Russia failed to land a few days ago, but India has succeeded.
India becomes the fourth country ever to land a spacecraft on the moon
India becomes the fourth country ever to land a spacecraft on the moon
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India has landed its Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft on the moon, becoming only the fourth nation ever to accomplish such a feat.
The mission could cement India's status as a global superpower in space. Previously, only the United States, China and the former Soviet Union have completed soft landings on the lunar surface.
Chandrayaan-3's landing site is also closer to the moon's south pole than any other spacecraft in history has ventured. The south pole region is considered an area of key scientific and strategic interest for spacefaring nations, as scientists believe the region to be home to water ice deposits.
The water, frozen in shadowy craters, could be converted into rocket fuel or even drinking water for future crewed missions.
India's attempt to land its spacecraft near the lunar south pole comes just days after another nation's failed attempt to do the same. Russia's Luna 25 spacecraft crashed into the moon on August 19 after its engines misfired, ending the country's first lunar landing attempt in 47 years.
As Chandrayaan-3 approached the moon, its cameras captured photographs, including one taken on August 20 that India's space agency shared Tuesday. The image offers a close-up of the moon's dusty gray terrain.
