Finally, after so long wait, we made it. India’s Chandrayaan-3 has achieved a soft landing on the South Pole of the Moon, positioning India as the first nation in the world to make this remarkable achievement. This achievement now places India in the elite company of spacefaring nations, alongside the United States, China, and Russia, who have successfully landed on the lunar surface.
Chandrayaan-3 was launched on July 14, 2023, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, India, with the mission of accomplishing a soft landing on an extraterrestrial body.
After a long journey of a month through space, the spacecraft entered lunar orbit on August 5, setting the stage for the critical descent phase. On August 17, the lander module was detached from the propulsion module, initiating its descent towards the surface of the Moon. The world watched live on August 23, and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) confirmed the triumphant news – Chandrayaan-3’s lander had safely touched down in the lunar southern polar region, precisely as planned.
This historic moment marks a significant milestone not only for India but for humanity’s ongoing exploration of our celestial neighbor. Chandrayaan-3’s successful soft landing near the Moon’s South Pole opens up new opportunities for scientific discoveries and potential future lunar missions.
Additionally, the lander module has established a crucial communication link with ISRO and transmitted captivating images captured by the Lander Horizontal Velocity Camera during its descent, providing a unique perspective of the lunar surface.
Here are the images release by ISRO on Twitter after the Vikram Lander reached the South Pole.
Chandrayaan-3 Mission:
— ISRO (@isro) August 23, 2023
Updates:
The communication link is established between the Ch-3 Lander and MOX-ISTRAC, Bengaluru.
Here are the images from the Lander Horizontal Velocity Camera taken during the descent. #Chandrayaan_3#Ch3 pic.twitter.com/ctjpxZmbom
