"India is now on the Moon," announced PM Narendra Modi immediately after the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft became the first to ever land near the lunar south pole — a place described by Nasa as an area of "mystery, science and intrigue".
The solar-powered rover will spend two weeks roaming the rocks and boulders and will run a series of experiments to help scientists understand the geology of the moon – and hunt for what could be the moon’s most valuable resource.
And, depending on what it finds, this could be a game-changing moment for space exploration – as our science reporter Madeleine Finlay explains.
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