The Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) in Bengaluru, along with its field stations across India, marked the inaugural National Space Day on Friday. The day commemorates India’s historic lunar achievement, with the country becoming the fourth in the world to land on the moon and the first to reach its southern polar region on August 23, 2023. This milestone was achieved through the Chandrayaan-3 mission, which saw the successful landing of the Vikram lander and deployment of the Pragyan rover.

The theme for the first National Space Day was “Touching Lives while Touching the Moon: India’s Space Saga,” reflecting on India’s remarkable accomplishments in space exploration. The celebration featured a series of events across Bengaluru to honor this achievement.

Public Talks and Discussions:

  1. Space-Based Telescopes: Scientist Rekhesh Mohan from IIA led a public talk on the importance of space-based telescopes. He detailed their role in studying stars, their evolution, and the benefits of observing space from above Earth’s atmosphere. Mohan emphasized the future of space-based astronomy and the strategic placements of telescopes to avoid atmospheric interference.
  2. Indian Space Missions: S Seetha from the Raman Research Institute of India (RRI) presented on “Astronomy from Space Missions of India.” Her talk covered the Astrosat mission, advancements in satellite technology, and upcoming space missions. She highlighted the Aditya L1 mission and its visible emission line coronagraph (VELC) instrument, crucial for studying the sun’s corona.

Space Expo and Workshops:

The Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium hosted various space-themed activities for students and the public. Minor Irrigation and Science and Technology Minister NS Boseraju inaugurated an exhibition featuring models of the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft and the LVM-3 launch vehicle. The exhibition also included displays illustrating the spacecraft’s journey and informative panels.

Additionally, the International Institute of Information Technology-Bangalore (IIIT-B) conducted a workshop titled “Space is the Limit, Powered by Science and Technology,” engaging participants in discussions about the intersection of science, technology, and space exploration.

National Space Day celebrated India’s significant strides in space research and provided an opportunity for public engagement and education about the country’s space missions and future aspirations.

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