The three-day event, organized by the Space Industry Association of India, brought together around 600 participants from more than 20 countries and is among the region’s largest space sector gatherings.

Discussions at the congress cover satellite communications, direct-to-device connectivity, Earth observation, geospatial intelligence, launch systems, in-orbit services, navigation, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, space sustainability and manufacturing.

Industry representatives said the event aims to strengthen collaboration between government, private companies and international partners as India develops its space capabilities.The congress also highlights the growing role of private companies after India opened the space sector to wider private participation in 2020, allowing firms to build and operate satellites and provide launch services.

Space Industry Association representatives said the changing environment has allowed private companies to move beyond traditional supplier roles and become independent participants in the sector.

India’s space economy is aiming to expand to $44 billion by 2033, with startups increasingly contributing to satellite technology, communications and space-based services.Participants said the event provides startups with opportunities to connect with investors, partners and the wider space ecosystem.

Companies including VyomIC, which is developing a private low-Earth orbit positioning, navigation and timing satellite constellation, said the congress helps build cooperation within the industry.Other startups such as ULOOK, focused on space-based radio-frequency intelligence, said the platform allows them to showcase technology and establish new partnerships.

The congress is also being used to explore international cooperation, including potential collaborations with countries in the Middle East in satellite manufacturing, launches and space education.

Dr. Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai is widely recognised as the father of India’s space programme, a title formally acknowledged by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), which describes him as the founding figure who laid the institutional and scientific foundations of the country’s modern space efforts.

Long before India became known for lunar missions, Mars exploration, and satellite launches, Sarabhai argued that space technology could be used as a practical tool for development, education, and national planning.India’s recent achievements in space exploration, including the Chandrayaan missions and the Mars Orbiter Mission, are often traced back to Sarabhai’s early vision in the 1960s, when global space research was still largely dominated by the United States and the Soviet Union.

ISRO states that Sarabhai recognised early that a developing country like India could not ignore the strategic and social value of space applications, particularly in communications, meteorology, education, and resource management.Born on August 12, 1919, in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, Sarabhai belonged to the prominent industrialist family of Ambalal and Sarla Devi.

According to the Master Control Facility, one of ISRO’s major establishments, he was one of eight children in what it describes as an affluent and progressive household. His early education took place at a private school called “Retreat,” run by his parents on Montessori principles, reflecting a strong emphasis on independent learning and scientific curiosity from an early age.

After completing his matriculation, Sarabhai moved to England to study at St. John’s College, Cambridge, where he pursued Natural Sciences and completed his Tripos in 1940. The outbreak of World War II interrupted his stay abroad, leading him to return to India. He joined the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru as a research scholar under Nobel laureate Sir C.V. Raman, one of India’s most prominent physicists.

During this period, Sarabhai focused on solar physics and cosmic rays, fields that would later shape his scientific outlook toward atmospheric and upper-space research. The Master Control Facility notes that he established multiple observation stations across the country, including in Bengaluru, Pune, and the Himalayan region, and built much of the required equipment himself.

He returned to Cambridge in 1945 and completed his PhD in 1947.His scientific work gradually expanded into institution building, an area in which he would leave one of his strongest legacies. ISRO describes him as a “great institution builder” who established or helped establish a large number of organisations across diverse fields.

His contributions extended beyond space science into management education, industrial research, and national development planning.The turning point in India’s space ambitions came during the early 1960s. According to ISRO, Sarabhai was deeply influenced by the successful live transmission of the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games across the Pacific Ocean through the American communications satellite Syncom-3.

The demonstration showed him how satellite technology could transform communications in a geographically vast and socially unequal country like India.ISRO notes that at a time when satellite applications were still in experimental stages even in the United States, Sarabhai quickly recognised that India could use similar technologies to address developmental challenges.

His focus was not on prestige-driven exploration, but on practical applications such as rural education, weather forecasting, and telecommunications.Acting on his recommendations, the Government of India established the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) in 1962. Sarabhai played a central role in its formation and direction. One of his earliest strategic decisions was the selection of Thumba, a small fishing village near Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, as the site for India’s first rocket launching station.

