Chandrayaan-3 softlands on Moon

India is poised to script history in its lunar exploration as Chandrayaan-3 softlanded at the Moon's South Pole. This mission by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will mark a historic milestone and its success hinges on the optimal performance of the Vikram Lunar lander. If all parameters align, the landing directive will be issued from ISRO's Mission Operations Complex (MOX) at the ISRO Telemetry, Tracking, and Command Network (ISTRAC) in Bengaluru. If Chandrayaan-3 accomplishes 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 made lunar landings so far.

Ahead of the launch, ISRO said it is ready to initiate the mission’s automatic landing sequence which is scheduled at 5.44 PM. Chandrayaan-3 was launched on July 14. Before India, only the United States, Russia and China have achieved a soft-landing on the surface of the Earth's only natural satellite. If successful, India will also become the first nation to reach the celestial body's South Pole.