India's Moon Lander Successfully Executes Second Hop Demo

India's moon lander, Vikram, successfully lifted off from the lunar surface and landed a second time in a "hop" maneuver, surprising space experts. This maneuver, performed by only one other spacecraft in history, could pave the way for future sample return missions. The lander and its rover, Pragyan, have now entered hibernation, with hopes of waking up for further assignments. India's Chandrayaan-3 mission marks the country's successful landing on the moon's surface, joining the elite club of nations that have achieved this feat. The mission aimed to study the moon's temperature, chemical composition, seismic activity, and plasma content, with a focus on the polar region where ice is believed to be present.