The location was chosen because of its proximity to the geomagnetic equator, which made it ideal for upper atmospheric and ionospheric studies. This facility became the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS), a foundational site in Indian space history. ISRO records that the first sounding rocket was launched from TERLS on November 21, 1963, marking the beginning of India’s formal space science exploration.

These early missions focused on studying the Earth’s upper atmosphere and ionosphere, particularly equatorial phenomena. ISRO states that the initial scientific motivation was to understand equatorial objects and atmospheric processes, but Sarabhai’s broader goal remained national development through technology.

He strongly advocated the use of satellite television to bring educational content to remote and underserved parts of India, years before such systems became common globally. His belief was that scientific advancement should directly support social progress, especially in a country facing large developmental inequalities.

This philosophy shaped the formal creation of the Indian Space Research Organisation on August 15, 1969. ISRO emerged as the institutional successor to INCOSPAR and became the central body for India’s civilian space programme.

Under Sarabhai’s leadership, the organisation pursued both scientific research and long-term planning for indigenous satellite development.He also initiated projects for constructing and launching an Indian satellite, setting in motion efforts that would eventually lead to the launch of Aryabhata, India’s first satellite, in 1975.

Although Sarabhai did not live to witness that milestone, the satellite programme was widely seen as the continuation of the framework he had established.Sarabhai died on December 30, 1971, at the age of 52. His death came at a critical phase of India’s scientific institution-building, but by then he had already established the intellectual and administrative architecture for the country’s long-term space ambitions.

His contributions were recognised nationally through major civilian honours. He received the Padma Bhushan in 1966 for his contributions to science and public affairs. In 1972, a year after his death, he was posthumously awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian honour.

His legacy remains deeply embedded in India’s scientific infrastructure. ISRO’s principal launch and research centre in Thiruvananthapuram was named the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, reflecting his central role in shaping the institution.

The naming is widely seen within India’s scientific community as a lasting acknowledgement of the individual who first argued that space research should be treated as a national necessity rather than a distant ambition.

Today, as India expands its presence in lunar exploration, planetary missions, and commercial satellite launches, Sarabhai’s original framework continues to define the programme’s philosophy.

His central argument that advanced technology must ultimately serve public welfare remains one of the most enduring principles of India’s space policy.

The rocket left a trail of smoke and fire as scientists clapped, a live broadcast on the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) website showed.

India’s space agency on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, later said the satellite was now in orbit.

The broadcast was watched by more than 860,000 viewers, while thousands gathered at a viewing gallery near the launch site to see the lift-off of the probe, which aims to study solar winds which can cause disturbance on earth commonly seen as auroras.

Named after the Hindi word for the sun, the Aditya-L1 spacecraft took flight barely a week after India beat Russia to become the first country to land on the south pole of the moon. While Russia had a more powerful rocket, India’s Chandrayaan-3 out-endured the Luna-25 to execute a textbook landing.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is pushing for India’s space missions to play a larger role on a world stage dominated by the United States and China. Home Affairs Minister Amit Shah, on social media platform X, said the launch was a “giant step” towards Modi’s vision.

The Aditya-L1 is designed to travel 1.5 million km (930,000 miles) over four months, far short of the sun, which is 150 million km from earth. It is meant to stop its journey in a kind of parking lot in space, called a Lagrange Point, where objects tend to stay put because of balancing gravitational forces, reducing fuel consumption for the spacecraft.

“We have made sure we will have a unique data set that is not currently available from any other mission,” said Sankar Subramanian, principal scientist of the mission.

“This will allow us to understand the sun, its dynamics as well as the inner heliosphere, which is an important element for current-day technology, as well as space-weather aspects,” he added.

The mission also has the capacity to make a “big bang in terms of science,” said Somak Raychaudhury, who was involved in developing some components of the observatory, adding that energy particles emitted by the sun can hit satellites that control communications on earth.

“There have been episodes when major communications have gone down because a satellite has been hit by a big corona emission. Satellites in low earth orbit are the main focus of global private players, which makes the Aditya-L1 mission a very important project,” he said.

Scientists hope to learn more about the effect of solar radiation on the thousands of satellites in orbit, a number growing with the success of ventures like the Starlink communications network of Elon Musk’s SpaceX.

