ISRO May Attempt Chandrayaan-2 Launch on July 21-22

Technical team confident of rectifying snag soon.

Bengaluru: After calling off the launch of Chandrayaan-2 on Monday due to a technical snag, the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) is now actively looking at a window as early as July 21 or 22 for another attempt, multiple sources told TOI on Wednesday.

Isro’s confidence can be attributed to the assurance given by the technical teams working at the Sriharikota launch pad, who said on Wednesday that they are “confident of rectifying the snag” in the next 48 hours.

The space agency is keen on the July 21-22 window because these are the earliest dates on which it will get a chance to navigate the lunar craft to the Moon’s orbit. After this, the next possible window will open up only in September.

Sources privy to the ongoing rectification/repair process — engineers are working on plugging a faulty nipple joint — told TOI that the space agency is positively looking at availing a window by Monday.

“In all likelihood, that will be the new launch date,” a source revealed.

While Isro is yet to officially make an announcement, Vivek Singh, director (media and public relations), Isro, said: “Keep checking our website.”

Every launch has an “optimal window” to achieve desired results. July 15 provided the longest window of 10 minutes. Now, Isro has a window of at least one minute every day for the rest of the month.