India on the moon, says ISRO chief as Chandrayaan-3 makes successful landing on 23.8.23

INDIA'S lunar mission Chandrayaan-3 on Wednesday (23) made a successful soft-landing near the moon's South Pole, leaving billions of countrymen, including the prime minister who is currently overseas, filled with unmatched pride.

The south Asian nation, which has become the fourth country in the world to accomplished controlled landing on the moon's surface after the US, erstwhile Soviet Union and China, is the first to land near the unexplored South Pole, which is the hot new destination since traces of water were found on the natural satellite.

The lander's touchdown took place at 6.04 pm Indian Standard Time amid huge cheers in the war room of the country's space agency Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

S Somnath, chief of ISRO, said after the mission succeeded, "India is on the moon."

An unbelievable moment: PM Modi

"It is an unbelievable moment," said prime minister Narendra Modi who virtually witnessed the historic moment from South Africa, where he is currently to take part in BRICS summit.

He also said that India's successful moon mission is not her alone.

"I heartily congratulate ISRO, its scientists for this unprecedented feat. I may be in South Africa but my heart has always been with Chandrayaan mission," he said.

"No other country has been able to land on this side of moon before; this will change all narratives and stories about moon. We are witness to the new flight of new India. New history has been written," Modi added.

The Indian spacecraft's landing comes days after a Russian probe crashed in the same region. India's previous attempt in 2019 had also failed.

Chandrayaan-3 took 41 days to reach its destination, more time that the Apollo missions in the 1960s and 1970s that reached within days. Those from the erstwhile Soviet Union and China also reached moon in a matter of days.