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India landed on the south pole of the Moon, an uncharted region of the surface.
The nation now joins Russia, China and the United States in landing on the Moon.
Chandrayaan-3 will determine if water ice lurks in the south pole region
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India became the fourth country to land on the Moon after its Chandrayaan-3 touched down on the lunar surface on Wednesday.
The craft, which means “lunar vehicle” in Hindi and Sanskrit, landed on the South Pole, overtaking the United States, China and Russia in an uncharted region.
For India, the successful landing marks its emergence as a space powerhouse as the government seeks to boost investment in private space launches and associated satellite activities.
Chandrayaan-3 is expected to remain functional for two weeks, performing a series of experiments, including spectrometer analysis of the mineral composition of the lunar surface to determine if there is water ice.
India has become the fourth country to land on the moon after its Chandrayaan-3 made a soft landing on the lunar surface, days after a similar Russian lander crashed.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi witnessed the epic mission from South Africa and waved the national flag once the landing was confirmed.
It was India’s second attempt to land on the moon, less than a week after the Russian Luna-25 mission failed to land on the south pole.
The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft began its descent at 8:30 a.m. ET, slowing its thrusters for a soft landing.
Carla Filotico, partner and managing director at consultancy SpaceTec Partners, said: “Landing on the south pole (of the Moon) would actually allow India to explore if there is ice water on the moon.
“And that’s very important for cumulative data and science on the geology of the Moon.”
Led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is carrying out space launches and is seeking to open the sector to foreign investment with the aim of increasing its share of the global launch market fivefold over the next decade.
For India, the successful landing marks its emergence as a space power, as the government seeks to boost investment in private space launches and related satellite activities.
India celebrated the success of the mission before the eyes of the country. Crowds erupted as the mission was announced as a success.
The rocket carrying the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, an island off the southern coast of Andhra Pradesh state, on July 14.
Hours before the scheduled landing, the mood was upbeat at the spacecraft’s command center on the outskirts of Bengaluru as ISRO officials and scientists pored over giant screens monitoring the lander.
The wait before landing was feverish, with headlines in Indian newspapers and news channels announcing a countdown to landing.
Children gathered on the banks of the Ganga River, considered sacred by Hindus, to pray for a safe landing, and mosques in several places offered prayers.
At a Sikh temple, known as a gurduwara, in the capital of New Delhi, Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri also offered prayers for Chandrayaan.
“India is not only making economic progress, it is also making scientific and technological progress,” Puri told reporters.
The rugged terrain makes landing at the South Pole difficult, and a first landing is historic.
The region’s ice could provide fuel, oxygen and drinking water for future missions.