Chandrayaan-2: Moon mission postponed 56 minutes before launch, Isro cites technical snag 

GSLV MkIII-M1/Chandryaan-2 vehicle night view at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. (Photo credit Isro)

New Delhi: India’s most ambitious space mission so far, Chandrayaan-2, which was was scheduled to be launched at 2.51am on Monday, has been called off less than an hour before the lift off. Indian Space Research Organization has aborted the launch citing technical snag observed in the launch vehicle system. The mission involves landing a rover, named Pragyan, on the Moon’s south pole. 

The Pragyan Rover.

Isro associate director (public relations) BR Guruprasad confirmed that a technical snag was observed in the launch vehicle system at around 56 minutes before launch. According to reports, the snag was detected in the cryogenic stage of the rocket before it separates from the Chandrayaan-2.

The Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter.

At around 3am, Isro tweeted: “A technical snag was observed in launch vehicle system at 1 hour before the launch. As a measure of abundant precaution, #Chandrayaan2 launch has been called off for today. Revised launch date will be announced later.”

A technical snag was observed in launch vehicle system at 1 hour before the launch. As a measure of abundant precaution, #Chandrayaan2 launch has been called off for today. Revised launch date will be announced later.

— ISRO (@isro) July 14, 2019

Chandrayaan-2, weighing 3.8 tonne, comprising an orbiter, the lander and the rover was expected to land on the south pole of Moon in about two months’ time. India would be the first country to send its spacecraft on the Moon’s south pole where there is a possibility of discovering primordial water reserves.

The total cost of Chandrayaan-2 mission, where all the equipment has been designed and manufactured in India, is estimated to ₹978 crore which includes ₹603 crore as mission cost and ₹375 crore as its launch cost. According to an analysis published by Sputnik International, price of Chandrayaan-2 is less than half the budget of Hollywood blockbuster Avengers Endgame.

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