Search
Close this search box.
Search
Close this search box.

India’s Chandrayaan-3 Successfully Enters Moon Orbit, Sets Sights on South Pole

Chandrayaan-3

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has announced that their most recent Moon mission, Chandrayaan-3, has successfully entered the lunar orbit. The spacecraft, carrying an orbiter, lander, and rover, was launched on 14 July and plans to land on the Moon’s surface between 23 and 24 August. If all goes to plan, India will be the first nation to land in the Moon’s less-explored south pole, making it only the fourth country to achieve a soft lunar landing after the US, the former Soviet Union, and China.

Chandrayaan-3 spent over a week orbiting Earth before using a slingshot manoeuvre to propel it into the translunar orbit last Tuesday. This mission follows up on India’s earlier lunar explorations, aiming to push further into the mysteries of the Moon.

The first of these missions occurred in 2008, and it made a surprising discovery: water molecules exist on the Moon’s arid surface. It also proved that the Moon has an atmosphere during the day. The follow-up mission, Chandrayaan-2, launched in July 2019, had a partially successful run. Its orbiter is still in orbit around the Moon, conducting studies, but the lander-rover failed to stick the landing and ended up crashing.

ISRO’s chief, Sreedhara Panicker Somanath, has assured that they’ve used the data from the previous failure to help shape Chandrayaan-3’s mission. Weighing in at 3,900kg and costing 6.1bn rupees ($75m; £58m), this mission carries a 1,500kg lander (named Vikram after the ISRO’s founder) and a 26kg rover named Pragyaan, which translates to “wisdom” in Sanskrit.

Following the spacecraft’s exit from Earth’s orbit, ISRO tweeted about the successful perigee-firing that placed the spacecraft in the translunar orbit, signalling that the Moon is its next destination. With the spacecraft now orbiting the Moon, scientists will start gradually reducing the rocket’s speed, setting it up for a soft landing for Vikram.

After landing, the six-wheeled rover Pragyaan will explore the Moon’s surface, collecting important data and images to be transmitted back to Earth. It is equipped with five instruments aimed at studying the surface, the nearby atmosphere, and the tectonic activity of the Moon. Mr Somanath expressed hope of finding something new through this exploration.

Given that the Moon’s south pole remains largely uncharted and could potentially harbor water in its permanently shadowed areas, this mission could uncover significant findings. With a resurgent global interest in the Moon, India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission is playing a key role in advancing our understanding of this celestial body, often considered as the gateway to deep space.


Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Related Articles

Top Trending

Autonomous Trucks
Autonomous Trucks in 2025: Hype or the Future of Freight
lainey wilson boyfriend
Lainey Wilson’s Boyfriend: Love Story That Will Surprise You
jasmine crockett net worth
Jasmine Crockett Net Worth: Congress Representative Crockett's Impressive $9 Million in 2025
ftasiastock technology news
Breaking Ftasiastock Technology News: Supply Chain Insights Unveiled
Digital Nomad Taxes
Digital Nomad Taxes Explained: How to Legally Save Thousands in 2025

LIFESTYLE

Smart Skincare
What Smart Skincare Looks Like in a World of Overload
Swim Academy in Amman
How to Choose the Right Swim Academy in Amman?
Shopping in Madrid
Shopping in Madrid: From Exclusive Boutiques to Vintage Markets: A Shopping Lover's Guide
how long does dermaplaning last
How Long Does Dermaplaning Last? All About Dermaplaning Duration
Selling Used Designer Handbags
10 Expert Tips for Selling Your Used Designer Handbags for Top Dollar

Entertainment

lainey wilson boyfriend
Lainey Wilson’s Boyfriend: Love Story That Will Surprise You
jasmine crockett net worth
Jasmine Crockett Net Worth: Congress Representative Crockett's Impressive $9 Million in 2025
Justin Bieber Reacts Hailey $1 Billion Rhode Deal
Justin Bieber Reacts to Hailey’s $1 Billion Rhode Deal
victoria beckham wedding drama daughter in law
Victoria Beckham Faces Backlash Over Wedding Day Behavior
Brad Pitt Opens Up About Ines De Ramon
Brad Pitt Opens Up About Life with Ines De Ramon

GAMING

Parental Guide for Kid-Friendly Gaming
Parental Guide to Safe and Age-Appropriate Gaming for Kids
How Video Games Help Reduce Stress
Gaming for Mental Health: How Video Games Help Reduce Stress
unblocked games granny
Play Granny Unblocked: Online Game Fun With Unblocked Games Granny
PC vs Console Gaming
PC vs Console Gaming: Which One Should You Choose?
Guide to Building a Custom Gaming PC
Beginner’s Guide to Building a Custom Gaming PC

BUSINESS

ftasiastock technology news
Breaking Ftasiastock Technology News: Supply Chain Insights Unveiled
Digital Nomad Taxes
Digital Nomad Taxes Explained: How to Legally Save Thousands in 2025
AI and Drones in Last-Mile Delivery
How AI and Drones Are Revolutionizing Last-Mile Delivery in 2025
Tokenomics
What Is Tokenomics? A Beginner’s Guide to Crypto Economics
Nearshoring Services
Key Factors to Evaluate When Selecting Nearshoring Services

TECHNOLOGY

Anthropic Launches Voice Chat for Claude Mobile Users
Anthropic Launches Real-Time Voice Chat for Claude Mobile Users
Instagram Story Viewer Tools
Instagram Story Viewer Tools That Actually Work in 2025
Protect Yourself from Data Breaches
How to Protect Yourself from Data Breaches?
AI Portraits
Retro Royalty: Design AI Portraits of Imaginary Kings and Queens
Protect Teenagers From Online Scams
How to Protect Teenagers From Online Scams?

HEALTH

How Video Games Help Reduce Stress
Gaming for Mental Health: How Video Games Help Reduce Stress
Meaning in the Everyday
Moments that Change: Do We See the Meaning in the Everyday?
Tighten Your Skin After Losing Weight
5 Ways to Tighten Your Skin After Losing Weight
Physician Contract Negotiations
What Are the Common Red Flags in Physician Contract Negotiations?
Who Benefits Most from In-Home Care Services
Who Benefits Most from In-Home Care Services