“The low earth orbit has been heavily polluted due to private participation, so understanding how to safeguard satellites there will have special importance in today’s space environment,” said Rama Rao Nidamanuri, head of the department of earth and space sciences at the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology.

Longer term, data from the mission could help better understand the sun’s impact on earth’s climate patterns and the origins of solar wind, the stream of particles that flow from the sun through the solar system, ISRO scientists have said.

Pushed by Modi, India has privatised space launches and is looking to open the sector to foreign investment as it targets a five-fold increase in its share of the global launch market within the next decade.

As space turns into a global business, the country is also banking on the success of ISRO to showcase its prowess in the sector.

The rocket left a trail of smoke and fire as scientists clapped, a live broadcast on the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) website showed.

The broadcast was watched by nearly 500,000 viewers, while thousands gathered at a viewing gallery near the launch site to see the lift-off of the probe, which will aim to study solar winds, which can cause disturbance on earth commonly seen as auroras.

Named after the Hindi word for the sun, the Aditya-L1 launch follows India beating Russia late last month to become the first country to land on the south pole of the moon. While Russia had a more powerful rocket, India’s Chandrayaan-3 out-endured the Luna-25 to execute a textbook landing.

The Aditya-L1 spacecraft is designed to travel about 1.5 million km (930,000 miles) over four months to a kind of parking lot in space where objects tend to stay put because of balancing gravitational forces, reducing fuel consumption for the spacecraft.

Those positions are called Lagrange Points, named after Italian-French mathematician Joseph-Louis Lagrange.

The mission has the capacity to make a “big bang in terms of science,” said Somak Raychaudhury, who was involved in the development of some components of the observatory, adding that energy particles emitted by the sun can hit satellites that control communications on earth.

“There have been episodes when major communications have gone down because a satellite has been hit by a big corona emission. Satellites in low earth orbit are the main focus of global private players, which makes the Aditya L1 mission a very important project,” he said.

Scientists hope to learn more about the effect of solar radiation on the thousands of satellites in orbit, a number growing with the success of ventures like the Starlink communications network of Elon Musk’s SpaceX.

“The low earth orbit has been heavily polluted due to private participation, so understanding how to safeguard satellites there will have special importance in today’s space environment,” said Rama Rao Nidamanuri, head of the department of earth and space sciences at the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology.

Longer term, data from the mission could help better understand the sun’s impact on earth’s climate patterns and the origins of solar wind, the stream of particles that flow from the sun through the solar system, ISRO scientists have said.

Pushed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has privatised space launches and is looking to open the sector to foreign investment as it targets a five-fold increase in its share of the global launch market within the next decade.

As space turns into a global business, the country is also banking on the success of ISRO to showcase its prowess in the sector.

Here are highlights of the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) upcoming and past missions:

Aditya-L1

Slated for launch on Sept. 2, the Aditya L1 (Aditya is a name for the sun in the Hindi language) is the first Indian space mission to study the sun. The spacecraft will be placed in an orbit around the Lagrange point 1 (L1) of the Sun-Earth system, about 1.5 million km (930,000 miles) from earth, where the gravitational effects of both bodies cancel each other out. That “parking lot” in space allows objects to stay put because of balancing gravitational forces, reducing fuel consumption by the spacecraft.

The mission aims to observe solar activities and their effects on space weather in real time.

In 2019, the government sanctioned the equivalent of about $46 million for the Aditya-L1 mission. ISRO has not given an official update on costs.

Gaganyaan

India’s first crewed space mission (“Gagan” means sky in Hindi, “yaan” is craft) plans to launch a crew of three to an orbit of 400 km (250 miles) for a three-day mission before landing in Indian waters.

ISRO has said its Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre had successfully tested systems for stabilising the crew module and safely reducing its velocity during re-entry.

Earlier this year, the deputy minister for science & technology, Jitendra Singh, said about 90.23 billion rupees ($1.08 billion) had been allocated for the Gaganyaan program. ISRO says it will focus on achieving a sustained human presence in space once Gaganyaan is completed.

No official kickoff date has been announced, but ISRO has said the mission will most likely be ready in 2024.

