Historic Moment: India Is Now On The Moon, Says ISRO Chief S Somnath

After the successful lunar landing of Chandrayaan-3's Vikram lander, ISRO Chief S Somnath said, "India has now stepped onto the Moon!"

Indian Space Research Organisation's Chandrayaan-3 moon mission successfully soft-landed today at 6.04 PM. India scripted history by becoming the first nation to land the Indian Space Research Organisation's Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft on the Moon's south pole, days after a Russian probe Luna-25 crashed in the same region.

Chandrayaan-3 was launched on July 14. Before India, only the United States, Russia and China have achieved a soft-landing on the surface of the Earth's only natural satellite.

This achievement holds the potential to solidify India's position as a global powerhouse in space exploration. Prior to this, only the United States, China, and the former Soviet Union had achieved the feat of soft landings on the lunar surface.

Chandrayaan-3's landing site is of particular note, as it's closer to the moon's south pole than any previous spacecraft has ventured. This region holds immense scientific and strategic importance for spacefaring nations, as scientists suspect it contains deposits of water ice in shadowy craters.

The frozen water presents the possibility of being converted into rocket fuel or even serving as drinking water for future crewed missions.

India's endeavor to land its spacecraft near the lunar south pole is especially noteworthy in light of another nation's recent unsuccessful attempt to do the same. Russia's Luna 25 spacecraft crashed into the moon on August 19 due to engine misfires, marking the end of the country's first lunar landing effort in nearly five decades.

As Chandrayaan-3 made its approach to the moon, its cameras captured various photographs, including an image taken on August 20, which India's space agency shared on Tuesday. This image provides a close-up view of the moon's dusty gray terrain.