Indian Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft successfully lands on Moon's South Pole

India has achieved a historic milestone by successfully landing a spacecraft near the moon's south pole, marking the first time any country has accomplished such a feat, Al Jazeera reports.

The momentous achievement was met with jubilation as Sreedhara Panicker Somanath, Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), proclaimed, "We have achieved a soft landing on the moon, India is on the moon." The excitement rippled through mission control in Bengaluru as the announcement was made that the lander module had made a "safely and softly" touchdown.

The remarkable success of India's moon mission was not just celebrated within the nation's borders.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized the global significance of the achievement, stating, "India's successful moon mission is not just India's alone."

Modi highlighted the mission's "human-centric" approach and underlined that its triumph is a victory for humanity as a whole. Despite being physically distant, Modi virtually joined the mission control headquarters from South Africa, where he was participating in the BRICS summit.

The journey of Chandrayaan-3, aptly named "Mooncraft" in Sanskrit, commenced on July 14 from a launchpad in Sriharikota, located in the southern part of India. The mission was directed towards the moon's south pole, an area that remains largely unexplored. Scientists believe that this region might harbor crucial reserves of frozen water and valuable elements.

The anticipation and excitement surrounding this achievement have captured the attention of people across India. Citizens gathered around televisions in offices, shops, restaurants, and homes to witness the historic moon landing unfold in real time. As the world witnessed this remarkable event, it marked a significant milestone in India's space exploration journey, elevating the nation's standing in the global space community.

The spacecraft entered the lunar orbit on August 6 and was able to successfully submit images of the Moon's surface on August 8.

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