<p>Aiming for the moon, the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) is all set for Monday’s Chandrayaan-2 launch. But did it mistime a tweet wishing Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar all the best for his film ‘Mission Mangal’ based on Mangalyaan? At least, the Twitterati thought so.</p>.<p>Late Friday night, Isro’s official Twitter handle had some good words for Kumar: “As #ISRO prepares for landmark launch of #Chandrayaan2, #TeamISRO wishes @akshaykumar all the best for #MissionMangal and all his future endeavour.”</p>.<p>But this was trigger enough for Twitter trolls to pounce on the space agency’s discretion. One tweet went this way: “Why is the social media handle of the serious national public institution, that too a space research organisation, getting involved in the promotion of a Bollywood movie?? this is so unprofessional.”</p>.<p>Mission Mangal’s second trailer had been released on July 18. Focussed on Isro’s Mars Orbiter Mission, the 2 minute 52 second teaser offers a glimpse into how Isro scientists from multiple backgrounds fight all odds to make the Mars Mission, Mangalyaan, a success. But for Akshay Kumar, Isro’s wish was a clear invitation to respond in kind: The Canada-based actor tweeted back: “Thank you so much and wishing best of luck once again to #TeamISRO for #Chandrayaan2.”</p>.<p>The tweet exchange did not go so well with science purists. One of them, going by the handle Kaumodaki, was all frankness: “That movie trailer depicted ISRO in utterly rubbish way, far from actual ISRO work culture, and you know it. Need not appreciate that.”</p>.<p>Loki Mark, another purist, was more specific. He wondered what the appreciation was all about. “The movie claims to be based on real events but its trailer shows a GSLV MK3 exploding. How stupid is that? The first flight of GSLV MK3 took place after Managlyan had reached the Mars! I am not wasting my money and time on that stupid movie, nor should you.”</p>.<p>However, the space agency’s official social media handles have been at it for a while. On July 9, when Mission Mangal’s first teaser was out, Isro’s Instagram comment to an Akshay post went this way: “Ek Desh. Ek Sapna. India to be a space superpower. Few Days to go for achieving new Milestone! #Chandrayaan2.”</p>.<p>Isro had called off its first launch attempt of Chandrayaan-2 from Sriharikota early July 15 morning citing a technical snag. The Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) was launched on November 5, 2013 and inserted into the Mars orbit on September 24, 2014.</p>
<p>Aiming for the moon, the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) is all set for Monday’s Chandrayaan-2 launch. But did it mistime a tweet wishing Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar all the best for his film ‘Mission Mangal’ based on Mangalyaan? At least, the Twitterati thought so.</p>.<p>Late Friday night, Isro’s official Twitter handle had some good words for Kumar: “As #ISRO prepares for landmark launch of #Chandrayaan2, #TeamISRO wishes @akshaykumar all the best for #MissionMangal and all his future endeavour.”</p>.<p>But this was trigger enough for Twitter trolls to pounce on the space agency’s discretion. One tweet went this way: “Why is the social media handle of the serious national public institution, that too a space research organisation, getting involved in the promotion of a Bollywood movie?? this is so unprofessional.”</p>.<p>Mission Mangal’s second trailer had been released on July 18. Focussed on Isro’s Mars Orbiter Mission, the 2 minute 52 second teaser offers a glimpse into how Isro scientists from multiple backgrounds fight all odds to make the Mars Mission, Mangalyaan, a success. But for Akshay Kumar, Isro’s wish was a clear invitation to respond in kind: The Canada-based actor tweeted back: “Thank you so much and wishing best of luck once again to #TeamISRO for #Chandrayaan2.”</p>.<p>The tweet exchange did not go so well with science purists. One of them, going by the handle Kaumodaki, was all frankness: “That movie trailer depicted ISRO in utterly rubbish way, far from actual ISRO work culture, and you know it. Need not appreciate that.”</p>.<p>Loki Mark, another purist, was more specific. He wondered what the appreciation was all about. “The movie claims to be based on real events but its trailer shows a GSLV MK3 exploding. How stupid is that? The first flight of GSLV MK3 took place after Managlyan had reached the Mars! I am not wasting my money and time on that stupid movie, nor should you.”</p>.<p>However, the space agency’s official social media handles have been at it for a while. On July 9, when Mission Mangal’s first teaser was out, Isro’s Instagram comment to an Akshay post went this way: “Ek Desh. Ek Sapna. India to be a space superpower. Few Days to go for achieving new Milestone! #Chandrayaan2.”</p>.<p>Isro had called off its first launch attempt of Chandrayaan-2 from Sriharikota early July 15 morning citing a technical snag. The Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) was launched on November 5, 2013 and inserted into the Mars orbit on September 24, 2014.</p>