Chandrayaan-3: India to observe August 23 as 'National Space Day', says PM Modi

• Image Credit: Google

• Aug 26, 2023 | Dhupali Das

The announcement was made during the Prime Minister's visit to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) command center in...

Digital Desk: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a momentous announcement, declared that August 23 will now be celebrated as National Space Day in honor of the triumphant landing of Chandrayaan 3 on the Moon's surface. The announcement was made during the Prime Minister's visit to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) command center in Bengaluru on Saturday.

Modi's visit to ISRO's Telemetry Tracking and Command Network Mission Control Complex was marked by an emotional and heartfelt address to the team responsible for Chandrayaan 3's remarkable success. He expressed his deep admiration for the scientists and lauded their dedication to the mission.

The highlight of the announcement was the revelation of the name given to Chandrayaan 3's touchdown point on the Moon's surface - 'Shiv Shakti.' The Prime Minister emphasized the significant contribution of women scientists to the mission and stated that the 'Shiv Shakti' point would serve as an inspiration for future generations to pursue science for the betterment of society.

In addition to this, Modi also announced that the location where Chandrayaan 2 had crash-landed on the Moon in 2019 would be named 'Tiranga,' symbolizing the Indian tricolor. This move symbolizes India's continuous commitment to space exploration and its perseverance in learning from past missions.

During his address, Prime Minister Modi commended ISRO for its efforts in promoting the 'Make in India' initiative in space exploration. He noted that this success would likely attract increased investments in private space launches and satellite-based businesses, thereby furthering India's presence in the global space sector.

Modi's visit to Bengaluru followed his recent two-nation tour to South Africa and Greece. During his speech, he expressed his eagerness to meet the Chandrayaan 3 team, despite being physically absent during the historic moment of touchdown. He revealed that his thoughts were with the ISRO scientists throughout the mission, even as he was attending the 15th BRICS summit in South Africa from August 22-24.

The Prime Minister had watched the live streaming of Chandrayaan 3's successful landing from Johannesburg, South Africa, where he had extended his congratulations virtually to the nation immediately after the milestone achievement. Following his address, Modi also had a conversation with ISRO chairman S Somanath.

Chandrayaan 3's successful lunar landing has catapulted India into a select group of nations that have reached the Moon's south pole and marks India as the fourth country to successfully land a spacecraft on the lunar surface. This achievement not only solidifies India's position in the space race but also promises exciting opportunities for the future of space exploration in the nation.

National Space Day, inaugurated to commemorate Chandrayaan 3's success, is expected to become an annual celebration of India's achievements in space exploration and an opportunity to inspire the country's youth to pursue careers in science and technology.

As India celebrates its success on the lunar surface, the world eagerly anticipates the next chapters in the country's journey through the cosmos, with Prime Minister Modi leading the charge with determination and vision.