Science News Roundup: Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft lands on the moon in 'victory cry of a new India'; Scientists solve the genetic puzzle of sex-related Y chromosome and more

Here's what's known about the presence of frozen water on the moon - and why space agencies and private companies see it as a key to a moon colony, lunar mining and potential missions to Mars. What to know about India's Chandrayaan-3 moon landing mission The Indian Space Research Agency (ISRO) is closing in on an attempt to land a spacecraft on the moon's south pole.

Following is a summary of current science news briefs.

Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft lands on the moon in 'victory cry of a new India'

An Indian spacecraft became the first to land on the rugged, unexplored south pole of the moon on Wednesday in a mission seen as crucial to lunar exploration and India's standing as a space power, just days after a similar Russian lander crashed. "This moment is unforgettable. It is phenomenal. This is a victory cry of a new India," said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who waved the Indian flag as he watched the landing from South Africa where he is attending a BRICS summit, a group that joins Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

SpaceX working with Cloudflare to speed up Starlink service- The Information

Elon Musk-owned SpaceX is working with Cloudflare to boost the performance of its satellite internet service Starlink, the Information reported on Wednesday, citing a person with direct knowledge of the project. Shares of Cloudflare, which provides content delivery services, jumped 7.2%.

India's boom, Russia's crunch: how money is shaping a new space race

The space race India aims to win this week by landing first on the moon's south pole is about science, the politics of national prestige and a new frontier: money. India's Chandrayaan-3 is heading for a landing on the lunar south pole on Wednesday. If it succeeds, analysts and executives expect an immediate boost for the South Asian nation's nascent space industry.

Scientists solve the genetic puzzle of sex-related Y chromosome

Scientists have taken an important step forward in understanding the human genome - our genetic blueprint - by fully deciphering the enigmatic Y chromosome present in males, an achievement that could help guide research on infertility in men. Researchers on Wednesday unveiled the first complete sequence of the human Y chromosome, which is one of the two sex chromosomes - the X chromosome being the other - and is typically passed down from male parent to male offspring. It is the last of the 24 chromosomes - threadlike structures that carry genetic information from cell to cell - in the human genome to be sequenced.

Explainer-Why North Korea's satellite launches are so controversial

North Korea appears to be preparing for its second attempt at launching a reconnaissance satellite this year, a move that may prove as controversial as the nuclear-armed country's weapons tests. A May 31 attempt - North Korea's first such launch since 2016 - ended in fiery failure when its new Chollima-1 rocket crashed into the sea.

Race for moon resources has begun, says Russia's space chief after failed lunar mission

The race to explore and develop the moon's resources has begun and Russia must remain a player despite the failure of its first lunar mission in 47 years, the head of Russia's space agency Roskosmos said on Monday. Russia's Luna-25 space craft spun out of control and crashed into the moon on Saturday after a problem preparing for pre-landing orbit, underscoring the post-Soviet decline of a once mighty space programme.

Reactions as India's Chandrayaan-3 makes historic moon landing

India on Wednesday became the fourth country to land on the moon after the Indian Space Research Organisation's Chandrayaan-3 touched down on the rugged south pole. Following are some reactions:

US seeks extension to controversial science agreement with China

The United States is seeking a six-month extension to a decades-old science and technology agreement with China so that it can undergo negotiations with Beijing to "strengthen" the pact, the State Department said on Wednesday. The landmark deal, signed when Beijing and Washington established diplomatic ties in 1979 and renewed about every five years since, has shown that the geopolitical rivals could cooperate across a range of scientific and technical fields.

Why are space agencies racing to the moon's south pole?

India's space agency is attempting to land a spacecraft on the moon's south pole, a mission that could advance India's space ambitions and expand knowledge of lunar water ice, potentially one of the moon's most valuable resources. Here's what's known about the presence of frozen water on the moon - and why space agencies and private companies see it as a key to a moon colony, lunar mining and potential missions to Mars.

What to know about India's Chandrayaan-3 moon landing mission

The Indian Space Research Agency (ISRO) is closing in on an attempt to land a spacecraft on the moon's south pole. Here are key facts about the Chandrayaan-3 mission.

(With inputs from agencies.)