Sylvie Claire / July 16, 2023
India launched an unmanned rocket to the Moon on Friday, July 14, 2023, where it will attempt for the second time to join the elite club of countries that have successfully completed a controlled lunar landing, according to live footage broadcast, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP).
The Chandrayaan-3 ("Mooncraft") rocket took off from Sriharikota, in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, to the applause of thousands of enthusiasts.
If the mission is a success, the world's most populous country, with over 1.4 billion inhabitants, would join the club that has successfully completed a controlled lunar landing, which currently includes only Russia, the USA and China, AFP explains.
The latest attempt in India's burgeoning program comes four years after it failed, with the ground team losing contact shortly before reaching the Moon. This time, however, the Indian Space Research Organization (Isro) is confident of success, and is already looking ahead to a future manned mission to the Moon.
"We are confident that this mission will be a success, bringing pride and recognition to those who worked for it," Anil G. Verma, of the Indian space program's main engine and component supplier, Godrej & Boyce, told AFP.
The 14-day mission will cost $74.6 million, according to media reports. The aim is to successfully land a rover, a mobile robot, to explore the Moon's surface.