Expanding the Cosmos – Daily Excelsior

Dear Sir,
Referring to the editorial ‘Ambitious Space Expansion’ published on 21 January, it’s inspiring to note India’s numerous achievements in space exploration since the inaugural satellite launch in 1975. Over the past decade, India has made remarkable strides in this domain. The Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) was launched in 2013, enabling India to become the first Asian nation to reach Mars orbit in 2014. Following this, Chandrayaan-3 was launched in 2023, marking India as the first country to successfully land on the moon’s south pole. Furthermore, the first solar probe, Aditya L-1, was launched in September 2023. A successful space docking experiment was conducted on the 15th of this month, making India the fourth nation to accomplish this feat. Looking ahead, ISRO plans to establish its own space station by 2035, along with initiating its first manned lunar mission by 2040. The government’s approval for the construction of a third launch pad in Sriharikota at an estimated cost of 3985 crore is set to significantly enhance the infrastructure for space exploration, allowing for the launch of heavier spacecraft into low Earth orbit. This development is expected to further invigorate the space economy, which has already surpassed the 8 billion dollar mark. The entry of the private sector into space exploration has additionally bolstered the space economy, establishing the space sector as a pivotal component of contemporary advancements.
D.R. Bhagat
Ekta Vihar Kunjwani