MUMBAI: Chandrayaan-3, whose success made India the world’s first country to have landed near the lunar South Pole, has been awarded the World Space Award by the International Astronautical Federation.

Besides India, only the US, Russia and China have achieved the milestone of soft landing on the moon.
The award ceremony is scheduled for October 14 during the opening ceremony of the 75th International Astronautical Congress in Italy’s Milan, over a year after Chandrayaan-3’s successful landing on August 23, 2023.

“Chandrayaan-3 mission by ISRO exemplifies the synergy of scientific curiosity and cost-effective engineering, symbolizing India's commitment to excellence and the vast potential that space exploration offers humanity.

Rapidly unveiling previously undiscovered facets of the Moon's composition and geology, the mission stands as a global testament to innovation,’’ the federation said on Thursday.

Among Chandrayaan-3’s many firsts was its successful coordination of India’s space and nuclear sectors, with the mission’s propulsion module powered by nuclear technology.

Several events have been planned across the country to mark the first anniversary of Chandrayaan-3’s landing.