about 25 minutes after the probe instrument descended from the satellite in what ISRO described as a “perfect operation“.
Miniature Indian flags painted on four sides of the MIP signalled the country’s symbolic entry into moon to coincide with the birth anniversary of the country’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, observed as Children’s Day.
“It will signify the entry of India on Moon,” an ISRO official said.
During its 20-minute descent to the moon’s surface, MIP took pictures and transmitted them back to the ground. The first pictures are expected to be made public on Saturday.
ISRO officials said Chandrayaan-1 detached the Moon Impact Probe as planned.
US was the first country whose flag adorned the moon and the success of the MIP landing on the earth’s natural satellite is the first hardlanding on the moon in 32 years.
The spacecraft on Friday reached its final orbital home, about 100 kms over the moon surface after ISRO scientists successfully carried out the last critical orbit lowering operation.
No comments:
Post a Comment