ISRO HAS FOUND THE LOCATION OF THE LANDER VIKRAM ON THE LUNAR SURFACE. THE ORIBITER HAS CAPTURED A THERMAL IMAGE OF THE LANDER. HOWEVER, NO CONTACT HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED YET..EFFORTS ARE ON TO REVIVE THE COMMUNICATION WITH THE LANDER. ISRO WAS PREPARED TO UNDERTAKE A SEARCH FOR VIKRAM OVER THE NEXT 14 DAYS BUT LUCKILY A DAY AFTER THE LAUNCH THE LANDER WAS SPOTTED BY THE HIGHLY SOPHISTICATED ISNTRUMENTS ON BOARD THE ORBITER. ON 7TH SEPTEMBER, THE MISSION CONTROL CENTRE LOST CONTACT WITH THE LANDER JUST MOMENTS BEFORE TOUCHDOWN AT 2.1 KM ALTITUDE. A PALL OF GLOOM HAD DESCENDED AT THE CONTROL CENTRE WHEN THE LANDING FAILED BUT RECOVERING FROM THE INITIAL FEELING OF SETBACK, ISRO WAS HOPEFUL THAT COMMUNICATION WITH THE LANDER COULD BE REVIVED IN THE NEXT 14 DAYS. ISRO CHIEF K SIVAN HAD SAID THAT THE ORBITER WILL REMAIN OPERATIONAL FOR THE NEXT 7.5 YEARS FAR LONGER THAN THE EALRIER EXPECTED 1 YEAR AS THERE IS MUCH FUEL LEFT. ISRO EXPECTED TO FIND THE LANDER WITHIN THREE DAYS AS THE ORBITER COMES BACK TO THE SAME POINT WITHIN THREE DAYS. LUCKILY, THE WAIT WAS NOT SO LONG. IF VIKRAM HAD CRASH LANDED AND DISINTEGRATED TO PIECES THEN THE CHANCES OF FINDING IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BLEAK. THE HIGH RESOLUTION CAMERAS HAD THE CAPABILITY OF DETECTING THE LANDER EVEN IF IT DEVIATED FROM THE FLIGHT PATH IF IT SEARCHED A 10 X 10 KM AREA AROUND THE LANDING SITE.