National Space Day 2024: India Celebrates Chandrayaan-3’s Landmark Achievement

New Delhi: India is celebrating its inaugural National Space Day today, marking a pivotal moment in the nation’s space exploration history. This day commemorates the landmark achievement of August 23, 2023, when Chandrayaan-3 successfully executed a soft landing on the Moon. With this historic event, India joined the ranks of only four nations to have landed on the Moon and became the first to reach the lunar South Pole. To honour this achievement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi designated August 23 as National Space Day.

The celebration has been widely acknowledged across the country, with Union Ministers expressing their pride and appreciation. On social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, reflected on the remarkable journey of India’s space program. He noted its humble origins and its evolution into a global leader in space exploration. Puri also highlighted the contributions of Indian Oil’s Cryogenics to these missions and referenced the upcoming Gaganyaan mission set for 2024.

Nitin Gadkari, Minister for Road Transport and Highways, also took to X to applaud India’s recent space achievements, including the success of Chandrayaan-3 and the upcoming Aditya-L1 solar mission. He praised ISRO scientists for their dedication and contributions to India’s space ambitions. The theme for this year’s National Space Day, “Touching Lives While Touching the Moon: India’s Space Saga,” was also highlighted, underlining the impact of space exploration on everyday life.

Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of Labour and Employment, joined the celebration, describing the Chandrayaan-3 landing as a watershed moment in India’s space journey. He reiterated India’s commitment to advancing its space capabilities. The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways also commemorated the day, emphasizing the significance of Chandrayaan-3’s landing, which made India the first country to land near the Moon’s southern polar region.

India’s first National Space Day not only celebrates past achievements but also symbolises the nation’s future ambitions in space exploration as it continues to push the frontiers of scientific discovery.