India: Fourth on the Moon, First near Lunar South Pole

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Collage: frames from ISRO's YouTube coverage of Chandrayaan-3 Vikram successful landing near Lunar south pole. (August 23, 2023)

India became the fourth nation to land on Earth's Moon this week. And the first to land near the Lunar south pole. This is a very big deal.

So, in a different way, was the "abnormal situation" that turned Russia's Luna-25 lander into an impactor.

Humanity is returning to the Moon. I think this is a good thing.

I woke up in time to watch ISRO's coverage of Wednesday's historic touchdown near Manzinus crater. Folks in mission control showed more enthusiasm than I did, here in central Minnesota. But they're all younger than I am: so that's no surprise.

I was and am delighted at ISRO's successful Lunar landing. And even more pleased about the Indian Prime Minister's upbeat words. More at A Catholic Citizen in America.

(Reactions, including mine, to Chandrayaan-3: 1st successful landing near the Lunar south pole. Modi quotes, Vikram Sarabhai mini-bio, and a little history.)

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