India successfully lands spacecraft on Moon in historic moment

It is the first to touch down in this lunar region, previously uncharted territory that scientists believe could hold important reserves of frozen water and precious elements.

A view of the moon as viewed by the Chandrayaan-3 lander during Lunar Orbit Insertion on August 5, 2023 in this screengrab from a video. Picture: ISRO/Handout via REUTERS

India has successfully landed a spacecraft near the Moon’s south pole, uncharted territory that scientists believe could hold vital reserves of frozen water and precious elements, as the country cements its growing prowess in space and technology.

As the Chandrayaan-3 lander with a rover inside touched down on the lunar surface, cheers and applause erupted among the space scientists watching in the southern Indian city of Bengaluru.