New Delhi: With the historic milestone of 100 launches and 548 satellites placed in orbit, including around 460 in the last decade alone, India’s space sector is reaching new horizons, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Sunday.
“On National Space Day, we come together to celebrate the remarkable distance India has soared in the space sector. From Chandrayaan-1 and Mangalyaan to Chandrayaan-3 and Aditya-L1, India’s space programme reflects our scientific excellence, ambition and spirit of innovation,” the minister said.
Puri also highlighted that the energy and ingenuity of India’s talented youth are giving fresh momentum to this journey. Space startups and private-sector innovators are turning bold ideas into new possibilities for India’s space ambitions.
“As we march towards Viksit Bharat under the leadership and guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, our space programme is emerging as a vital force in shaping a technologically advanced and Aatmanirbhar Bharat,” he added.
On August 23, 2023, ISRO successfully landed the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft near the lunar south pole, making India only the fourth country after the United States, China, and the former Soviet Union to soft-land on the Moon. India also achieved the distinction of becoming the very first country to reach the Moon’s rugged southern polar region.
The first National Space Day was observed a year later, on August 23, 2024, with the day intended not only to commemorate Chandrayaan-3 but also to celebrate India’s wider achievements in space science and technology.
Launched aboard the LVM3-M4 from Sriharikota on July 14, 2023, Chandrayaan-3 was designed to demonstrate three critical capabilities, which included a safe and soft lunar landing, rover movement on the Moon and scientific experiments on the surface.
After landing, the Pragyan rover rolled out of Vikram and began conducting experiments alongside instruments aboard the lander. The study included the Moon’s surface temperature, seismic activity, plasma environment and elemental composition, giving scientists a closer look at an unexplored part of the lunar landscape.
The ISRO fully succeeded in meeting the objectives of its mission as the lander and rover operated for one lunar day, equivalent to about 14 Earth days, for which they were designed.
(IANS)
