PM Modi to join Chandrayaan-3 landing programme from South Africa virtually

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will join the Chandrayaan-3 landing programme from South Africa virtually on Wednesday. This announcement comes as he reached Johannesburg on a three-day official visit to South Africa for attending the 15th BRICS summit.

ISRO had planned the soft landing of the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft at 06.04 pm IST on August 23. The Moon mission was launched on July 14 at 2.35 pm from Sriharikota. 

Chandrayaan-3 lander module's soft landing on the lunar surface would put India in the elite club of countries that have reached the Moon's surface -- the United States, the erstwhile Soviet Union and China.

Chandrayaan-3 is a follow-on mission of Chandrayaan-2, which failed in its lunar phase when its lander Vikram crashed into the surface of the Moon following anomalies in the module’s braking system while attempting a touchdown on September 7, 2019. 

The landing will be streamed live on the ISRO's official website and on its social media platforms, including YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook. Viewers can also access live commentary and expert analysis during the event.  The live streaming will start at around 17:27 IST (5:27 PM) and the landing is scheduled for 6:04 PM.

India Today and Aaj Tak will cover the event live as well. Doordarshan will likely provide live coverage of the event. The NASA TV app and Space.com will also stream the event.

In Johannesburg, PM Modi received a grand welcome with Indian flags and thalis. Modi was welcomed by South Africa’s Deputy President Paul Mashatile at Waterkloof Air Force Base where he received a ceremonial guard of honour.

A huge Indian community members were seen holding Indian flags to meet the prime minister as he landed. Videos showed PM Modi shaking hands, and clicking pictures with the people.

Modi is visiting the South African city from August 22 to 24 to attend the 15th BRICS summit at the invitation of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. It will be the first in-person summit of BRICS comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, since 2019.  

From South Africa, the prime minister said, he will travel to Athens, Greece on August 25 at the invitation of his Greece counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis, he noted that this will be his first visit to this ancient land.

Also Read: Chandrayaan-3: Russian Consul General wishes luck to India’s Moon mission after Luna-25 crash