Chandrayaan-3 Successful Landing on the Moon

The ISRO mission made history as the first one to land on the lunar south pole. Only three other countries have conducted a lunar soft-landing in history.

After a 40-day journey starting from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Chandrayaan-3 mission has landed successfully. The Vikram lander had made a soft lunar landing at 6.04 PM IST on August 23.

ISRO started the automatic landing sequence at 5.44 PM IST. The Vikram lander is now using its onboard computers and logic to try to make a soft landing on the Moon. While mission controllers at ISTRAC will monitor it closely, the onboard systems of the lander will be doing all the heavy lifting.

The Chandrayaan-3 mission is the follow-up to the Chandrayaan-2 mission of 2019 when the Vikram lander crashed into the lunar surface. The primary objective of the mission is simple—showcase the space agency’s capability to complete a soft landing on the Moon. With the mission, India has joined a small and exclusive club of countries that have managed to soft-land on the Moon. So far, the club has three members—the United States, the Soviet Union, and China.

The real test of the mission began at the last leg of the landing. Prior to 20 minutes before landing, ISRO initiated Automatic Landing Sequence (ALS). It enabled Vikram LM to take charge and use its on-board computers and logic to identify a favorable spot and make a soft landing on the lunar surface.

Experts say that the final 15 to 20 minutes were highly crucial for the success of the mission when Chandrayaan-3's Vikram lander descended down to its soft landing. Indians throughout the country and across the world are praying for Chandrayaan-3's Successful Landing today.

Given the history of India's second lunar mission, which failed during the last 20 minutes before landing, ISRO was extra-cautious this time in the process. Due to the high risk to the spacecraft minutes before the moon landing, the duration is dubbed by many as "20 or 17 minutes of terror". During this phase, the whole process became autonomous, where Vikram lander ignited its own engines at the right times and altitudes.

Prime minister congratulates team in address

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated ISRO scientists for the success of the mission while speaking immediately after touchdown from South Africa. Says India is on the moon, adding that the success is a sign of a developed India “India's successful moon mission is not just India's alone, he said. According to Modi, success belongs to all of humanity and will help future moon missions of other countries.

ISRO chief thanks the team

ISRO chairperson S Somanath congratulated project director P Veeramuthuvel, assistant director Kalpana, mission director Srikanth, and URSC director V Sankaran for the success. Chandrayaan 3 project director P Veeramuthuvel reiterated how ISRO is the first to land near the south pole of the moon. "Most memorable and happiest moment," added assistant director Kalpana.