BENGALURU: Bengaluru-based Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), along with its field stations across India, celebrated the first National Space Day on Friday to mark the country’s successful conquest of the moon.
On August 23, 2023, India became the fourth country in the world to land on the moon and the first to reach its southern polar region. The event commemorates the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, the landing of the Vikram lander and the deployment of the Pragyan rover.
The space day featured numerous events across the city on the inaugural theme -- Touching Lives while Touching the Moon: India’s Space Saga -- to celebrate India’s achievements in space exploration.
IIA organised two public talks focused on the institute’s space mission, astronomy from the space mission, and the significance of placing telescopes in space.
Scientist Rekhesh Mohan from IIA explained the significance of space-based telescopes and why they matter, stars and their evolution, spectral analysis, and the challenges of ground-based observations. He also shed light on the future of space-based astronomy and strategic locations for space telescopes.
The second session was based around ‘Astronomy from Space Missions of India’ by S Seetha from the Raman Research Institute of India (RRI), who delved into Astrosat, satellite technology and earth observations, and future space missions.
Mohan explained how the Aditya L1 mission, specifically its visible emission line coronagraph (VELC) instrument, is crucial for studying the sun’s corona. He underscored how the mission highlighted the significance of placing telescopes in space, where they can collect data without interference from the Earth’s atmosphere.
The Aditya L1 mission is part of a broader trend in space-based astronomy, he said while speaking about the future of space-based astronomy.
SPACE EXPO
The Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium organised a variety of space-themed activities for students and the public. Minor Irrigation and Science and Technology Minister NS Boseraju inaugurated an exhibition that showcased models of the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft and the LVM-3 launch vehicle, along with displays illustrating the spacecraft’s journey and vibrant informational panels. The International Institute of Information Technology-Bangalore (IIIT-B) hosted a workshop titled ‘Space is the Limit, Powered by Science and Technology’.