New Delhi [India]: As the nation gears up to celebrate National Space Day on August 23, Union Minister of State Jitendra Singh said that it was not only a day for celebration “but also a day of reflection and introspection and charting for the future.”
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, the MoS of Science and Technology said, “On this day last year, 23rd August, India made history by landing Chandrayaan III on the south side of the Moon. This is the first National Space Day to be observed by us. It is not only a day of celebration but also a day of reflection, introspection and a roadmap charting for the future.”
Singh said that they have tried to formulate the program accordingly and “give it an academic outlook with a futuristic vision.”
“It is also an occasion to make citizens aware of achievements in the space sector. In a way, it is an occasion that touches the heart of every citizen,” he added.
He said that India has made a “quantum leap” in this sector in the last 3-4 years with “new policy coming in and the liberalisation of the space sector.”
“As the Finance Minister announced in the Budget, we will have a 5-time increase in the space economy over the next 10 years,” he noted.
In 2023, on August 23, Chandrayaan 3 accomplished the safe and soft landing of Vikram Lander on the lunar surface. India became the fourth country to land on the moon and the first to land near the southern polar region.
The Union Government later declared August 23rd as “National Space Day” to celebrate the remarkable success of the Chandrayaan-3 Mission, which accomplished a safe and soft landing of the Vikram Lander and deployed the Pragyaan rover on the lunar surface near the South Pole.
This achievement is being celebrated across the country to engage and inspire the younger generation in the field of space science and technology.
Earlier, the notification issued by the Department of Space said India became the first country to land near the south pole of the moon with the success of the Chandrayaan-3 Mission.
“With the success of the Chandrayaan-3 Mission on August 23, 2023, with the landing of the Vikram lander and deployment of the Pragyaan Rover on the lunar surface, India joins an elite group of spacefaring nations, becoming the fourth country to land on the moon and the first nation to land near the south pole of the moon,” said the notification.
“The outcome of this historic mission will benefit mankind in the years to come,” it added.
The notification said the day marks an important milestone in the country’s advancements in space missions, will inspire younger generations towards enhanced interest in pursuing STEM and will provide a major impetus to the space sector.
The Government of India has declared August 23 of every year as ‘National Space Day’ to commemorate this historic moment.