Two Chandrayaan-3 mission objectives achieved, in-situ scientific experiments on lunar surface underway: ISRO

Bengaluru: ISRO on Saturday said two of the three Chandrayaan-3 mission objectives have been achieved while the third — in-situ scientific experiments — is underway.

The national space agency headquartered here also said all the payloads of Chandrayaan-3 mission are performing normally.

”Chandrayaan-3 Mission: Of the 3 mission objectives, demonstration of a safe and soft landing on the lunar surface is accomplished. Demonstration of Rover roving on the moon is accomplished. Conducting in-situ scientific experiments is underway. All payloads are performing normally,” ISRO said on ‘X’, formerly known as Twitter.

India on Wednesday scripted history as ISRO’s ambitious third Moon mission Chandrayaan-3’s Lander Module (LM) touched down on the lunar surface, making it only the fourth country to accomplish the feat, and first to reach the uncharted south pole of Earth’s only natural satellite.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced the decision to name the spot where Chandrayaan-3 Vikram lander made soft landing as ”Shiv Shakti Point” and the site where the Chandrayaan-2 lander crash-landed on the Moon’s surface in 2019 would be known as ”Tiranga Point”.

Also, August 23, the day the Chandrayaan-3 lander touched down on the lunar surface, would be celebrated as ‘National Space Day’, Modi said.