As the Indian Space Research Orgsation (ISRO) successfully launched the Chandrayaan-2 mission, the Congress party on Monday credited the country's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru for his "visionary move" to fund space research through setting up of INCOSPAR.
The party in a tweet also recalled that the Chandrayaan-2 mission was sanctioned by the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2008 during the UPA government.
"This is a good time to remember the visionary move of India's first PM Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru to fund space research through INCOSPAR in1962 which later became ISRO. And also Dr. Manmohan Singh for sanctioning the Chandrayan2 project in 2008," the party said tweeting a picture of the first Prime Minister with legendary scientist Vikram Sarabhai.
Congratulating ISRO for the successful launch, the party said in another tweet, "Congratulations Team @isro for the successful launch of Chandryaan2."
Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) was set up by the Government of India in 1962. ISRO formed in 1969, superseded the erstwhile INCOSPAR.
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala also expressed gratitude to scientists and engineers of ISRO for the successful launch of the moon mission.
"India's 'Tryst With Destiny' continues with the successful launch of Chandraayan2. There are defining moments like these that make us a great nation. My gratitude to all scientists and space engineers at @isro who have toiled day & night to make 130 Cr Indians proud!" he said in a tweet.
Hours before the mission was launched, the Congress spokesperson had expressed confidence that it would be successful.
"The Moon Awaits India! 11 years after India's First Lunar Mission, 'Chandrayaan-1', we embark on a newer journey to the Moon! Chandrayaan2 would also be extremely successful! My best wishes to the scientists and space engineers at @isro for a successful 'Moon Mission'," he had said in his tweet.
Chandrayaan-2 was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh on Monday afternoon.
The spacecraft took off at 2.43 pm, exactly a week after the mission was aborted after a technical snag was detected less than an hour before the launch.
Chandrayaan-2 will explore a region of Moon where no mission has ever set foot. The spacecraft consists of an orbiter, a lander, and a rover together referred to as "composite body".
The probe's total mass is 3.8 ton and is expected to land on the Moon's south polar region on September 6 or 7 this year.
It will be the first Indian expedition to attempt a soft landing on the lunar surface. This mission will make India the fourth country after the US, Russia, and China to carry out a soft landing on Moon.
( With inputs from ANI )