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National Space Day in India is observed on August 23 every year, which commemorates the historic Chandrayaan‑3 mission and rollout of the Pragyan Rover. On this day, Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) Vikram lander achieved a successful soft landing near the Moon's south pole, making India the fourth nation to land on the Moon and the first at its southernmost region.
First celebrated in 2024 under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s declaration, the day honors India’s growing prowess in space exploration and its scientific community. According to ISRO, the days “celebrates the enduring journey of exploration, innovation, and imagination from the profound astronomical insights of our ancient scholars to the cutting-edge frontiers of human spaceflight”.
What is National Space Day 2025 theme?
The National Space Day 2025 theme is "Aryabhatta to Gaganyaan: Ancient Wisdom to Infinite Possibilities”. The 2025 theme beautifully links India’s ancient astronomical heritage, symbolised by Aryabhatta, with its future ambitions in space, represented by the Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme.
National Space Day 2025 celebrations
A specially developed NCERT module “India – A Rising Space Power” was rolled out in primary through Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas. Activities included assemblies, workshops, exhibitions, and sessions on Chandrayaan‑3, Aditya‑L1, and Gaganyaan, accessible via DIKSHA, Nishtha, and the “India on the Moon” portal.
How ISRO is celebrating National Space Day 2025
During the two-day National Space Day celebrations that began on Friday, ISRO unveiled a model of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) module. India aims to launch the first module of its homegrown space station by 2028, joining the select group of nations that operate orbital laboratories.
The main celebrations consisted of exhibitions, seminars, competitions, and educational outreach programs like “Space on Wheels” and “ISRO Space Tutor" at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. The ISRO Robotics Challenge (Bengaluru) and Bharatiya Antariksh Hackathon (Hyderabad) offered students opportunities to innovate and participate hands-on.
ISRO's other key past achievements
Aryabhata, the first Indian satellite, in 1975.
SLV-3, in 1980, was the first successful launch of a satellite by an Indian-made rocket.
Chandrayaan-1, in 2008, was the first Indian Moon mission; discovered water molecules on the Moon.
Mangalyaan/Mars Orbiter Mission was the first Asian country to reach Mars orbit, on first attempt in 2014.
Chandrayaan-3, the first successful south pole Moon landing in 2023.
National Space Day History
The Vikram Lander successfully touched down on the Moon's surface on August 23, 2023, making India the fourth nation to achieve a lunar landing and the first in the world to land near the Moon's South Pole. This milestone is seen as a significant testament to India's scientific and technological capabilities.
Meanwhile, P K Mishra, principal secretary to the prime minister said that ISRO is free to emphasise on frontier tech, deep space. "ISRO is now free to focus on frontier technologies and deep space, much of the application will be done by the private sector which is developing. Space sector reforms have made the future of the sector scalable, innovative and resilient," PTI quoted Mishra as saying.
(With inputs from PTI)
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