In a historic declaration during the inaugural National Space Day celebrations, Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh, who holds multiple portfolios including Science and Technology and Space, announced that India is set to land an astronaut on the Moon by 2040. This momentous announcement was made in the presence of President Droupadi Murmu at a grand event held at Bharat Mandapam, marking a significant milestone in India’s space exploration journey.
Dr. Singh’s address was a testament to India’s remarkable achievements in space, highlighting the recent success of Chandrayaan-3, which made history as the first mission to land on the Moon’s South Pole. Reflecting on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s earlier proclamation, he reiterated that August 23rd, 2023, would be celebrated annually as National Space Day, with Chandrayaan-3’s landing site being christened ‘Shiv Shakti Point.’
The theme of the event, ‘Touching Lives while Touching the Moon: India’s Space Saga,’ encapsulated India’s dual focus on advancing space exploration while leveraging it to improve the lives of its citizens. Dr. Singh lauded the progress made in recent years, including groundbreaking missions like the Mars Orbiter Mission, AstroSat, and the upcoming Aditya-L1 and XPoSat missions.
Tracing India’s space journey, which began 55 years ago in 1969, Dr. Singh contrasted the nation’s humble beginnings with its current status as a global leader in space exploration. He credited Prime Minister Modi’s leadership and policy support since 2014 for catalyzing this transformation, particularly the decision to open the space sector to private players. This move has led to a surge in space startups, now numbering nearly 300, and is expected to drive the Indian space economy from $8 billion to $44 billion within the next decade.
Looking towards the future, Dr. Singh unveiled the ambitious Space Vision 2047, which includes the establishment of the Bharatiya Antariksha Station (BAS) by 2035 and the lunar landing by 2040. He emphasized that these milestones are not just technological achievements but steps towards making space more accessible to the public, with over 5,000 spectators and nearly 1,000 media personnel having witnessed the Chandrayaan-3 launch live at Sriharikota.
The minister also highlighted India’s end-to-end capabilities in space transportation, platforms, and ground stations, underscoring the nation’s self-reliance in the space sector. Furthermore, he pointed out the tangible benefits of space applications across various sectors such as agriculture, fisheries, natural resource management, and disaster management, all of which have been enhanced by India’s advancements in space technology.
