CHENNAI : In a proud feat, an engineer and blogger from Chennai, tipped off the NASA on where the lost Vikram Lander of Chandrayaan -2, lay on the moon surface.
According to reports, Shanmuga Subramanian’s only aid were images from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbital(LRO) Camera that the US Space agency had released to public.
“It was something challenging. When NASA can’t find it out, why not try ? That’s the thought that led me to the sear,” Subramaniam told IANS.
Using his computer, Shanmuga located the moonlander debris about 750 meters northwest of the main crash site.
“The story of this really amazing individual(who) found it, helped us find it, is really awesome,” said LRO Project Scientist Noah Petro.
Shanmuga reportedly went through the image, looking pixel by pixel to locate the debris.
Chandrayaan-2 mission to the Moon took off in July. On nearing the lunar surface ISRO lost contact with the spacecraft’s second lander Vikram.
Shanmuga contacted the LRO project with positive identification of the debris. Acting on the tip, LROC team confirmed the find by comparing before and after images.
