The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has marked an extraordinary accomplishment on YouTube's live streaming platform. The live telecast of the Chandrayaan-3 Mission Soft-landing, which took place on August 23, 2023, captured the attention of an impressive audience of over 8 million peak concurrent viewers (PCVs), establishing itself as the most-watched live stream globally, according to Sacnilk.
Chandrayaan-3, India's third lunar mission, drew a massive viewership during its live broadcast, as space enthusiasts and inquisitive minds alike tuned in to witness the pivotal moments of this endeavor.
The Chandrayaan-3 Mission clinched the top position in terms of peak concurrent viewers, surpassing the viewership of the Brazil vs Croatia football match from the FIFA World Cup 2022, which garnered 6.1 million PCVs, and the Brazil vs South Korea football match from the same tournament, which attracted 5.2 million PCVs. ISRO also outperformed the Cariocão 2023 Serie A semi-final between Vasco da Gama and Flamengo, which garnered 4.7 million PCVs.
Leading the list were other notable events such as SpaceX's Crew Demo-2 (4 million), the K-pop sensation BTS's 'Butter' Official MV (3.7 million), and the Johnny Depp v Amber Heard Defamation Trial (3.5 million).
Following the triumphant achievement of Chandrayaan-3, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his congratulations to ISRO Chairman S Somanath. In a telephone conversation, PM Modi, who was attending the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, personally dialed Somanath to convey his commendations. During the conversation, he also expressed his intention to visit ISRO's headquarters in Bengaluru to personally honor the entire team.
In a light-hearted comment, the Prime Minister quipped, "Somnath Ji, your name is Somnath, which is associated with the moon, and therefore your family members will also be very happy today. Many, many congratulations to you and your entire team from my side."
Following the Chandrayaan-2 mission in 2019, which faced a setback with the crash of the Vikram lander on the lunar surface, the Chandrayaan-3 mission emerges as an impressive sequel.
This achievement has propelled India to a distinguished position as the fourth nation – after the United States, China, and Russia – to successfully land on the moon. However, India's victory is uniquely etched in history as it lays claim to the pioneering distinction of being the first nation to touch down on the southern hemisphere of Earth's solitary natural satellite".
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