National Space Day Celebrations
On the occasion of National Space Day, India's space sector achievements were highlighted by Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, who noted the country's progress in space exploration. Speaking on Sunday, Puri said that India has reached a historic milestone of 100 launches and 548 satellites placed in orbit, with around 460 of those in the last decade alone.
"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 emphasized the role of India's youth in advancing the country's space ambitions, stating that their energy and ingenuity are giving fresh momentum to this journey. He credited space startups and private-sector innovators for turning bold ideas into new possibilities.
"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.
Chandrayaan-3: A Historic Achievement
The National Space Day commemorates the successful soft-landing of the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft on August 23, 2023, near the Moon's south pole. This achievement made India the fourth country, after the United States, China, and the former Soviet Union, to achieve a soft landing on the Moon, and the first to reach the rugged southern polar region.
Chandrayaan-3 was launched aboard the LVM3-M4 from Sriharikota on July 14, 2023. The mission was designed to demonstrate a safe and soft lunar landing, rover movement on the Moon, and scientific experiments on the lunar surface. After landing, the Pragyan rover rolled out of the Vikram lander and conducted experiments alongside instruments aboard the lander, studying the Moon's surface temperature, seismic activity, plasma environment, and elemental composition.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) fully met its mission objectives, with the lander and rover completing one lunar day (about 14 Earth days) of designed operational life. The first National Space Day was observed a year later, on August 23, 2024, to commemorate this achievement and celebrate India's broader space accomplishments.
Vision for the Future
In addition to the past achievements, the day also looked toward future milestones. ISRO chairman V Narayanan said the space programme is planning eight launch vehicle missions and 12 satellite missions during the current financial year. He also mentioned that the Gaganyaan programme, India's human spaceflight initiative, is approaching its final stage, with about 8,000 tests completed. The first uncrewed flight under Gaganyaan is expected within the next four months.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who interacted with CEOs and founders of 20 space startups on Friday, highlighted India's cost-competitiveness in launching space ventures. He praised Gen Z engineers, designers, coders, and scientists for building new technologies in propulsion systems, composite materials, rocket stages, and satellite platforms.
During the interaction, one CEO told Modi that after India opened the space industry to private players, many Indian citizens living in the US and Europe now want to return and work in India. Modi responded, "We need to connect with many people – people who went abroad are now returning. I believe we should create an aura where people worldwide feel that if they want to make a career, they should go to India."
Modi also noted the inspirational impact of ISRO's success, saying, "Seeing the success of ISRO, many children think that when they grow up, they too will become scientists."
Space minister Jitendra Singh said on X, "On National Space Day we remember the historic success of Chandrayaan-3, a moment that placed India among the world's leading spacefaring nations."