Headline Roundup • August 23rd, 2023
India Becomes the Fourth Country to Successfully Land on the Moon
Summary from the AllSides News Team
On Wednesday, India became the fourth country to successfully land on the moon after a failed attempt nearly four years ago. The other countries that have achieved a soft landing on the moon are the United States, the former Soviet Union, and China.
Key Details: India's Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft was launched in July, with a mission that includes a lander and a small rover that will descend to the south pole of the moon. The south pole is thought to be rich in water ice, which could allow for deeper space exploration into Mars and beyond if the water can be converted into rocket fuel.
Key Quote: “On this joyous occasion…I would like to address all the people of the world,” said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “This success belongs to all of humanity, and it will help moon missions by other countries in the future.”
For Context: The landing of India's spacecraft on the moon occurred days after a Russian spacecraft crashed into the lunar surface.
How the Media Covered it: News of Chandrayaan-3's landing was covered by sources across the political spectrum, with many noting that the mission's success is a point of widespread interest and national pride across India.
Featured Coverage of this Story
AP Photo/ Rajanish Kakade
India on Wednesday landed a spacecraft near the moon’s south pole, an unchartered 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.
A lander with a rover inside touched down on the lunar surface, sparking cheers and applause among the space scientists watching in the southern Indian city of Bengaluru. After a failed attempt nearly four years ago, India made history by becoming the first country to touch down near the little-explored south pole...
Indranil Mukherjee/AFP/Getty Images
India on Wednesday landed a spacecraft near the moon’s south pole, an unchartered 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.
A lander with a rover inside touched down on the lunar surface, sparking cheers and applause among the space scientists watching in the southern Indian city of Bengaluru. After a failed attempt nearly four years ago, India made history by becoming the first country to touch down near the little-explored south pole...
India has made history as its Moon mission became the first to land in the lunar south pole region.
With this, India joins an elite club of countries to achieve a soft landing on the Moon, after the US, the former Soviet Union and China.
Celebrations have broken out across India after the successful touchdown by the robotic lander which is carrying a rover in its belly.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the successful landing "a joyous occasion".
"We have reached where no other country could," he said. Mr Modi...
