New Delhi, Aug 23, 2024, IANS

New Delhi, Aug 23 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday greeted the nation on the maiden National Space Day to celebrate the achievements of Chandrayaan 3, which scripted history in 2023 by becoming the first to land on the South Pole of the Moon. “Greetings to everyone on the first National Space Day,” PM Modi said in a post on X.com. The Prime Minister also lauded the efforts of the nation’s space scientists. “We recall with great pride our nation’s achievements in the space sector. It is also a day to laud the contributions of our space scientists,” he said. PM Modi also said the government has taken several measures to boost the space sector. “Our Government has taken a series of futuristic decisions relating to this sector and we will do even more in the times to come,” he said. Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft consisted of a propulsion module (weighing 2,148 kg), a lander named Vikram (1,723.89 kg), and a rover named Pragyan (26 kg). It landed near the South Pole of the Moon on August 23 after travelling about 3.84 lakh km for over 40 days. With Chandrayaan-3's success, India also became the fourth nation after the erstwhile USSR (now Russia), the US, and China to make a soft landing on the Moon. National Space Day is being celebrated nationwide, involving departments, ministries, educational institutions, science organisations, NGOs, and the public. The theme for the first National Space Day is: "Touching Lives while Touching the Moon: India's Space Saga." On the occasion, ISRO Chairman Dr S. Somnath said that besides commemorating the success of Chandrayaan-3, the day would also “outline future space initiatives during the Amritkal era”. Meanwhile, India is expected to send an Indian to Space by the second half of 2025 and also land the first Indian on the Moon by 2040. Gaganyaan -- India’s first human spaceflight mission which got delayed due to Covid, is also expected to take flight next year. In addition, India is also aiming to send “robot flights, where a female robot, Vayumitra, will be sent to space in 2025”.