Finding water ice
Of all the countries that have sent spacecraft to the Moon, India has the distinction of making a truly momentous scientific discovery on its very first mission: Chandrayaan-1. The spacecraft entered lunar orbit on 8 November 2008, also carrying the small Moon Impact Probe, which it fired six days later into Shackleton crater near the lunar south pole. When data from the impact was examined, it strongly indicated the presence of water – a discovery confirmed by a NASA instrument also on board Chandrayaan-1.
“India has the distinction of making a truly momentous scientific discovery”