The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has been honoured with the esteemed Leif Erikson Lunar Prize by the Husavik Museum in Reykjavik, Iceland, acknowledging India's significant contributions to lunar exploration, particularly through the successful Chandrayaan-3 mission.

Recognising ISRO's relentless dedication and pioneering efforts in advancing lunar exploration and unravelling celestial mysteries, Leif Erikson Lunar Prize was received by Indian Ambassador Balasubramanian Shyam on behalf of ISRO. The accolade highlighted the agency's unwavering commitment and technological prowess demonstrated during the Chandrayaan-3 mission, which culminated in a historic milestone on August 23. The successful landing of the lander module on the moon's South Pole positioned India as the fourth nation globally, after the United States, China, and Russia, to achieve such a feat.


Isro lunar prize
Leif Erikson Lunar Prize awarded to ISRO

Post-landing, the Vikram lander and Pragyan rover performed various tasks on the lunar surface, including analysing elements like sulphur, monitoring temperature fluctuations, and observing lunar activities, solidifying India's position in lunar exploration.

Following the triumph of Chandrayaan-3, India swiftly proceeded with its inaugural solar mission, Aditya-L1, launched on September 2. The spacecraft accomplished multiple manoeuvres, including critical Trans-Lagrangian Point 1 Insertion (TL1I) and earth-bound manoeuvres, enabling it to depart Earth's sphere of influence successfully.

In a recent milestone, the Chandrayaan-3 Mission's Propulsion Module (PM) achieved a remarkable feat by transitioning from the lunar orbit to Earth's orbit. ISRO shared this achievement on social media, detailing the successful orbit-raising and Trans-Earth injection manoeuvres that placed the PM in an Earth-bound orbit, marking another milestone in India's space endeavours.