First National Space Day marks Chandrayaan-3 success

Isro on Friday celebrated the first-ever National Space Day, marking the anniversary of the Chandrayaan-3 mission.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) on Friday celebrated the first-ever National Space Day, marking the anniversary of the Chandrayaan-3 mission that made India the first country to land a probe on the lunar south pole, in a grand event where the nation laid out its ambitious roadmap for space exploration for the next two decades which included plans for more lunar mission, an indigenous space station, a new rocket, as well as placing a man on the moon by 2040.

President Droupadi Murmu being felicitated by Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) Chairman S Somanath during the first National Space Day celebrations commemorating the successful landing of the 'Vikram' Lander on the surface of the Moon at Bharat Mandapam, in New Delhi on Friday. (ANI)

At a ceremony in New Delhi’s Bharat Mandapam – attended by President Droupadi Murmu, Isro chairman S Somanath and minister of science and technology Jitendra Singh – the country’s space agency also announced ambitious plan aimed at removing space debris from the Earth’s orbit, a concern echoed by many, including President Droupadi Mumu.

Speaking at the event, the President expressed about the increasing effort and appreciated Isro’s efforts to remove them. “Space debris can cause problems for space missions,” she said. “I am also happy to note that India is moving forward to make all its space missions debris-free by 2030.”

Murmu also underscored Isro’s achievements despite its humble beginnings. “It was a glorious moment for all the Indians when Chandrayaan-3 landed on the moon. I saw the live telecast of that moment, I was so proud that day like other Indians… Along with the strides in the space sector, Isro also plays a vital role in the social and economic development of the country. I am confident that our country will make continuous progress in space science and we will continue to set new standards of excellence,” she said.

The projects that Isro laid out for the next 21 years include expanding the Chandrayaan mission – the project that has clearly been the standout among all of Isro’s achievements on the global stage. Plans for two more lunar missions (also to the south pole) have been laid out.

The first is Chandrayaan-4, which aims to bring rock samples from the lunar surface back to Earth after a soft landing. The mission, slated for launch in 2027, will expand on the technology developed in Chandrayaan-3 by adding elements like lunar docking, precision landing, sample collection and a safe journey back to Earth.

Chandrayaan-5, which will be in collaboration with Japan’s space agency JAXA, will feature an Indian lander and a 350kg Japanese rover designed to explore these challenging lunar areas.

“Last year we successfully launched the Chandrayaan-3 mission. We never imagined the impact that is going to create out of this accomplishment… We were asked to prepare a long-term roadmap, a vision for space 2047 in the Amrit Kaal. The Prime Minister was delighted with our presentation on future space missions,” Somanath said.

Perhaps the most significant project ahead, however, is to establish an indigenous space station dubbed the Bharatiya Antariksha Station (BAS) which will orbit 400km above the Earth’s surface. The 52-tonne behemoth space station will serve as a research platform for Indian astronauts and scientists to conduct experiments in microgravity, astronomy and Earth observation, and will allow astronauts to stay in orbit for 15-20 days. The modular station will be assembled in space after getting launched in several stages starting 2028. The target to finish the entire project is for 2035, according to Isro.

Currently, there are only two operational space stations – the International Space Station (ISS), developed in cooperation by United States, Russia, Japan, Europe and Canada; and China’s Tiangong Space Station (TSS).

The station, Jitendra Singh said: “By 2035, there would be a Indian space station if everything goes well, as was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi… India has proved how space technology can be used in health, agriculture, climate, disaster management, smart cities, highway construction, or security of railway lines.”

The third project, development of the Next Generation Launch Vehicle, or NGLV, dubbed “Soorya” – a three-stage partially reusable rocket, being developed by Isro – will form the backbone of India’s future missions. Soorya, Isro has said, will be capable of carrying 10 tonnes of payload in geostationary orbit, and a payload of 30 tonnes in low-Earth orbit. It is expected to give a significant boost to India’s future missions, which will require heavier payloads than the current generations of rockets.

The fourth major project on Isro’s timeline is the expansion of the Gaganyaan mission (slated to kick off next year) to place the first Indian astronaut on the moon. The target for this project is 2040, according to Isro.

The newest addition to the agenda was the announcement of India’s plan to clear space.

“Now we are going to the next level, to reach out and clear the space debris. I am glad to share with the President, that this problem has also been addressed by India. We have set up one of the latest technologies in Bengaluru to detect and clear debris, and very soon, we will be also retrieving back the decommissioned satellites. The satellites that have accomplished their missions, will be returned to the Earth, and the world will learn this art from India,” said Jitendra Singh.