India Space Program: Chandrayaan and Gaganyaan

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has emerged as a major force in space exploration, achieving remarkable feats with innovative and cost-effective approaches.

Chandrayaan-3: Historic Moon Landing

In August 2023, India became the fourth country to land on the Moon and the first to land near the lunar south pole. The Vikram lander and Pragyan rover made groundbreaking discoveries:

• Confirmed presence of sulfur on the lunar surface
• Detected aluminum, calcium, iron, and other elements
• Measured lunar surface temperatures
• Demonstrated soft landing capability at challenging terrain

Gaganyaan: India Astronaut Program

ISRO is preparing to send Indian astronauts (called Vyomanauts) to space:

• Mission Goal: 3 astronauts in orbit for 3 days
• Spacecraft: Crew module orbiting at 400 km altitude
• Training: Vyomanauts trained in India and Russia
• Timeline: First crewed mission expected 2025-2026

Upcoming ISRO Missions

• Chandrayaan-4: Lunar sample return mission
• Shukrayaan: Venus orbiter mission
• Mangalyaan-2: Mars orbiter follow-up
• Space Station: Plans for Indian space station by 2035

Why ISRO Inspires

ISRO proves that space exploration is not limited to wealthy nations. Their cost-effective approach and engineering excellence inspire students worldwide to pursue careers in space science.