ISRO Chief K Sivan says Chandrayaan 2 "bounced back with flying colours" but that task is not over yet

• Chandrayaan 2 may have successfully launched from Sriharikota today afternoon but the ISRO Chief, K Sivan, stated, "Our task is not over."
  
• Over the next one and a half months, the Chandrayaan 2 team will have to conduct 15 maneuvers in space before landing on the Moon.
  
• The last 15 minutes of the landing, in particular, are going to be tricky as India attempts its first soft landing on the lunar surface.
  

India’s ‘Baahubali’ rocket has worked wonders by successfully launching the Chandrayaan 2 satellite into geostationary transfer orbit. The rocket also took the satellite further than the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has expected.

But, there is more to come. ISRO Chairman, K. Sivan, said, "Our task is not over," referring to the 48-day journey journey that still lies ahead of Chandrayaan 2, before it finally lands on the Moon.

The mission faced a ‘technical snag’ during the first attempt at launching the Chandrayaan 2 but "ÏSRO bounced back with flying colours," according to Sivan.

"It’s the beginning of a historical journey of India towards Moon and to land at a place near South Pole to carry out scientific experiments. — to explore the unexplored," remarked Sivan.

Closer to the Moon

Sivan expressed his thanks to the Chandrayaan 2 team for burning oil over the past one and a half years to make the mission possible. The team also indigenously developed the lander, Vikram, and the rover, Pragyaan.

He added that the real task only begins now for the team saying, "The satellite team will have to conduct 15 crucial maneuvers over the next one and a half months and finally bring the Chandrayaan 2 around the Moon to place."

Even after it reaches the Moon, landing will be the tricky. "Then D-Day will come and that day we’re going to experience 15 minutes of terror to ensure the landing is safely near South Pole," said Sivan.

Celebrating ‘Baahubali’

The launch vehicle of a satellite has the crucial job to ensure that a mission crosses the threshold of Earth’s immediate orbit. For the Chandrayaan 2, India’s ‘Baahubali’ rocket — the largest launch vehicle that the country has on hand — underwent a few modifications.

"In this mission, the GSLV Mark III performance has been increased by 15%. Thereby, the GSLV Mark III now has a 4 tonne capacity as a part of its design," shared Sivan, marking a new achievement for India and for ‘Baahubali’.

The extra 6000kms of orbit that the launch vehicle has given Chandrayaan 2 will allow the satellite to have more fuel for the maneuvers required to navigate closer to the Moon.

See also:
With the Chandrayaan 2 launch, India's historic Moon mission has taken off

ISRO scientists tweak Chandrayaan 2 countdown to avoid the number '13'

Chandrayaan 2 will give India bragging rights even if it doesn’t find water