India space chief unfazed by Moon mission's apparent end / Photo: - - ISRO/AFP/File
-
England's Feyi-Waboso in injury scare ahead of Six Nations opener
-
EU defends Spain after Telegram founder criticism
-
Novo Nordisk vows legal action to protect Wegovy pill
-
Swiss rivalry is fun -- until Games start, says Odermatt
-
Canadian snowboarder McMorris eyes slopestyle after crash at Olympics
-
Deadly storm sparks floods in Spain, disrupts Portugal vote
-
Ukrainian flag bearer proud to show his country is still standing
-
Carney scraps Canada EV sales mandate
-
Morocco says evacuated 140,000 people due to severe weather
-
Spurs boss Frank says Romero outburst 'dealt with internally'
-
Giannis suitors make deals as NBA trade deadline nears
-
Carrick stresses significance of Munich air disaster to Man Utd history
-
Record January window for transfers despite drop in spending
-
'Burned inside their houses': Nigerians recount horror of massacre
-
Iran, US prepare for Oman talks after deadly protest crackdown
-
Winter Olympics opening ceremony nears as virus disrupts ice hockey
-
Mining giant Rio Tinto abandons Glencore merger bid
-
Davos forum opens probe into CEO Brende's Epstein links
-
ECB warns of stronger euro impact, holds rates
-
Famine spreading in Sudan's Darfur, warn UN-backed experts
-
Lights back on in eastern Cuba after widespread blackout
-
Russia, US agree to resume military contacts at Ukraine talks
-
Greece aims to cut queues at ancient sites with new portal
-
No time frame to get Palmer in 'perfect' shape - Rosenior
-
Stocks fall as tech valuation fears stoke volatility
-
US Olympic body backs LA28 leadership amid Wasserman scandal
-
Gnabry extends Bayern Munich deal until 2028
-
England captain Stokes suffers facial injury after being hit by ball
-
Italy captain Lamaro amongst trio set for 50th caps against Scotland
-
Piastri plays down McLaren rivalry with champion Norris
-
ECB holds interest rates as strong euro causes jitters
-
EU close to sealing trade deal with Australia
-
German Cup final to stay in Berlin until 2030
-
What does Iran want from talks with the US?
-
Taming the lion: Olympians take on Bormio's terrifying Stelvio piste
-
Wind turbine maker Vestas sees record revenue in 2025
-
Italy's Casse tops second Olympic downhill training
-
Anti-doping boss 'uncomfortable' with Valieva's coach at Olympics
-
Bitcoin under $70,000 for first time since Trump's election
-
'I am sorry,' embattled UK PM tells Epstein victims
-
England's Brook predicts record 300-plus scores at T20 World Cup
-
Ukraine, Russia swap prisoners, US says 'work remains' to end war
-
Wales' Rees-Zammit at full-back for Six Nations return against England
-
Sad horses and Draco Malfoy: China's unexpected Lunar New Year trends
-
Hong Kong students dissolve pro-democracy group under 'severe' pressure
-
Germany claws back 59 mn euros from Amazon over price controls
-
Germany claws back 70 mn euros from Amazon over price controls
-
VW and Stellantis urge help to keep carmaking in Europe
-
Stock markets drop amid tech concerns before rate calls
-
BBVA posts record profit after failed Sabadell takeover
NYSE - LSE
| RBGPF | 0.12% | 82.5 | $ | |
| SCS | 0.12% | 16.14 | $ | |
| CMSC | -0.04% | 23.51 | $ | |
| BCC | -2.57% | 87.97 | $ | |
| RYCEF | -0.36% | 16.62 | $ | |
| RIO | -4.96% | 91.925 | $ | |
| NGG | -1.04% | 86.885 | $ | |
| GSK | 3.45% | 59.275 | $ | |
| BCE | -3.62% | 25.42 | $ | |
| BTI | 0.48% | 61.925 | $ | |
| RELX | 1.16% | 30.13 | $ | |
| AZN | 0.24% | 187.895 | $ | |
| VOD | -7.42% | 14.625 | $ | |
| JRI | -0.38% | 13.1 | $ | |
| CMSD | 0% | 23.87 | $ | |
| BP | -3.04% | 38.045 | $ |
India space chief unfazed by Moon mission's apparent end
As hopes dim of further contact with India's Moon rover, the country's space chief has said he was satisfied with the prospect of calling its successful lunar mission to an end.
India began exploring the Moon's surface in August after becoming just the fourth nation to land a craft on the celestial body, sparking celebrations in a country rapidly closing in on milestones set by global space powers.
Rover Pragyan -- "Wisdom" in Sanskrit -- surveyed the vicinity of the Moon's south pole but was powered down before the start of lunar night, which lasts roughly two weeks on Earth.
The Indian Space Research Agency had hoped to prolong the mission by reactivating the solar-powered vehicle once daylight returned to the lunar surface, but so far has been greeted by radio silence.
"It is OK if it does not wake up because the rover has done what it was expected to do," ISRO chief S. Somanath told reporters late Wednesday, according to the Press Trust of India news agency.
ISRO said last week it had hoped to reestablish contact with the rover and the lander that safely delivered it.
"As of now, no signals have been received from them," it added.
The world's most populous nation has been steadily matching the achievements of established spacefaring powers at a fraction of their cost.
It has a comparatively low-budget space programme, but one that has grown considerably in size and momentum since first sending a probe to orbit the Moon in 2008.
Experts say India can keep costs low by copying and adapting existing technology, and thanks to an abundance of highly skilled engineers who earn a fraction of their foreign counterparts' wages.
India became the first Asian nation to put a craft into orbit around Mars in 2014 and is slated to launch a three-day crewed mission into the Earth's orbit by next year.
Earlier this month it launched a four-month mission towards the centre of the solar system to study phenomena on the surface of the Sun.
August's successful lunar mission came four years after its predecessor crashed on final descent, in what was seen at the time as a huge setback for its space programme.
A.S.Diogo--PC
