In recognition of this remarkable feat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi designated August 23 ‘National Space Day’. T
On August 23 each year, India will celebrate ‘National Space Day’, commemorating the historic landing of Chandrayaan-3’s Vikram Lander in the Moon’s south polar region in 2023. This achievement not only made India the fourth country to land on the Moon, but also the first to reach its southern pole, further bolstering the country’s position in space exploration. Following the successful soft landing, the Pragyan Rover was deployed, adding to the mission’s triumphs.
In recognition of this remarkable feat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi designated August 23 ‘National Space Day’. The inaugural celebration will take place nationwide in 2024, with the government launching a month-long campaign to showcase India’s space achievements and inspire the younger generation.
This year’s theme, ‘Touching Lives while Touching the Moon: India’s Space Saga’, beautifully sums up the essence of the celebration. It underscores how India’s endeavours in space exploration not only lead to extraordinary scientific breakthroughs, but also have a tangible and positive impact on the lives of its citizens. It is a reminder that, while India reaches for the stars, it also strives to keep its feet firmly rooted to the ground and improve life on Earth through technological advancements and innovations born out of its space programme.
‘National Space Day’ serves as a platform to acknowledge and celebrate India’s key accomplishments in space explorations, highlighting the nation’s technological prowess and inspiring students to pursue careers in space science. It also aims to increase public awareness about the numerous benefits of space exploration while fostering a sense of national pride and unity.
‘National Space Day, 2024’: Events
1. 2-day Finale at Bharat Mandapam: A big, two-day event will be held at the Bharat Mandapam to celebrate ‘National Space Day’. It will feature important sessions, interactive exhibits and major announcements about India’s space successes.
2. ‘Space on Wheels’—Showcasing ISRO’s Vision for Scientific Advancement: This project will feature mobile exhibition buses travelling to universities and colleges during the ‘National Space Day’ celebrations. On January 24, 2023, ISRO had signed an agreement with Vijnana Bharati (ViBha), a science organization focussed on spreading scientific knowledge. They are collaborating on the ‘Space on Wheels’ initiative.
ü Purpose: Share information about ISRO’s work and India’s space missions with school students across India
ü Collaboration: A joint effort by VIBHA and ISRO to improve public understanding of space science and spark interest in space exploration
3. ‘ISRO Space Tutors’—To Engage and Educate: ‘Space Tutors’ are educators registered with ISRO who focus on promoting space science and technology education. They engage students and the public through outreach activities. ISRO is dedicated to sharing advanced knowledge in the space field.
ü Support from NGOs and Schools: Many organizations have created programmes to help students explore space science through educational modules, books and lab work
ü Digital Learning: Online educators and content creators use social media and apps to provide virtual learning experiences
ü Outreach by ‘Space Tutors’: ISRO’s 120 ‘Space Tutors’ will organize such events as talks, quizzes and exhibitions nationwide to promote space education and awareness
ü Materials and Support: Tutors will receive materials to help inspire scientific curiosity and innovative thinking among students
4. ‘Bharathiya Antariksh Hackathon’: The ‘Bharatiya Antariksh Hackathon, 2024,’ is a major part of the ‘National Space Day’ celebrations, focussing on finding new ideas and solutions in space tech. As India progresses in space research, this event aims to motivate young innovators to support the country’s space missions.
ü Organized by ISRO: This national hackathon challenges students with various space-related problems to inspire creative solutions
ü Selection Process: Teams will be chosen based on their solutions to compete in the final round at select centres
ü Opportunities for Students:
o Top students from the final will receive internships at ISRO centres
o Top 3 winners to present projects on ‘National Space Day’ (August 23, 2024)
5. ‘ISRO Robotics Challenge’: The ‘ISRO Robotics Challenge’ began on November 8, 2023, with extended time for registration and proposal submissions. After selecting teams and sharing competition details, participants submitted videos and design reports showcasing their hardware and rover functionality
ü Tagline: ‘Let’s Build a Space Robot’
ü Opportunity: Students can engage in space robotics by creating robots for a space-themed arena
ü Objective: Teams tackle real-world challenges in space robotics