ISRO makes history! Chandrayaan-3 successfully lands on Moon’s South Pole

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Wednesday successfully executed the landing of Chandrayaan-3's Vikram lander on the unexplored South Pole of the Moon, marking the world’s first achievement of its kind.

In a giant leap for its space programme, Chandrayaan-3 touched down on Moon's South Pole at 6.04 pm on Wednesday, propelling the country to an exclusive club of four and making it the first country to land on the uncharted surface.

With this groundbreaking feat, India has secured its place in history as the first nation to successfully land a spacecraft on the Lunar South Pole. The Chandrayaan-3 mission, a testament to India's progress in space technology, has garnered worldwide attention for its audacious ambition and pioneering spirit.

"India is on the Moon," said ISRO chief S Somanath as Chandrayaan 3 lander module Vikram making safe and soft landing on the Moon.

"This is a victory cry of a new India," said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was seen waving the Indian flag as he watched the landing from South Africa, where he is attending the BRICS summit.

For India, the successful landing marks its emergence as a space power as the government looks to spur investment in private space launches and related satellite-based businesses.

People across the country were glued to television screens and said prayers as the spacecraft approached the surface. This was India's second attempt to land a spacecraft on the moon and comes less than a week after Russia's Luna-25 mission failed.

The Moon's South Pole presents a unique and challenging environment, characterised by rugged terrains, extreme cold, and constantly changing lighting conditions due to its unique axial tilt. ISRO's accomplishment reflects the culmination of years of meticulous planning, advanced engineering, and unwavering determination. The Vikram lander's successful touchdown on this uncharted region is a testament to the dedication and skill of India's scientific community.

The implications of this achievement are far-reaching. The Lunar South Pole has long remained an enigmatic location, holding the potential for invaluable scientific insights and resource exploration. The ability to explore this region opens avenues for unlocking mysteries of the Moon's history and understanding its geological evolution.

The Rs 600 crore Chandrayaan-3 mission was launched on July 14 onboard Launch Vehicle Mark-III (LVM-3) rocket, for a 41-day voyage to reach near the lunar south pole.

ISRO's achievement also holds great promise for future space exploration endeavours. As the global space community sets its sights on broader exploration, establishing a foothold on the Lunar South Pole presents new possibilities for sustained lunar presence and scientific research.

The Chandrayaan-3 mission's success not only elevates India's status in space exploration but also serves as an inspiration for aspiring scientists, engineers, and dreamers across the nation. It underscores the importance of bold ambitions, meticulous planning, and collaborative efforts in pushing the boundaries of human knowledge.

As the nation celebrates this historic accomplishment, the focus now shifts to the scientific discoveries that will emerge from Chandrayaan-3's Pragyan rover on the Lunar South Pole. The data gathered and insights gained will undoubtedly contribute to humanity's broader understanding of the Moon, its formation, and its role in the cosmic tapestry.

Indeed, India's achievement with Chandrayaan-3 reinforces the notion that the sky is not the limit, but rather the beginning of a limitless journey into the realms of exploration and discovery.