India joins an elite club as first to land a spacecraft near the moon’s south pole

NEW DELHI — India on Wednesday made history as it became the first country in the world to land its spacecraft near the moon’s south pole, an uncharted territory that scientists believe could hold vital reserves of frozen water, and the fourth country to achieve a moon landing.

A lander with a rover inside touched down on the lunar surface at 6:04 local time, sparking cheers and applause among the space scientists watching in the southern Indian city of Bengaluru. After a failed attempt in 2019, India now joins the United States, the Soviet Union and China in reaching this milestone.

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Article URL : https://www.npr.org/2023/08/23/1195411957/india-joins-an-elite-club-as-first-to-land-a-spacecraft-near-the-moons-south-pol