India made history on Wednesday when it became the first country to land a spacecraft near the moon's south pole, an uncharted territory that scientists believe could hold vital reserves of frozen water.
The lander, carrying a rover, touched down on the lunar surface at 6:04 a.m. local time (00:34 GMT), sparking cheers and applause among the space scientists watching in the southern Indian city of Bengaluru.
"India is now on the moon. India has reached the south pole of the moon—no other country has achieved that. We are witnessing history," said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The mission is expected to remain functional for two weeks. It is the fourth successful moon landing, after those by the United States, the Soviet Union and China.
India's successful landing comes just days after Russia's Luna-25, which was aiming for the same lunar region, spun into an uncontrolled orbit and crashed. It would have been the first successful Russian lunar landing after a gap of 47 years.
India's Chandrayaan-3 mission took off from a launchpad in Sriharikota in southern India on July 14. It is the second attempt by India to land a spacecraft near the moon's south pole. The first attempt, in 2019, failed.
The south pole region is of particular interest to scientists because it is thought to contain frozen water, which could be used to support future astronaut missions. The Chandrayaan-3 mission is equipped with instruments to study the composition of the lunar soil and rocks, as well as the presence of water.
The successful landing is a major achievement for India's space program and cements the country's status as a major player in the global space race. It also comes at a time when India is increasingly asserting its technological prowess on the world stage.
Congratulations to India on this historic achievement!