Nasa-ISRO Sar (Nisar) Satellite

NASA-ISRO SAR (NISAR) is a low-Earth orbit observatory system jointly developed by NASA and ISRO. NISAR will map the entire planet once every 12 days, providing data for understanding changes in ecosystems, ice mass, vegetation biomass, sea level rise, ground water and natural hazards including earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes and landslides.

Roughly the size of an SUV, the satellite is set to be launched from India in the first quarter of next year, with a target launch set for January.

X-RAY POLARIMETER SATELLITE (XPoSat)

India is also building its first dedicated polarimetry mission to study cosmic X-ray sources.

The mission is aimed at unfolding new frontiers in high energy astrophysics and will allow in-depth investigations of neutron stars and black hole sources.

ISRO has not set a launch date for this mission yet.

PAST MISSIONS:

* Chandrayaan-3 – On August 23, India became the first country to safely land a craft in the moon’s south pole region. The mission is ongoing, with ISRO saying its rover had confirmed the presence of sulphur, iron, oxygen and other elements on the moon.

* Chandrayaan-2 – In 2019, ISRO launched its second moon mission, its first attempt to study the lunar south pole. The mission included an orbiter, lander and rover, and was launched amid high expectations. Although it deployed the orbiter successfully, the lander crashed.

* Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) – In 2013, ISRO became the fourth space agency to put a spacecraft in the Mars orbit. MOM, which had a projected mission time of only six months, did not lose contact with ground controllers until 2022.

* Chandrayaan-1 – India’s first mission to the Moon was launched successfully in 2008. The satellite made more than 3,400 orbits around the moon and confirmed the presence of water ice on the moon; the mission concluded when communication with the spacecraft was lost on Aug. 29, 2009.

The announcement, in a post on messaging platform X, formerly known as Twitter, comes days after India became the first country to land a spacecraft on the unexplored south pole of the moon.

The Aditya-L1, India’s first space-based solar probe, aims to study solar winds, which can cause disturbance on earth and are commonly seen as “auroras”.

The craft, named after the Hindi word for the sun, will be launched from the country’s main spaceport in Sriharikota using India’s heavy-duty launch vehicle, the PSLV, which will travel about 1.5 million km (932,000 miles), the agency said.

“The total travel time from launch to L-1 (Langrange point) would take about four months for Aditya-L1,” the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said in a post on X.

The government sanctioned the equivalent of about $46 million for the mission in 2019.

ISRO has not given an official update on costs and did not immediately respond to a call seeking comment.

India has achieved a reputation for successful space launches at cut-throat costs. It’s latest moon mission had a budget of about $75 million- less than that of Hollywood space thriller “Gravity”.

Aditya-L1 spacecraft is poised to become India’s first-ever solar observatory, with an intricate objective that holds significant promise for understanding the sun’s dynamics and its far-reaching influence on Earth

India’s space exploration journey continues to captivate the world as the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) gears up for its next ambitious mission, the Aditya-L1. Following the triumph of the Chandrayaan-3 moon landing, India is now setting its sights on the sun, aiming to unveil some of the star’s most closely guarded secrets.

Named after the Hindi word for the sun, “Aditya”, this groundbreaking mission marks India’s entry into space-based solar research. The Aditya-L1 spacecraft is poised to become India’s first-ever solar observatory, with an intricate objective that holds significant promise for understanding the sun’s dynamics and its far-reaching influence on Earth.

The Mission and Its Goals

At its core, the Aditya-L1 mission aims to study solar winds – a continuous flow of charged particles ejected from the sun’s outer atmosphere, known as the corona. These solar winds have a profound impact on our planet, capable of causing disturbances in Earth’s magnetic field and giving rise to the mesmerizing auroras. By comprehending the mechanisms behind these solar winds, scientists hope to gain valuable insights into space weather phenomena and their potential effects on our technological infrastructure.

Moreover, the data collected during the mission could offer crucial information about the sun’s role in shaping Earth’s climate patterns. As our planet grapples with climate change, understanding the sun’s influence on Earth’s climate becomes an ever more pertinent piece of the puzzle.

