New Delhi: As India marked a giant leap in its space programme, with the Chandrayaan-3 lander touching down successfully on the Moon’s south pole, leaders across the political spectrum hailed the feat, lauding the scientific research of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) that went into the country’s third lunar mission.
The lander module Vikram and the rover Pragyan made a touchdown near the south polar region of the Moon on Wednesday.
"Another giant leap for humanity! Chandrayaan's triumphant landing is a testament to human ingenuity and exploration spirit. Congratulations to the brilliant minds behind this incredible achievement," Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma posted on X, formerly Twitter.
"Congratulations to the 140 crore Indians," posted Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
“Hail Chandrayaan-3! Hail its stupendous success!! Hail ISRO. Hail our nation's magnificent achievement in sending an exploration mission successfully to the Moon!! Our scientists have testified the country's scientific and technological progress. India is now in the super league of space. Sincere congratulations to all the proud architects and stakeholders of the expedition. Let us celebrate the majestic moment and pray for further advances of India in the frontier areas of knowledge and applications,” wrote West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee.
“We're over the moon! Chandrayaan 3 imprints our identity on the Moon's southern frontier, a triumph unmatched. This feat is a testament to ISRO's indomitable spirit, their commitment and hard work make every Indian's heart swell with pride. This historic leap is a clarion call to aim for the stars and serves as a resounding reminder: the sky is not the limit, it is our launchpad. To the moon and beyond, Vande Mataram,” tweeted AAP leader Raghav Chadha.
“The success of Chandrayaan 3 is the collective success of every Indian. An elated nation with 140 crore aspirations witnessed today yet another achievement in its six-decade long space programme,” posted Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on X.
“India's space programme, which started in 1962, set a new height in the form of Chandrayaan 3 today. The whole nation is feeling proud on this glorious journey of the Indian Space Programme. It is a moment of happiness for all the countrymen. Congratulations and best wishes to all the scientists and countrymen. Jai Hind. Victory to India,” wrote Congress Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
“Congratulations to Team ISRO on the success of Mission Chandrayaan 3. India’s achievements in space have now touched the unprecedented heights. The nation is proud of its scientists who made this mission successful with their intelligence, hard work, and perseverance,” Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said.
“India on the moon. Congratulations to ISRO on the successful landing of Chandrayaan 3. A monumental achievement that places India as the fourth country to conquer the lunar surface. Kudos to the entire team for their tireless efforts and innovation. A giant leap for India's space exploration,” Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin tweeted.
Meanwhile, celebrations erupted outside Congress headquarters in Delhi.
Earlier in the day, former ISRO chief G. Madhavan Nair said that the last 20 minutes of descending from the lunar orbit to the Moon’s surface would be the most challenging moment for the mission.
Trace the journey of Chandrayaan-3 with ABP Live here
"Everybody is anxiously looking forward to this great event. As far as the Indian space program is concerned, it is going to be the most significant milestone for planetary exploration...The last 20 minutes of descending from the lunar orbit to the lunar surface are going to be the most challenging moment in the history of this mission," G. Madhavan Nair said, as quoted by news agency ANI.
With this achievement, India became the fourth country to master the technology of soft-landing on the lunar surface after the US, China and the erstwhile Soviet Union.