# Chandrayaan-3 made history as the first spacecraft to achieve a soft landing near the Moon's south pole.

*aerospace · news · 2026-05-22 · The Economic Times*

## Key points

- Chandrayaan-3 received the 2026 Goddard Astronautics Award from the AIAA for its achievements.
- Chandrayaan-3 was the first mission to achieve a soft landing near the Moon's south pole.
- The mission confirmed the presence of key chemical elements in the lunar south polar soil.
- Critical data from Chandrayaan-3 supports future human missions and potential lunar manufacturing.

**Companies:** Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
**Countries:** India, United States

[Read the full story on The Economic Times](https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/science/chandrayaan-3-receives-2026-aiaa-goddard-astronautics-award/articleshow/131254558.cms)

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