RAS question
Chandrayaan-3 successfully soft-landed on the Moon on which date?
Correct answer: (A) 23 August 2023.
Chandrayaan-3 successfully soft-landed on the Moon on 23 August 2023.
Explanation
Chandrayaan-3's Vikram lander made its successful soft landing on 23 August 2023. ISRO's Chandrayaan-3 mission page records the August 23 update that Chandrayaan-3 had successfully soft-landed on the Moon, while the August 20 update placed powered descent on 23 August 2023. This fixes the answer as the landing date, not merely a mission milestone. The landing was near the lunar south pole, making India the fourth country to soft-land on the Moon and the first to land near the south pole.
Why the other options are wrong
- (B) 1 October 2023 is not supported by the ISRO mission timeline as the Chandrayaan-3 soft-landing date.
- (C) 14 July 2023 was the launch date of Chandrayaan-3, so it marks the start of the mission rather than the Moon landing.
- (D) 15 September 2023 is not supported by the ISRO mission timeline as the Chandrayaan-3 soft-landing date.
Concept
This tests India's space-technology milestones, a recurring RAS Science and Technology area because major ISRO missions are asked both for dates and for their national significance. Chandrayaan-3 is especially important because the landing combines mission chronology with India's position in lunar exploration.