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(Bloomberg) — India successfully launched its second mission to the moon on Monday, a week after a technical snag forced the South Asian nation to postpone the attempt.

The unmanned Chandrayaan-2, which means “moon vehicle” in Sanskrit, was launched at 2:43 p.m. local time from a tiny barrier island in southeastern India. The country is attempting to become the first nation to land on the south pole of Earth’s closest neighbor.

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A second attempt just days after the failed one is sooner than some experts predicted, underscoring India’s confidence in the project spearheaded by the nation’s equivalent of NASA. Another failure would have been a further setback to the effort that takes place five decades after man first walked on the moon.

The mission also highlights Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s renewed focus on space exploration since he came to power more than five years ago. Several countries, as well as billionaires Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk and Richard Branson, are competing in an unofficial space race, from launching satellites to sending astronauts and paying tourists into space.