Chandrayaan-3: PM Modi to join virtually from South Africa as India attempts moon landing

The clock is ticking closer to a pivotal moment in India's lunar exploration as Chandrayaan-3, the country's ambitious lunar mission, is poised to make history by attempting a soft landing on the uncharted south pole of the moon at 6.04 pm on August 23. To mark this historic moment, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to virtually join the event from South Africa, where he is currently participating in the ongoing 15th BRICS summit.

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Chandrayaan-3's Lander Module (LM), which includes lander Vikram and rover Pragyan, is preparing for a touchdown near the lunar south pole.

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This attempt comes shortly after the failure of a Russian lunar mission. India's mission seeks to achieve what few nations have been able to do so far, which is to successfully make a soft landing on the moon.

Also Read | India's Chandrayaan-3 to make historic attempt at moon landing today

Is India set to script history?

Should Chandrayaan-3 accomplish its mission, India will elevate itself to a select group of nations that have achieved the momentous feat of soft lunar landings.

The United States, China, and the former Soviet Union are the only countries that have successfully accomplished such landings so far.

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ISRO's update on Chandrayaan-3's progress

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) provided a positive update on the Chandrayaan-3 mission confirming that the mission remains on schedule, with routine system checks taking place.

"Chandrayaan-3 Mission: The mission is on schedule. Systems are undergoing regular checks. Smooth sailing is continuing. The Mission Operations Complex (MOX) is buzzed with energy & excitement! The live telecast of the landing operations at MOX/ISTRAC begins at 17:20 Hrs. IST on August 23, 2023," ISRO said in a statement.

India's previous lunar mission

Chandrayaan-3 marks India's second attempt at lunar exploration after the setback of Chandrayaan-2 in 2019. During that mission, the lander Vikram crashed due to anomalies in its braking system. Indian PM Modi personally witnessed the landing attempt in Bengaluru. Despite the failure, PM Modi hugged and consoled ISRO's former chief K Sivan as he broke down after India's failed attempt at the lunar mission."Our determination to touch the moon has become even stronger and the best is yet to come," the Indian PM had said at the time.

Chandrayaan-3's journey to moon

Launched from India's main spaceport in Andhra Pradesh on July 14, Chandrayaan-3 embarked on a multi-step journey.

Over the course of three weeks, ISRO carefully positioned the spacecraft into increasingly distant orbits around the Earth. A significant milestone was reached on August 1, when the spacecraft executed a slingshot manoeuvre, propelling it successfully towards the moon.

This marked the transition from Earth's orbit to a trajectory leading to the moon's vicinity.

Chandrayaan-3 holds immense significance as it strives to achieve a soft landing on the moon's south pole and the participation of PM Modi, even virtually, underscores the national importance of this historic endeavour.

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