India Celebrates First National Space Day Honoring Chandrayaan-3’s Success
New Delhi, India – August 23: Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy announced that India is celebrating its first-ever National Space Day to honor the successful landing of the Chandrayaan-3 mission. This day marks the dedication and hard work of ISRO’s scientists and the collaborative efforts of the nation’s industries.
Historic Achievement
On August 23, 2023, Chandrayaan-3 achieved a soft landing on the lunar South Pole, making India the fourth country to land on the moon and the first to land near the southern polar region. Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared August 23 as National Space Day and named the landing site ‘Shiva Shakti Point’ and the Chandrayaan-2 landing site as ‘Tiranga Point.’
Contributions and Celebrations
In a post on X, Kumaraswamy highlighted the contributions of the Ministry of Heavy Industries and its four CPSEs—Instrumentation Ltd. (IL), FCRI, Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. (BHEL), and Hindustan Machine Tools (HMT)—which supplied essential products for the Chandrayaan-3 mission.
ISRO’s Praise for PM Modi
ISRO Chairman S Somanath praised Prime Minister Modi for his role in strengthening India’s space ecosystem. He mentioned recent policy reforms and initiatives under PM Modi’s leadership that have advanced the space sector, including a new space policy that defines the roles of the Department of Space, ISRO, and NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), encouraging greater private sector involvement.
Doubts Revealed
National Space Day -: National Space Day is a special day to celebrate achievements in space exploration. In India, it is celebrated on August 23 to honor the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission.
Chandrayaan-3 -: Chandrayaan-3 is a mission by India to explore the Moon. It successfully landed on the Moon, which is a big achievement for India’s space program.
Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy -: HD Kumaraswamy is a politician in India. He is a Union Minister, which means he is part of the central government.
ISRO -: ISRO stands for Indian Space Research Organisation. It is the space agency of the Indian government responsible for space research and exploration.
ISRO Chairman S Somanath -: S Somanath is the head of ISRO. He leads the organization in its space missions and research activities.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi -: Narendra Modi is the Prime Minister of India. He is the head of the government and makes important decisions for the country.
Shiva Shakti Point -: Shiva Shakti Point is the name given to the landing site of Chandrayaan-3 on the Moon. It is named to honor the mission’s success.
Tiranga Point -: Tiranga Point is another name given to a landing site on the Moon by Prime Minister Modi. ‘Tiranga’ means the Indian national flag.
private sector involvement -: Private sector involvement means that private companies can also participate in space activities. This can help in faster and more innovative space exploration.
