Billion prayers answered and ISRO's Chandrayaan-3 says "I reached my destination" | Read details

In a moment of high anticipation, ISRO officials held their breath as the Vikram Lander descended to the moon's surface. The culmination of this nail-biting wait resulted in jubilant celebrations within the mission control center.

India achieved an unprecedented feat on Wednesday as Chandrayaan-3 successfully touched down on the lunar surface. At exactly 6.04pm, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) marked this historic milestone by sharing the news on social media platform X (formerly Twitter). The lunar landing took place at the Moon's South Pole, making India the first nation to achieve this feat. This achievement gains even more significance as the Moon's South Pole has emerged as a focal point for exploration since the discovery of water traces.

See Tweet:

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 live broadcast of this historic event commenced at 5.20pm, following the Vikram lander through its four stages of descent onto the Moon's surface. Each stage's successful execution was accompanied by cheers and celebrations among the ISRO officials in the mission control room.

The moment of exultation reached its peak when the Vikram lander completed its journey and safely landed on the lunar surface. The mission control room was filled with elation as officials cheered and celebrated this remarkable achievement. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was in South Africa at the time, joined the celebrations through a video link, extending his congratulations to the entire ISRO team.

In his address, PM Modi emphasized the significance of this achievement for India, remarking, "We are witness to the new flight of new India. New history has been written."

P Veeramuthuvel, the project director, expressed that the Vikram lander executed each stage of its descent flawlessly, culminating in its successful landing.

Chandrayaan-3 follows in the footsteps of its predecessor, Chandrayaan-2. The mission's objectives encompass demonstrating a safe and soft landing on the lunar surface, lunar roving, and conducting in-situ scientific experiments. This achievement marks another significant stride in India's space exploration journey, solidifying its place on the global map of lunar exploration.