It was “17 minutes of terror” in the making of history as India’s Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft descended on the moon’s south pole today. And so, India became the first country ever to land on the south pole, and only the fourth to secure a successful moon landing.
The spacecraft with lander Vikram and rover Pragyan had stormed into space from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh on July 14, amid uncertainties. “The next 42 days are crucial,” ISRO chairman S Somanath had said. Today, as Chandrayaan-3 touched down on the moon, ISRO’s mission control centre in Bengaluru was taken over by thunderous applause and loud cheers.
