India’s Chandrayaan-3 makes historic lunar landing, becomes fourth country to achieve this feat

DIMAPUR — In a monumental moment for India’s space exploration, the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft has achieved a successful soft landing on the moon’s south pole, solidifying India’s position as the fourth country in the world to accomplish this feat. The landing follows in the footsteps of the United States, China, and the erstwhile Soviet Union.

Ahead of the highly anticipated lunar touchdown, celebrations erupted across the country, with parties and prayers held with great fervour. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) provided live coverage of the historic event on its website, allowing the entire nation to witness the remarkable achievement.

The Chandrayaan-3 mission, launched on July 14 from the Sriharikota launch site, showcased India’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of space exploration. The Vikram lander, a crucial component of the mission, initiated its descent towards the moon’s surface at a velocity of 1.68 kilometres per second. Employing a precise technique, the lander successfully slowed down and executed a powered vertical descent, culminating in a gentle landing on the lunar terrain.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to social media to express his excitement and pride, tweeting, “Historic day for India’s space sector. Congratulations to ISRO for the remarkable success of the Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission.”

Historic day for India's space sector. Congratulations to @isro for the remarkable success of Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission. https://t.co/F1UrgJklfp

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 23, 2023

Modi applauds ISRO’s landmark success

In an address to the scientists at ISRO following the successful landing, Modi shared his profound sentiments, stating, “This moment is precious and unprecedented. This moment is the strength of 1.4 billion heartbeats. This is success’s ‘amrit varsha’ in this phase of ‘amrit kaal’.”

“India is continuously proving that the sky is not the limit,” Prime Minister Modi added, emphasising the nation’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of human achievement.

He continued, “This day will be remembered. This day will inspire us to move toward a bright future. We can all aspire for the Moon and beyond. This milestone will take India beyond the Moon’s orbit. Our approach of ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’ is resonating across the globe. This human-centric approach has been welcomed universally. Our Moon mission is also based on the human-centric approach, which is why the success belongs to all of humanity.”

Highlighting the immense dedication of India’s scientists, he stated, “India reached the uncharted lunar south pole because of our scientists’ hard work and talent. Stories, myths, and anecdotes will change for the new generation. Earlier it was said – ‘Chanda mama bohot dur ke’ (the Moon is far away). Now children will say ‘Chanda mama bass ek tour ke’ (the Moon is just a tour away).”

The triumphant landing of Chandrayaan-3 showcases India’s remarkable strides in the field of space exploration and sets the stage for even more ambitious missions in the future. As the nation celebrates this historic achievement, the spirit of curiosity and discovery continues to soar, propelling India toward greater heights in the realm of space exploration.