National Space Day: A Tribute to India’s Lunar Triumph

 This celebration was instituted in recognition of the successful Chandrayaan-3 mission, a landmark achievement in India’s space programme under the leadership of the Indian Space Research Organisation

Today, August 23, 2024, marks a historic milestone for India as the nation celebrates its first-ever National Space Day, a day dedicated to honouring the country’s remarkable achievements in space exploration. This celebration was instituted in recognition of the successful Chandrayaan-3 mission, a testament to India’s space programme under the leadership of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), which not only showcased India’s technological competence but also cemented its position as a global space power. On this day, India commemorates the moment when Chandrayaan-3 made a historic soft landing on the Moon’s south pole on August 23, 2023 - an achievement that made India the first country to reach this uncharted lunar region. National Space Day reflects the spirit of innovation, scientific inquiry, and the nation’s enduring commitment to exploring the final frontier.
Launched on July 14, 2023, Chandrayaan-3 was a follow-up to the Chandrayaan-2 mission, focusing on perfecting the technology needed for a safe and soft landing on the Moon’s surface, along with deploying a rover to conduct scientific exploration. The mission consisted of a Lander-Rover configuration, carried into space by the LVM3 rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota. The propulsion module was tasked with transporting the lander and rover into a stable 100 km lunar orbit. On August 23, 2023, Chandrayaan-3 successfully achieved a soft landing near the Moon’s south pole, making India the first nation to land in this region and the fourth overall to accomplish a lunar landing. This region of the Moon holds particular interest due to its permanently shadowed craters, which are believed to contain water ice, a critical resource for future lunar exploration and potential human habitation.
This accomplishment was a significant comeback for ISRO, following the partial success of the Chandrayaan-2 mission, where the lander lost communication moments before touchdown. The meticulous planning, robust engineering, and valuable lessons learned from Chandrayaan-2 culminated in the flawless execution of Chandrayaan-3’s landing sequence.

Scientific Contributions and Payloads
Chandrayaan-3’s lander, Vikram, carried a suite of scientific instruments to study the lunar environment:
Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment (ChaSTE): This instrument measured the thermal properties of the Moon’s surface, providing valuable data on how heat is conducted through the lunar regolith.
Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA): ILSA monitored seismic activity around the landing site, helping to understand the Moon’s internal structure.
Langmuir Probe (LP): This probe measured the density and variations in the lunar surface plasma, contributing to the understanding of the Moon’s near-surface environment.
NASA’s Laser Retroreflector Array: This passive instrument was included for precise measurements of the Earth-Moon distance, aiding in lunar laser ranging studies.
The rover, Pragyaan, was equipped with:
Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS): Used to determine the elemental composition of the Moon’s surface, APXS provided insights into the presence of various elements, including magnesium and sulfur.
Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS): LIBS confirmed the presence of sulfur on the lunar surface through in-situ analysis, reinforcing the theory that the Moon was once covered by a ‘magma ocean’ during its formation 4.5 billion years ago, as per the latest reports shared by ISRO.
These findings not only support the Lunar Magma Ocean theory but also enhance our understanding of the Moon’s geological history. The discovery of elements such as sulfur and magnesium, possibly thrown up by ancient meteorite impacts, adds to the growing body of knowledge about the Moon’s evolution.

The Road Ahead: Future Missions and Ambitions
In recognition of India’s historic achievement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared August 23 as ‘National Space Day’, and the theme this year is ‘Touching Lives while Touching the Moon: India’s Space Saga’, reflecting the broader impact of space exploration on society. 

ISRO Chairman SSomanath, who is an accomplished cartoonist, with our creative director Murali Cheeroth during a cartoon exhibition inauguration in Kochi

On this occasion, ISRO Chairman S Somanath greeted the student and teacher community, apart from everyone in society, for being part of this celebration. “We celebrate this as National Space Day, and this day is being celebrated as the day of inspiration for all of you, identifying this as an important goal that we have achieved, also the vision for the future of science and technology. We celebrate this across the country, schools, colleges everywhere,” he said in an exclusive message shared with the Velammal Knowledge Park (VKP).
Building on the success of Chandrayaan-3, ISRO has already completed the design for Chandrayaan-4 and Chandrayaan-5. These missions aim to push the boundaries of lunar exploration further:
Chandrayaan-4: Scheduled for a potential launch in 2028, this mission plans to bring lunar soil and rock samples back to Earth. It will also demonstrate space docking in lunar orbit, a critical capability for future deep-space missions.
Chandrayaan-5: Following Chandrayaan-4, this mission will continue to explore the Moon, possibly involving more advanced scientific experiments and technology demonstrations.
The Chandrayaan-3 mission’s success has not only solidified ISRO’s reputation as a leading space agency but also positioned India as a key player in the global space community. As ISRO continues to build on its successes with upcoming missions like Chandrayaan-4 and Chandrayaan-5, India is poised to play a pivotal role in the next era of space exploration, contributing to humanity’s quest to explore and understand the universe.