New Delhi: India’s latest moon mission Chandrayaan-3 successfully landed its aircraft Vikram on the moon’s south pole on Wednesday, an accomplishment that has announced the country as a major space power and brought the world closer to understanding lunar water ice – potentially the moon’s most-valuable resource.
Chandrayaan-3’s lander module Vikram made the historic touchdown on the lunar surface at 6.04 pm, making India the first country to claim a southern pole landing – a treacherous region full of craters and deep trenches.
India has also become only the fourth country to send an uncrewed craft to the moon’s surface after the US, China and erstwhile USSR.
The lander Vikram will now deploy a ramp for the Pragyan rover to roll out on the lunar surface. Pragyan can communicate only with Vikram, which in turn will communicate with the Earth directly, and also through the orbiting Chandrayaan-2.
The duo are carrying six scientific instruments or payloads to explore the moon’s surface, particularly to explore the region’s water ice – which could be a source of oxygen, fuel and water for future moon missions or a more permanent moon colony.
The two solar-powered devices will be active for one moon day or 14 earth days.
There was feverish anticipation and excitement in the hours leading up to India’s historic moon-landing Wednesday with prayers held in places of worship across the country.
Schoolchildren were marshalled into watching the landing operation as it was telecast live on the Indian Space Research Organisation’s website, its social media channels and also on the national broadcaster Doordarshan.
Catch all the latest LIVE updates on Chandrayaan-3:
07.10: “It is truly a momentous occasion, a kind of event that happens once in a lifetime,’ says President Droupadi Murmu in her address to the nation after Chandrayaan-3’s soft landing on the Moon.
VIDEO | "It is truly a momentous occasion – a kind of event that happens once in a lifetime," says President Droupadi Murmu in her address to the nation after Chandrayaan-3's soft landing on the Moon. #Chandrayaan3Landing #Chandrayaan3 pic.twitter.com/nRKXIl2vPv
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 23, 2023
07.00: ‘Glad to be your partner on this mission’: NASA Administrator Bill Nelson congratulates ISRO on the successful lunar South Pole landing of Chandrayaan-3.
Congratulations @isro on your successful Chandrayaan-3 lunar South Pole landing! And congratulations to #India on being the 4th country to successfully soft-land a spacecraft on the Moon. We’re glad to be your partner on this mission! https://t.co/UJArS7gsTv
— Bill Nelson (@SenBillNelson) August 23, 2023
06.40: PM Modi phoned ISRO chief S Somanath and extended his congratulations following the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3.
#WATCH | Johannesburg, South Africa | Immediately after the success of Chandrayaan-3, PM Narendra Modi telephoned ISRO chief S Somanath and congratulated him. pic.twitter.com/NZWCuxdiXw
— ANI (@ANI) August 23, 2023
06.35: ‘We have been waiting for this moment for a long time,’ says former ISRO chief K. Sivan after the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the moon.
#WATCH | Former ISRO chief, K Sivan congratulates on the successful landing of ISRO's third lunar mission Chandrayaan-3 on the moon
"We are really excited…We have been waiting for this moment for a long time. I am very happy," he says. pic.twitter.com/2VmvQvMuMf
— ANI (@ANI) August 23, 2023
06.29: The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft landed on the moon Wednesday, ISRO said, in a mission seen as crucial to lunar exploration and India’s standing as a space power, just days after a similar Russian lander crashed. Read the complete report here.
06.24: Watch: Moment when Chandrayaan-3 successfully made soft-landing on moon.
06.23: ‘We have become the first country to go near the South Pole of the Moon,’ says P. Veeramuthuvel, project director of the Chandrayaan-3 mission.
#WATCH | We have become the first country to go near the South Pole of the Moon: P Veeramuthuvel, Project Director of Chandrayaan-3 Mission pic.twitter.com/7hOPFCERu8
— ANI (@ANI) August 23, 2023
06.19: ISRO chairman S. Somanath congratulates his team on the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission.
#WATCH | ISRO chief S Somanath congratulates his team on the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission pic.twitter.com/ZD672osVFf
— ANI (@ANI) August 23, 2023
06.14: ‘No country has reached there (the South Pole of the moon) before. With the hard work of our scientists we have reached there,’ says PM Modi.
