NEW DELHI: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) had to abort its second mission to Moon ahead of the lift off. Chandrayaan-2 on board GSLVMkIII-M1 was scheduled to launch at 2.51 am but the countdown was stopped 56 minutes and 24 seconds before lift off at 1.55 am.
ISRO has cited “technical snag” as the reason behind its move to call off the dream project. ISRO’S Mission Control Centre announced the decision even as the space agency tweeted saying the Chandrayaan 2 launch was called off “as a measure of abundant precaution” after a “technical snag was observed in launch vehicle system”. ISRO, however, has said that revised launch date would be announced later.
A technical snag was observed in the launch vehicle system at t-minus 56 minutes, ISRO Associate Director (Public Relations), B R Guruprasad was quoted as saying by PTI. President Ram Nath Kovind was at Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota to witness the launch. According to reports, Chandrayaan 2 launch was earlier scheduled in the first week of January. However, the date was later shifted to July 15.
(Agencies)
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