It turns out that Christopher Nolan could land on the moon if he really wanted to because India's historic moon landing cost less than it took to produce Interstellar.
Considering Nolan loves practical effects in his movies, he's probably kicking himself that he missed a trick here.
Well, India is basking in the glory of a remarkable achievement this week as it successfully landed a historic mission on the Moon's south pole, marking a groundbreaking milestone, per BBC News.
In a triumphant announcement on Twitter, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) declared, "The Ch-3 Rover ramped down from the Lander and India took a walk on the moon!"
What sets this achievement apart is not only its success but the economic efficiency with which it was realized. While NASA expended over $250 billion on its Apollo missions in the 1960s and 70s, India's ISRO achieved this remarkable feat at a fraction of the cost.
The Chandrayaan-3 Rover mission, in contrast to the billions spent by the United States, was accomplished at a budget of just 6.15 billion rupees, equivalent to approximately $75 million.
Yet, this isn't just a matter of economics - it's a reminder that the mission cost less than many Hollywood blockbusters that simulate astronautical journeys.
With the successful landing achieved, ISRO's Chief, S. Somanath, conveyed that the Pragyan rover has been deployed on the Moon's south pole, making India the first nation to achieve this milestone.
Over the course of the next two weeks, the rover will engage in a series of element and chemical composition experiments using specialized instruments.
Somanath elaborated, stating: "More than that it will do the roving on the surface, we will also do a robotic path planning exercise which is very important for us for future exploration," per Sky News.
Somanath has since given an exclusive update to DW, where he said: "The lander and rover are perfectly healthy, and so far, everything is working very well. There will be further movements, and we are monitoring it."
The aim of the mission is to locate ice in the region that could "supply oxygen, fuel, and drinking water for future space exploration."
India's space exploration isn't stopping there, as the ISRO chief added: "A mission to Venus is on the agenda, but those details are being worked out and will take some time to happen. We went through a lot of pain and hard work for this lunar mission, and we will succeed in the future."
Following the triumphant landing, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the achievement as a moment of national pride.
"It is a matter of pride and a pat on the back for Indian scientists," said Modi on August 24th. "India is now on the Moon. India has reached the south pole of the Moon – no other country has achieved that. We are witnessing history."
Who knows, maybe Nolan will actually fly to space for his next movie!
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