Article Posted on : - Sep 12, 2009

Afile photo

GUWAHATI (PTI): With Chandrayaan-I recently terminated a year before its planned end, Indian space scientists got some soothing words of comfort from a top NASA astronaut Edward Fincke who said the country's maiden unmanned moon mission was not a failure but an "amazing success".

"There is a lot of speculation that the mission failed. On the contrary, it was a success with 95 per cent of its objectives achieved," Fincke, a veteran of two missions in the International Space Station ISS), told reporters Friday.

"This not the official view but my own perspective as an astronaut and the fact that Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) was able to put a satellite to orbit the moon and plant the Indian Flag on the surface of the moon is indeed amazing," said Fincke, married to NASA engineer Renita Saikia whose parents hail from Assam.

The NASA astronaut, currently on an 11-day visit to the North-East, interacted with nearly 5,000 students and professors of schools, colleges, universities and the local IIT.

Fincke said ISRO and NASA had a strong history of mutual help and "I am optimistic that our governments will continue to work together."

"ISRO has a very talented team of workers and I hope space collaboration goes further as it is NASA's aim to promote space programme in every country," he said.