Chandrayaan-2's landing module 'Vikram' will begin its final descent to pull off a historic soft landing on the lunar surface in the early hours of Saturday, as the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) awaits with bated breath for the "terrifying moment."
A successful landing will make India the fourth country after Russia, the US and China to achieve a soft landing on the moon.
But it will be the first to launch a mission to the unexplored lunar south pole.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with school students, will be present at the ISRO centre in Bengaluru to witness the historic event.
Below are the live updates:
5:15pm: The Chandrayaan-2 is a Rs 978 crore unmanned moon mission (satellite cost Rs 603 crore, GSLV MK III cost Rs 375 crore).
5:10pm: A successful touch-down will make India the fourth country after Russia, the US and China to achieve a soft landing on the moon, and the first to launch a mission to the unexplored south polar region.
5:06pm: 'Vikram' will perform a series of complex braking manoeuvres to soft land in the South polar region of the Moon between two craters, Manzinus C and Simpelius N, on September 7.
5:05pm: Chandrayaan-2's 27-kg robotic vehicle 'Pragyan', which translates to 'wisdom' in Sanskrit, can travel up to 500 metres from the landing spot on the Moon and leverages solar energy for its functioning.
5:00pm: Did You Know? The 1,471-kg lander 'Vikram', named after Dr Vikram A Sarabhai, father of the Indian space programme, is designed to execute a soft landing on the lunar surface, and to function for one lunar day, which is equivalent to about 14 earth days.
4:42pm: Hours before the soft landing, the ISRO came out with the Chandrayaan-2 chronicles indulging in 'banter' involving the orbiter, lander and rover 'Pragyan'.
We have the same wishes for Vikram, Orbiter.
— ISRO (@isro) September 6, 2019
Want to stay in touch with Vikram and Pragyan as they make their way to the untouched lunar South Pole and uncover its many mysteries? Then keep an eye out for the next edition of #CY2Chronicles! pic.twitter.com/2iA8W2lxtR
4:40pm: In a series of tweets, PM Modi said the mission manifests the best of Indian talent and spirit of tenacity. "The moment 130 crore Indians were enthusiastically waiting for is here! In a few hours from now, the final descent of Chandrayaan - 2 will take place on the Lunar South Pole. India, and the rest of the world will yet again see the exemplary prowess of our space scientists," he said.
I have been regularly and enthusiastically tracking all updates relating to Chandrayaan - 2 since it was launched on 22nd July 2019. This Mission manifests the best of Indian talent and spirit of tenacity. Its success will benefit crores of Indians.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 6, 2019
I urge you all to watch the special moments of Chandrayaan - 2 descending on to the Lunar South Pole! Do share your photos on social media. I will re-tweet some of them too.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 6, 2019
4:39pm: Following the landing, the rover 'Pragyaan' will roll out from 'Vikram' between 5.30 am and 6.30 am.
4:36pm: ISRO Chairman K Sivan said the proposed soft landing on the Moon was going to be a "terrifying" moment as the ISRO has not done it before, whereas Lunar Orbit Insertion (LOI) manoeuvre was successfully carried out during the Chandrayaan-1 mission.
4:34pm: 'Vikram' with rover 'Pragyaan' housed inside is scheduled for a powered-descent between 1 am and 2 am on September 7, followed by its touchdown between 1.30 am and 2.30 am.