India is celebrating its inaugural National Space Day on August 23, 2024, marking the one-year anniversary of the Chandrayaan-3 mission’s historic landing on the Moon’s southern pole. This achievement made India the fourth country to successfully land on the Moon and the first to reach its southern polar region.The day is being celebrated with a series of events and exhibitions across the country. ISRO has organized a special event at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, featuring presentations by scientists and experts on the Chandrayaan-3 mission’s achievements and new lunar discoveries. The theme for this year’s celebration is ‘Touching Lives while Touching the Moon: India’s Space Saga,’ highlighting the impact of space exploration on society.Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who declared August 23 as National Space Day, expressed pride in India’s space achievements, stating, ‘We recall with great pride our nation’s achievements in the space sector. It is also a day to laud the contributions of our space scientists’. ISRO Chairman S. Somanath credited Modi’s leadership for advancing India’s space sector through key policy reforms.The Chandrayaan-3 mission, launched on July 14, 2023, successfully landed the Vikram lander and Pragyan rover on the Moon’s surface on August 23, 2023. The mission has yielded significant scientific data, including evidence that the Moon’s surface was once covered with hot lava. India aims to hold a 10% share of the global space economy by 2035, with expectations of its space economy growing from $9 billion to $45 billion over the next decade.As part of the celebrations, educational initiatives such as ‘Space on Wheels’ mobile exhibitions and space-related quizzes are being organized to foster interest in space science among young minds. President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated an exhibition showcasing India’s space technologies and achievements, emphasizing the role of space exploration in various sectors including health, transportation, and information technology.
Key points
- India celebrates its first National Space Day on August 23, 2024, marking one year since Chandrayaan-3’s successful Moon landing.
- The Chandrayaan-3 mission made India the fourth country to land on the Moon and the first to reach its southern polar region.
- Prime Minister Modi and ISRO officials emphasize the mission’s impact on society and future space exploration.
- India aims to hold a 10% share of the global space economy by 2035, expecting growth from $9 billion to $45 billion.
