India is attempting a historic first landing of a spacecraft on the moon's south pole, a challenging mission that could yield new insights on lunar water ice. While the existence of frozen water on the moon is known, its accessibility and potential for future mining and use as a resource remain unclear. A successful soft landing in the rugged, uncharted south pole region could provide vital data on the composition and distribution of this water ice. Chandrayaan-3 marks India's second moon landing attempt and would demonstrate complex landing capabilities. The mission aims to advance the country's space programme while expanding scientific knowledge of a resource that could aid future lunar colonies and deep space travel.

India's Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission achieved a key milestone on Thursday, August 17, as the Vikram lander module successfully separated from the spacecraft's propulsion module. The lander is designed to soft-land on the moon's surface and deploy the Pragyan rover to analyse the lunar soil. A successful landing would make India the fourth country after the US, Russia, and China to achieve the feat. However, India would be the first to land on the unexplored lunar South Pole. The separation of the Vikram lander propels Chandrayaan-3 forward in its journey of lunar exploration.