The Solar Wind Discoveries

Recent discoveries, such as those made by the European Space Agency/NASA Solar Orbiter spacecraft, have added to the intrigue surrounding solar winds. The Solar Orbiter detected intermittent jets of charged particles emerging from the sun’s corona. These findings could contribute to unraveling the enigma of solar wind origins and behavior.

The Journey and Technical Innovations

The Aditya-L1 spacecraft is scheduled to embark on its journey aboard India’s PSLV heavy-duty launch vehicle, a testament to India’s prowess in launching and managing space missions. Over the course of approximately four months, the spacecraft will traverse a staggering distance of 1.5 million kilometers to reach its destination near the sun. This ambitious journey will lead the spacecraft to specific points in space called Lagrange Points, where gravitational forces create a delicate equilibrium, minimizing the need for extensive fuel consumption. These points are named after the Italian-French mathematician Joseph-Louis Lagrange.

Financial and Industry Implications

In 2019, the Indian government allocated around $46 million for the Aditya-L1 mission. While the Indian Space Research Organisation has not provided an official update on costs, this budget underscores India’s commitment to achieving remarkable feats in space exploration while maintaining cost-effectiveness. ISRO’s reputation for cost-competitive space engineering has positioned India as a rising star in the global space industry, fostering a thriving ecosystem of innovation and collaboration.

Building on Success: Chandrayaan-3 and Beyond

The Aditya-L1 mission follows the triumph of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, which succeeded in landing a spacecraft on the lunar south pole. With a budget of approximately $75 million, Chandrayaan-3 underscored India’s capabilities in executing complex space missions and gathering valuable scientific data from celestial bodies.

As the Aditya-L1 mission prepares for its imminent launch in the first week of September, the world eagerly anticipates the insights it will unveil about the sun’s intricacies. From the study of solar winds to its potential impact on Earth’s climate, Aditya-L1 holds the promise of expanding humanity’s understanding of the universe while further solidifying India’s position on the global space exploration stage.

A successful landing would position India as a significant player in the field of space exploration.

India’s space agency, the Indian Space Research Agency (ISRO), is on the brink of a historic attempt to land a spacecraft on the moon’s south pole with its Chandrayaan-3 mission. This mission holds significance for India’s stature in the realm of space exploration and has far-reaching implications for future lunar endeavors.

Launched on July 14 from India’s main spaceport in Andhra Pradesh, the Chandrayaan-3 mission has garnered both national pride and global attention, particularly after Russia’s recent unsuccessful attempt to land on the moon’s south pole.

The Mission’s Purpose and Significance

Chandrayaan-3’s primary target is the lunar south pole, an area known to contain water ice, a precious resource that could potentially sustain future moon missions and even establish a more permanent lunar colony. Successful landing and operation would provide access to oxygen, fuel, and water, crucial elements for sustained space exploration. The mission’s successful landing would mark a milestone, as India would become only the fourth country to have achieved a lunar landing, joining the ranks of the former USSR, the United States, and China.

Operational Details and Objectives

Upon a successful landing, Chandrayaan-3 is slated to operate for approximately two weeks. It will conduct a series of experiments, including a comprehensive spectrometer analysis of the mineral composition of the lunar surface. The mission comprises a lander with a height of about 2 meters and a weight of just over 1,700 kg, roughly equivalent to the size of an SUV. Additionally, the lander is equipped to deploy a smaller lunar rover weighing 26 kg.

Learning from Past Attempts and Overcoming Challenges

The Chandrayaan-3 mission follows India’s previous attempt, Chandrayaan-2, which succeeded in deploying an orbiter but faced a setback when its lander and rover crashed near the intended south pole landing site in 2019. Learning from these challenges, ISRO has made critical adjustments to enhance the probability of a successful landing. This includes modifications to enable a broader potential landing zone and reinforcing the lander with more fuel and sturdier legs to withstand impact.

Global Interest and Political Implications

The success of Chandrayaan-3 carries not only scientific importance but also political and economic ramifications. A successful landing would position India as a significant player in the field of space exploration. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government is actively fostering investment in private space ventures and satellite-based enterprises. India aims to increase the market share of its private space companies fivefold within the next ten years.