#WATCH | "No country has reached there (the South Pole of the moon) before. With the hard work of our scientists we have reached there," says PM Modi on the soft landing of ISRO's third lunar mission Chandrayaan-3 on the moon pic.twitter.com/XSLCqzcWZT
— ANI (@ANI) August 23, 2023
06.13: ‘History Created, Mission Successful’: BCCI after Chandrayaan-3’s successfull landing.
History Created! 👏 👏
Mission Successful 🌖
Congratulations 🇮🇳#Chandrayaan3 | @isro pic.twitter.com/Gr7MxooHo1
— BCCI (@BCCI) August 23, 2023
06.08: ‘This is a historic moment and sounds the bugle for a developed India,’ says PM Modi on Chandrayaan’s successful landing on the Moon.
This is historic moment and sounds the bugle for a developed India : PM Narendra Modi on Chandrayaan's successful landing on the moon
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 23, 2023
06.06: ‘India is on the Moon,’ says ISRO chief S Somanath as Chandrayaan 3 lander module Vikram makes safe and soft landing on the Moon.
#WATCH | "India is on the Moon": ISRO chief S Somanath as Chandrayaan 3 lander module Vikram makes safe and soft landing on the Moon pic.twitter.com/5xEKg0Lrlu
— ANI (@ANI) August 23, 2023
06.04: ‘India, I reached my destination and you too!,’ says ISRO after successful moon landing.
Chandrayaan-3 Mission:
'India🇮🇳,
I reached my destination
and you too!'
: Chandrayaan-3
Chandrayaan-3 has successfully
soft-landed on the moon 🌖!.Congratulations, India🇮🇳!#Chandrayaan_3#Ch3
— ISRO (@isro) August 23, 2023
05.50: ISRO has begun a live telecast of the landing operations of India’s lunar mission.
04.52: While India prays for successful landing of Chandrayaan-3, get to know about the minds behind India’s third lunar mission. Read Mohana Basu’s report to know more.
04.30: As the Chandrayaan-3 Vikram landing draws closer, what does India’s soft landing on the moon signify? What are the hopes of the scientists and the risks involved? Join ThePrint’s Mohana Basu and Sandhya Ramesh in a live discussion with Reetanjali Moharana, Associate Professor at IIT Jodhpur, and Somak Raychaudhury, Vice-Chancellor of Ashoka University.
04.23: From Chandrayaan 1 to 3, ISRO used each Moon mission as a test for the next, more complex expedition. With the Chandrayaan-3 launch slated for Thursday, ThePrint reflects on India’s lunar missions, tracing their evolution and future prospects.
04.10: We are going to join the elite group of four countries that have successfully reached the moon’s surface, says senior scientist Satyanarayana.
#WATCH | Delhi: "We are going to join the elite group of four (countries) touching the Moon's surface… Failures gives lessons. We've learnt a lot…They (ISRO) have taken enough cautions to have a soft landing of Chandrayaan-3 over the Moon's surface," says Senior Scientist… pic.twitter.com/zOJu2rtayk
— ANI (@ANI) August 23, 2023
04.05: Curious about Chandrayaan-3’s objectives? Read this report by Sandhya Ramesh to learn about its payloads and how they will assist scientists.
0350: Chandrayaan-3’s success is set to come on the back of India’s first moon mission, Chandrayaan-1, which achieved lunar orbit exactly 15 years ago. Discover more about India’s pioneering Chandrayaan mission.
#Chandrayaan3's success is set to come on the back of India’s first moon mission, Chandrayaan-1, which entered the lunar orbit exactly 15 years ago.
Know more about India’s first #Chandrayaan mission:
Report by Sandhya Ramesh @sandygrains
Video by @chitvan_vinayak pic.twitter.com/EHJ66qVmZD
— ThePrintIndia (@ThePrintIndia) August 23, 2023
03.20: As Chandrayaan-3 attempts a soft landing on the moon’s surface, read this interesting article about why space agencies across the globe are racing to the moon’s south pole.
03.04: Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri offers ardas at Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib in Delhi for the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3.
VIDEO | Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri offers ardas at Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib in Delhi for the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3. pic.twitter.com/4mA5FrQhZE
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 23, 2023
02.10: All you need to know about the descent of Chandrayaan-3 on the lunar surface
02.01: Dr. P. Venkitakrishnan, former director of ISRO’s public outreach department, stated that everything was progressing smoothly, and the contingency date of 27 August is simply a backup plan.
