India's lunar rover, Pragyan, took a walk on the moon on Thursday, just hours after its lander, Vikram, touched down near the lunar south pole.
The rover, which is about the size of a microwave oven, is designed to travel up to 500 meters (1,640 feet) on the lunar surface. It will conduct experiments to study the Moon's geology, mineralogy, and atmosphere.
The successful landing of Pragyan makes India the fourth country to soft land a rover on the moon, after the United States, the Soviet Union, and China.
"This is a historic moment for India," said Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) Chairman S. Somnath. "It is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our scientists and engineers."
The Chandrayaan-3 mission, which includes the Vikram lander and the Pragyan rover, was launched on July 22 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, India. The mission's goal is to study the lunar south pole, which is thought to be rich in water ice.
The Vikram lander touched down on the moon on Wednesday evening, after a 48-day journey. The landing was the culmination of years of planning and preparation by the ISRO.
"The landing of Vikram was a textbook event," said Somnath. "It is a major milestone for our space program."
The Pragyan rover was deployed from the Vikram lander on Thursday morning. The rover is equipped with a variety of scientific instruments, including a camera, a spectrometer, and a magnetometer.
The rover will spend the next 14 days exploring the lunar surface. It will collect data on the moon's geology, mineralogy, and atmosphere. The rover will also search for water ice.
The successful landing of Pragyan is a major achievement for India's space program. It is a testament to the country's growing capabilities in space exploration.
The ISRO has ambitious plans for the future. The agency is planning to launch a manned mission to the moon by 2029. The agency is also planning to build a space station in orbit around the moon.
The successful landing of Pragyan is a major step towards these goals. It shows that India is a major player in the global space race.