In the words of Prime Minister Modi during the mission’s launch, ISRO is writing “a new chapter in India’s space odyssey,” raising the aspirations of every Indian and solidifying the country’s position as a pioneering force in space exploration.

ISRO is set to broadcast the anticipated lunar landing, commencing at 17:20 IST (11:50 GMT) on Wednesday, inviting the world to witness a potential historic achievement in the realm of space exploration.

Lucknow Eidgah Imam scholar Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali expressed, “Children offered namaz (Salah) at the Islamic Center madrasa and prayed for the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3”.

He further mentioned that a special ‘dua’ (prayer) was conducted at Darul Uloom Farangi Mahal Eidgah in Lucknow, with a large number of madrasa students participating.

Highlighting the significance of the moon in both Muslim and Hindu cultures, Mahali emphasized the special attachment that the community has towards this mission. He expressed pride in ISRO’s endeavors and extended his congratulations to the scientists and officials involved.

Chandrayaan-3 is expected to achieve a historic landing on Wednesday at 6:04 pm, as announced by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The landing process will be telecasted live, commencing at 5:20 pm.

Mahali revealed that the students, who study science, were filled with curiosity regarding the Chandrayaan-3 mission. He expressed hope for the mission’s success and the nation’s triumph.

ISRO provided an update on Chandrayaan-3, stating that the mission was on schedule and undergoing regular checks. The organization expressed excitement and energy within the Mission Operations Complex (MOX).

Prayers and celebrations have been planned across the country to commemorate the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3. The Uttar Pradesh government has instructed state-run schools to screen the soft-landing for students, while the science and technology council of the Gujarat government has invited over 2,000 school students to witness this “historic” event.

Hindu prayer ceremonies were also held in Mumbai and Varanasi, invoking blessings for the mission’s triumph.

Scientists are interested in pockets of ancient water ice because they could provide a record of lunar volcanoes, material that comets and asteroids delivered to Earth, and the origin of oceans.

India’s space agency is attempting to land a spacecraft on the moon’s south pole, a mission that could advance India’s space ambitions and expand knowledge of lunar water ice, potentially one of the moon’s most valuable resources.

Here’s what’s known about the presence of frozen water on the moon – and why space agencies and private companies see it as a key to a moon colony, lunar mining and potential missions to Mars.

How Did Scientists Find Water On The Moon?

As early as the 1960s, before the first Apollo landing, scientists had speculated that water could exist on the moon. Samples the Apollo crews returned for analysis in the late 1960s and early 1970s appeared to be dry.

In 2008, Brown University researchers revisited those lunar samples with new technology and found hydrogen inside tiny beads of volcanic glass. In 2009, a NASA instrument aboard the Indian Space Research Organisation’s Chandrayaan-1 probe detected water on the moon’s surface.

In the same year, another NASA probe that hit the south pole found water ice below the moon’s surface. An earlier NASA mission, the 1998 Lunar Prospector, had found evidence that the highest concentration of water ice was in the south pole’s shadowed craters.

Why Is Water On The Moon Important?

Scientists are interested in pockets of ancient water ice because they could provide a record of lunar volcanoes, material that comets and asteroids delivered to Earth, and the origin of oceans.

If water ice exists in sufficient quantities, it could be a source of drinking water for moon exploration and could help cool equipment.

It could also be broken down to produce hydrogen for fuel and oxygen to breathe, supporting missions to Mars or lunar mining.

The 1967 United Nations Outer Space Treaty prohibits any nation from claiming ownership of the moon. There is no provision that would stop commercial operations.

A U.S.-led effort to establish a set of principles for moon exploration and the use of its resources, the Artemis Accords, has 27 signatories. China and Russia have not signed.

What Makes The South Pole Especially Tricky?

Attempted landings on the moon have failed before. Russia’s Luna-25 craft had been scheduled to land on the south pole this week but spun out of control on approach and crashed on Sunday.

The south pole – far from the equatorial region targeted by previous missions, including the crewed Apollo landings – is full of craters and deep trenches.

ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3 mission is on track for an attempted landing on Wednesday, the space agency has said. A previous Indian mission failed in 2019 to safely land near the area targeted by Chandrayaan-3.

Both the United States and China have planned missions to the south pole.