"Chandrayaan 3 was a milestone, Chandrayaan 4 and 5 will follow,” announced Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh at the Curtain Raiser media interaction in the eve of 1^St National Space Day at National Media Centre here.

curtain raiser press interaction for grand Celebration of 1^St National Space Day today at National Media Centre, New Delhi.

India became the fourth country to land on the moon and the first to reach its southern polar region on August 23, 2023. To honour this landmark achievement, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi announced August 23 as "National Space Day".

India is celebrating its maiden National Space Day [NSpD-2024] on August 23, 2024 with the theme "Touching Lives while Touching the Moon: India's Space Saga." at Bharat Mandapam, Plenary Hall in the august presence of the President of India.

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr. Jitendra Singh said “Gayanyaan Mission is to send first Indian in Space in 2025” highlighting India efforts to rise as a world leader in Space sector. He also recalled his recent meeting with the Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral D. K Tripathi and underscored ISRO’s partnership with the Indian Navy, primarily for Crew Module recovery.

The Minister highlighted that more than Rs 1,000 crore investment came in the Space sector within months of collaboration with private partners.

Dr Jitendra Singh emphasised on the role of StartUps and reiterated that the Space sector had very few StartUps initially but now it has around 300 StartUps, many with global potential. Addressing the conference, the Minister recalled the Finance Minister’s budget speech in which she mentioned that the Space economy will increase by 5 times in the next 10 years.

At the Curtain Raiser, Dr. Jitendra Singh gave credit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for unlocking the gates of Sriharikota for the world to witness India’s leap in the Space sector. And it also hosts a private launching Station.

The Science and Technology Minister, while sharing future plans, said, "One of the cornerstone projects is the establishment of the Bhartiya Antariksh Station by 2035 and an Indian landing on the moon by 2045." He also mentioned that Rakesh Sharma has been guiding the Gaganyaan Mission team and extended his best wishes to Sunita Williams.

Shantanu Bhatwadekar, Scientific Secretary, ISRO, also accompanied the Minister for the interaction. He said, "ISRO organized a series of events across the seven zones of our country. Each zone hosted exhibitions, space science fairs, and interactive sessions with scientists to showcase India's space journey. The events included demonstrations of satellite technology, model rocketry workshops, virtual reality experiences of space missions, and national-level competitions, including the ISRO Robotics Challenge and Bhartiya Antriksh Hackathon."

Moreover, he underscored that this celebration is not just for the scientific community but for every Indian. Schools and colleges across the nation participated in space-themed competitions, debates, and quizzes. Research organizations, ministries, and non-governmental organizations collaborated with ISRO to conduct workshops and outreach programs, making space science accessible to the masses. Indian citizens had the opportunity to visit space exhibitions, interact with scientists, and even witness live launches at ISRO centers.

***

KSY/PSM