ISRO will get us to farther galaxies: Sachin Tendulkar

Former Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar on Sunday lauded Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for their efforts on India's second lunar mission Chandrayaan 2, saying the space agency will not just get the country to the moon, but to farther galaxies.

In a tweet, Tendulkar said, "Rakesh Sharma, on how India looked from space, said Saare Jahan Se Achcha, Hindustan Humara. @isro will not just get us on the moon but to farther galaxies & we shall say with pride, Salute your efforts #ISRO. Jai Hind, #Chandrayaan2".

In his tweet, Tendulkar also remembered Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian to travel in space. In 1984, Sharma became the first Indian citizen to enter space when he flew aboard the Soviet rocket Soyuz T-11 launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic on April 2.

Sharma's conversation with then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi is still remembered till date.

The crew, including Sharma, had held a joint television news conference with officials in Moscow and then PM Indira Gandhi.

When she had asked Sharma how India looked from outer space, he replied, "Sare Jahan Se Accha" (the best in the world).

On Saturday, ISRO had lost communication with Vikram Lander of Chandrayaan 2 moments before it was preparing to make a soft-landing on the South Pole region of the Moon.

ISRO chairman K Sivan announced that communication with the lander was lost at 2.1 km from the lunar surface.

"Vikram lander's descend was normal and as planned till 2.1 km. Subsequently, communication with Vikram lander was lost. Data is being analysed," Sivan had said.

The Vikram Lander successfully separated from Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter on September 2. After revolving around the Earth's orbit for nearly 23 days, the craft began its journey to the moon on August 14.

The mission took off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on July 22.