India Celebrates Second National Space Day Honoring Chandrayaan-3 Success

August 23, 2025 MTIMES 49 Views Chandrayaan-3, Gaganyaan, ISRO, National Space Day, Pragyan Rover, Shiv Shakti Point, Space Exploration India, Vikram Lander 3 min read

The nation is proudly observing the second National Space Day today, a day that marks one of India’s most historic achievements in space exploration—the successful soft landing of Chandrayaan-3 Mission’s Vikram Lander and the deployment of the Pragyan Rover on the Moon’s surface on August 23, 2023.

On this day last year, the Chandrayaan-3 mission scripted history by accomplishing a smooth and safe landing of the Vikram Lander on the lunar terrain. With this remarkable milestone, India became the fourth nation in the world to land on the Moon, and notably, the first to reach the Moon’s southern polar region. Following the landing, the Pragyan Rover was successfully deployed, and the site of the landing was named Shiv Shakti Point. Recognizing this extraordinary feat, the Government of India declared August 23rd as “National Space Day.”

National Space Day 2025 Theme and Celebrations

The theme for this year’s celebration is “Aryabhatta to Gaganyaan: Ancient Wisdom to Infinite Possibilities.” As part of the observance, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) hosted the National Space Meet 2.0 in New Delhi yesterday. The conference brought together government ministries, private stakeholders, academia, startups, and experts to chart the next decade of India’s space applications roadmap. Over the past four months, collaborative efforts identified numerous use cases across sectors for immediate and future implementation, culminating in ten engaging breakout sessions during the meet.

ISRO’s Vision for India’s Space Future

Speaking at the concluding session, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, P.K. Mishra, commended India’s achievements in space exploration. He emphasized that the discussions reflected a holistic approach involving sectors such as agriculture, health, disaster management, and climate resilience. Stressing the practical benefits of space science, he noted that “space is not about conquering the stars, it is about improving life on Earth.” He further highlighted how reforms and policies have transformed the sector, expanding India’s space startups from just two in 2014 to over 350 today.

ISRO Chairman’s Address on Space Growth

ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan, while addressing the event, underlined India’s inspiring space journey—from the modest rocket launches at Thumba in 1963 to global recognition of India’s leadership in space today. He stated that greater private sector involvement, coupled with capability enhancement under the ongoing reforms, will play a key role in achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

Nationwide Activities to Inspire Youth

To commemorate National Space Day, the Department of Space is conducting celebrations across India throughout this month, focusing on inspiring and engaging young minds in space science and technology. Additionally, the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) is marking the occasion through events at its campuses in Ahmedabad, Udaipur, and Mt. Abu, encouraging students and researchers to actively participate in space exploration activities.

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