India Achieves Historic Lunar Milestone with Chandrayaan-3 Soft Landing on the Moon

• ByStartupStory     |    August 23, 2023

Fulfilling the dreams of millions, the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft, after a 41-day journey, successfully landed on the lunar surface, marking a monumental achievement for the nation. Chandrayaan-3, the brainchild of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), has propelled India into an elite group of countries, including the United States, China, and Russia (formerly the Soviet Union), that have mastered the technology of soft lunar landings.

This triumphant event follows an unsuccessful lunar mission by India in 2019 and takes place only days after Russia’s lunar mission ended tragically in a crash within the same lunar region.

Chandrayaan-3 Mission:
‘India🇮🇳,
I reached my destination
and you too!’
: Chandrayaan-3

Chandrayaan-3 has successfully
soft-landed on the moon 🌖!.

Congratulations, India🇮🇳!#Chandrayaan_3#Ch3

— ISRO (@isro) August 23, 2023

The memorable scene from September 2019, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi embraced K Sivan, the former chief of ISRO, after the loss of contact with the Chandrayaan 2 lander ‘Vikram’, remains etched in memory. However, from the ashes of that setback, determination and resilience were ignited.

Former head of the Indian space program, K. Sivan, drew inspiration from the latest images transmitted by the lander, instilling confidence in the mission’s success. “It is giving some encouragement that we will be able to achieve the landing mission without any problem,” Sivan remarked.

The journey of Chandrayaan-3 began six weeks ago with the launch witnessed by thousands. In contrast to the rapid transits of the Apollo missions, which reached the moon within days, India’s approach involved multiple orbits around Earth to gather momentum before embarking on its month-long trajectory towards the Moon.

One of the most critical moments of the mission occurred on August 23, 2023, as the Chandrayaan-3 lander underwent a pivotal transition during its final 15 minutes of descent onto the lunar surface. The success of this intricate maneuver was vital to the mission’s outcome, often referred to as the “15 minutes of terror”.

The triumphant landing sets the stage for the next phase of the mission. Chandrayaan-3 aims to deploy a rover on the lunar surface to explore the south pole. Equipped with instruments configured with payloads, the rover will collect essential data about the Moon’s atmosphere, seismic activity, thermal properties of the lunar surface, and more.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed his excitement and pride in this historic achievement. He virtually addressed ISRO scientists from Johannesburg, stating, “India is now on the moon and the success belongs to all humanity.” He expressed that India’s approach of unity resonates globally, and this success stands as a testament to that spirit.

Prime Minister Modi’s presence in South Africa for the BRICS Summit didn’t deter his heartfelt involvement in this achievement. He waved the tricolor flag as Chandrayaan-3 successfully touched down on the moon. He emphasized that this remarkable feat heralds a new era for India and highlights the nation’s progress towards development.

As India marks this historic milestone, the Prime Minister’s words reverberate, “New history has been written. We are witness to the new flight of new India.”

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