The IQAC Govt. Degree College Uri in collaboration with Department of Chemistry celebrated the National Space Day-2024 on 23-08-2024 at 11:00 AM in the college auditorium. This programme was attended by 50 participants. On this occasion the worthy Principal of the college Prof. (Dr) Zahoor Ahmad welcomed the participants and said, to celebrate the first National Space Day on August 23, 2024, the Government of India is launching a month-long campaign to highlight the remarkable achievements of India’s space missions and to inspire the nation’s youth. He said that National Space Day is dedicated to inspire future generations by generating their interests in space science and technology and honor the contribution of ISRO to space research. He also admitted that space science helps to understand the evolution of the universe and drives technological innovations. It also plays a crucial role in protecting our planet monitoring space weather also. He added that space exploration requires collaboration among countries fostering international partnership thus bringing together scientists and engineers around the world promoting peace and shared goals
Dr. Shamas Ud Din Ahangar HOD Education and Coordinator IQAC presented the backdrop of the programme and said that India’s first National Space Day is being celebrated today on August 23, 2024, to honor the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission. On August 23, 2023, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) successfully landed the Chandrayaan-3’s Vikram Lander and Pragyaan Rover on the moon, making India the fourth country to land on the moon and the first to land near its southern polar region. Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared August 23 as National Space Day to recognize this achievement. The theme of 2024 National Space day is: “Touching Lives while Touching the Moon: India’s Space Saga”. Celebrations will highlight India’s space achievements, their benefits to society, and opportunities for people to engage with the Indian space program. If we have a thorough look on Key Highlights of Hon’ble Prime Minister’s Speech: says achievement of Chandrayaan-3 as a significant scientific milestone that demonstrates India’s prowess in space exploration. He also announced that the point of Chandrayaan-3’s landing would be known as ‘Shiv Shakti.’ He acknowledged the contribution of women scientists and referred to the Chandrayaan-2 landing site as ‘Tiranga,’ highlighting its significance in inspiring efforts and overcoming failures.
Dr. Bashir Ahmad Dar HOD Chemistry in his power point presentation supplemented lecture said that Efforts to develop an orbital launch vehicle began after mastering sounding rocket technology. The concept was to develop a launcher capable of providing sufficient velocity for a mass of 35 kg (77 lb) to enter low Earth orbit. It took 7 years for ISRO to develop Satellite Launch Vehicle capable of putting 40 kg (88 lb) into a 400-kilometre orbit. The SLV’s first launch in 1979 carried a Rohini technology payload but could not inject the satellite into its desired orbit. Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). The SLV-3 later had two more launches before discontinuation in 1983 ISRO’s Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) was set up in 1985 and started working on a more powerful engine, Vikas, based upon the French Viking
The arrival of the PSLV in 1990s was a major boost for the Indian space programme. With the exception of its first flight in 1994 and two partial failures later, the PSLV had a streak of more than 50 successful flights. Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) was going on. In 2003, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee urged scientists to develop technologies to land humans on the Moon and programmes for lunar, planetary and crewed missions were started. ISRO launched Chandrayaan-1 in 2008, purportedly the first probe to verify the presence of water on the Moon, and the Mars Orbiter Mission in 2013, the first Asian spacecraft to enter Martian orbit, making India the first country to succeed at this on its first attempt. Subsequently, the cryogenic upper stage for GSLV rocket became operational, making India the sixth country to have full launch capabilities. A new heavier-lift launcher LVM3 was introduced in 2014 for heavier satellites and future human space missions. On 23 August 2023, India achieved its first soft landing on an extraterrestrial body and became the first nation to successfully land a spacecraft near the lunar south pole with ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3, the third Moon mission.] Indian moon mission, Chandrayaan-3 saw the successful soft landing of its Vikram lander near the little-explored region of the Moon in a world’s first for any space programme. Finally, formal vote of thanks was presented by Dr. Naushad Ahmad Wani HOD Psychology who thanked the programme organized committee on behalf of the college administration.
