Chandrayaan-3 Lander Mission Successful After Russian Failure

India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission landed on the moon successfully, less than a week after a competing Russian mission impacted the surface after unsuccessful orbital maneuvering.

The successful touchdown of Chandrayaan-3 is a feather in the cap for India’s space program as it vies for recognition in the international spacefaring community. The lander now lies near the south pole of the moon, a popular landing locale among competing space missions. It’s hoped that analysis in the area will help to unveil the presence of lunar ice reserves, which could portend an easy refueling source of hydrogen, oxygen, and drinkable water for future manned missions. Chandrayaan-3 will now get to work with its built-in array of tools to assess the makeup of the southern lunar surface. 

“India’s successful moon mission is not just India’s alone,” said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Our approach of one Earth, one family, one future is resonating across the globe. This human-centric approach that we present and that we represent has been welcomed universally. Our moon mission is also based on the same human-centric approach. Therefore, this success belongs to all of humanity, and it will help moon missions by other countries in the future. I’m confident that all countries in the world, including those from the global south, are capable of achieving such feats. We can all aspire for the moon and beyond.”

FMI: www.nasa.gov