New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday congratulated the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) for winning the prestigious Leif Erikson Lunar Prize. Jaishankar took to social media to applaud ISRO's performance. “Congratulations @isro on winning the Leif Erikson Lunar Prize 2023. Chandrayaan has brought more honors to the country,” posted Jaishankar on X.
Notably, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) was awarded the prestigious Leif Erikson Lunar Prize by Iceland's Husavik Museum in significant recognition of India's space capabilities. This award recognizes ISRO's unwavering commitment and indomitable spirit in pushing forward lunar exploration and contributing significantly to unlocking the mysteries of the celestial body, especially through the successful Chandrayaan-3 mission.
“The Leif Erikson Lunar Prize is awarded by the Husavik Museum for the indomitable spirit of @ISRO for its contribution to advancing lunar exploration and understanding celestial mysteries. #Chandrayaan3” Embassy of India in Iceland Posted by X. ISRO. “ISRO Chairman Mr S Somanath has sent a message. Amb Mr Shyam received the award on behalf of ISRO,” the embassy post added.
Indian Ambassador Balasubramanian Shyam received the prestigious Leif Erikson Lunar Prize on behalf of ISRO. The embassy post added, “ISRO Chairman Mr S.Somanath has sent a message. Amb Mr Shyam received the award on behalf of ISRO.” Chandrayaan 3's victory marked a historic milestone when the lander module successfully landed on the moon's south pole on August 23. India became the fourth country to successfully land on the moon, following the United States, China, and Russia. The mission not only demonstrated technological prowess but also represented redemption after the disappointment of the Chandrayaan 2 crash landing four years earlier.
After landing, the Vikram lander and Pragyan probe performed various tasks on the lunar surface, including detecting the presence of sulfur and other elements, recording relative temperatures, and monitoring lunar activity. The success of Chandrayaan 3 further strengthened India's position in lunar exploration.
Following the lunar victory, India fast-tracked its maiden solar mission, Aditya-L1, launched on September 2. The spacecraft successfully performed several maneuvers, including four Earth transit maneuvers and the critical Trans-Lagrangean Point 1 Insertion (TL1I). You can maneuver to escape Earth's sphere of influence.
In the most recent development, Chandrayaan 3's propulsion module (PM) achieved another feat by transitioning from lunar orbit to Earth orbit. Sharing the achievement for Orbital – An ascent maneuver and a trans-Earth injection maneuver placed the PM in Earth orbit.”