Chandrayaan-3 has sent the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) the first image of the spacecraft's lunar landing site on the Moon's south pole. The Vikram lander's Landing Imager Camera captured this image of the landing site. In the image, one can see one of the landing legs of Vikram, and its accompanying shadow. Chandrayaan-3 made history by softly landing on the Moon's south pole. The historic touchdown occurred at 6:04 pm IST on August 23, 2023.
ISRO said in a mission update that Chandrayaan-3 chose a relatively flat region on the lunar surface to land.
Chandrayaan-3 has also sent the first images of the Moon captured during lunar descent. The Lander Horizontal Velocity Camera captured these images during descent. ISRO said in a mission update that communication link between Chandrayaan-3's Vikram lander and the Mission Operations Complex (MOX) of ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC), Bengaluru, has been established.
The objectives of the mission are to demonstrate soft landing on the lunar surface, and roving on the lunar terrain, conduct in-situ scientific experiments, and develop and demonstrate new technologies required for interplanetary missions.
Pragyan is fitted inside Vikram, and together, they are called the lander module. The propulsion module will carry the lander module to a 100-kilometre circular lunar orbit. After this, the propulsion module and the lander module will separate.
India is now the first country to softly land a spacecraft on the lunar south pole.