VIDEO | "Everything is going on smoothly. We don't expect any problem. People are talking about August 27, but that is a backup," says Dr P Venkitakrishnan, former Director, CBPO, ISRO on #Chandrayaan3.#Chandrayaan3Landing pic.twitter.com/SxM4obQPji
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 23, 2023
01.45: Aligarh Muslim University students offer prayers in the mosque of Sir Syed House in Aligarh for successful landing of Chandrayaan-3.
VIDEO | Aligarh Muslim University students offer prayers in the mosque of Sir Syed House in Aligarh for successful landing of Chandrayaan-3.#Chandrayaan3Landing #Chandrayaan3 pic.twitter.com/X5a1GwRJA7
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 23, 2023
01.35: Countdown to Chandrayaan-3 Mission Soft Landing! Join us for the live experience through this YouTube video link from our channel.
01.25: Who are the individuals driving India’s lunar mission? ISRO chairman S. Somanath and his team, including the Chandrayaan-3 project director and the director of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), have contributed to the success of this mission. Learn more about the team.
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12.52: Live telecast of operations at MOX begins at 17:20 Hrs. IST
Chandrayaan-3 Mission:
All set to initiate the Automatic Landing Sequence (ALS).
Awaiting the arrival of Lander Module (LM) at the designated point, around 17:44 Hrs. IST.
Upon receiving the ALS command, the LM activates the throttleable engines for powered descent.
The… pic.twitter.com/x59DskcKUV
— ISRO (@isro) August 23, 2023
12.14: Yoga guru Ramdev performs puja in Haridwar for the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission.
#WATCH | Uttarakhand: Yog Guru Ramdev performs puja in Haridwar for the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission. pic.twitter.com/JkYK6xe1Fb
— ANI (@ANI) August 23, 2023
11.10: Role Vikram’s 2 cameras will play to soft-land it on the lunar south pole
India’s ambitious moon mission Chandrayaan-3’s lander Vikram is “at the doorstep of the moon”, Dr T.V. Venkateswaran said Wednesday, explaining how its two cameras will play a crucial part in the touchdown. Read here.
11.00: What are the seven payloads of the Chandrayaan-3 mission?
The mission carries a total of seven payloads, one of which is from NASA. Watch this video by Sandhya Ramesh to learn more about their anticipated functions.
10.45: As the landing date of Chandrayaan-3 draws closer, we have attempted to decipher common scientific jargon to enhance everyone’s understanding of space exploration. Dive into this video to discover what they entail:
10.30: Modi to virtually witness Chandrayaan-3 landing event from South Africa
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is in South Africa to attend the 15th BRICS Summit, will virtually witness the historic landing attempt on the lunar surface as part of the country’s third lunar mission Chandrayaan-3. Read the report here.
10.15: The government has asked universities and higher education institutions to arrange special assemblies for viewing the live moon landing of Chandrayaan-3.
Centre asks universities and higher education institutions, including IITs and IIMs, to organise special assemblies for watching Chandrayaan-3 moon landing live
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 23, 2023
09.50: Singapore High Commissioner Simon Wong expressed his prayers for the success of Chandrayaan-3.
I am joining the billions of people in praying for the success of the #Chandrayaan3 mission. – HC Wong
🙏🙏 pic.twitter.com/AdQfO5ryf4
— Singapore in India (@SGinIndia) August 23, 2023
09.30: Why is the South Pole of the Moon chosen as the preferred landing site for the upcoming Chandrayaan-3 mission? Watch the video to know.
Why is the South Pole of the moon chosen as the preferred landing site for the upcoming Chandrayaan-3 mission?
Know here: pic.twitter.com/TavTkjqS5Q
— ThePrintIndia (@ThePrintIndia) July 13, 2023
09.15: What to expect in the next few hours, risks involved and why the lunar South Pole
09.00: All about Chandrayaan-3 and how to watch it live
The process will start at approximately 5.45 pm IST Wednesday when Vikram will begin descending from an altitude of 25 km. The entire sequence will take about 15 minutes, after which the lander is expected to soft-land at the lunar south pole around 6.05 pm IST. Explore this report by Sandhya Ramesh to prepare for the event