BENGALURU: India created history on Wednesday after Chandrayaan-3 landed successfully on lunar surface, completing 40-day cycle as a billion-strong nation joined ISRO scientists with bated breath to watch the Vikram lander kissing the moon.
With the success of this mission, India has now entered the elite club of countries that have successfully landed on the moonโs surface: the US, Russia, and China.
The New Indian team was invited by the ISROโs Telemetry Tracking And Command Network (ISTRAC) in Bengaluru to witness the mission from inside. Hundreds of media crew including those from foreign and national publications had gathered to witness the mission from outside ISRO space centre.
Chandrayaan-3 Mission:
โIndia๐ฎ๐ณ,
I reached my destination
and you too!โ
: Chandrayaan-3Chandrayaan-3 has successfully
soft-landed on the moon ๐!.Congratulations, India๐ฎ๐ณ!#Chandrayaan_3#Ch3
โ ISRO (@isro) August 23, 2023
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As Prime Minister Narendra Modi went live from Johannesburg with the scientists team, ISRO director S Somnath told him at sharp 6:03 pm โ We have landed on the moon, reminiscent of astronaut Rakesh Sharmaโs message in 1983 when India had entered the space.
โLet me take this opportunity to thank the people behind this mission and project director Chandrayaan P Veeramuthuvel and the mission operations director Srikant,โ remarked Somnath, as he shook hands with his colleagues at ISTRAC.
While thanking fellow colleagues, Somnath said: โWe should never forget the effort and contribution of people who worked on Chandrayaan-2, while celebrating the success of Chandrayaan-3โ.
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The New Indian team stayed inside ISTRAC to witness the ceremony, emotional outpour and congratulatory high-fives.
In next few hours, lander Vikram, named after Indiaโs celebrated scientist Vikram Sarabhai, will release rover Pragyan from its belly. โThe rover will study the moon and carry out experiments over a period of 14 days (or one lunar day),โ the ISRO chief said.
โI extend my heartiest congratulations to Team Chandrayaan3, ISRO & all scientists who worked tirelessly for years. I also congratulate 140 crore Indians. Dear Parivarjan, India has reached moonโs south pole where no other country could reach,โ Modi told India and scientists, joining the mission from South Africa.
โThis success belongs to all of humanity. It will help moon missions by other countries in the future,โ PM Modi declared, adding, โIndiaโs success is not just Indiaโs alone. This is a year when the world is witnessing India G20 presidency. Our approach One Earth, One Family, One Future is resonating across the globe. Our moon mission is also based on same human centric approach.โ