AAS Commends ISRO on a Successful Lunar Landing
AAS congratulates the Indian Space Research Agency (ISRO) on their successful landing of the Chandrayaan-3 mission near the Moon’s south pole and subsequent deployment of the Pragyan rover.
“This is a significant accomplishment by India,” said Ron Birk, AAS President. “The mission is very complex due to the variations in lighting, limited atmosphere, challenging terrain, and other factors. AAS congratulates ISRO, a recent signer of the Artemis Accords, and applauds their effort to advance space exploration for all.”
India’s Chandrayaan-3 is the first mission to land close to the lunar south pole, a feat of great interest due to the belief the region could be home to water ice deposits, important to future human exploration missions.
India is now only the fourth nation to successfully accomplish soft landing on the Moon, joining the United States, Russia, and China.
For more information on this mission and the developing lunar and cislunar economy, AAS recommends this recent article in Wired as well as a recently aired segment on BBC Radio (at 14:10)