Q. Discuss about India’s space sector achievements in the year 2023 and 2024. What are the achievements of ISRO in 2023?
Ans: India’s space sector witnessed a transformational leap in 2023 and 2024, driven by ISRO’s scientific excellence, policy reforms, and private sector participation. These years marked India’s emergence as a global space power, with missions that expanded the frontiers of lunar, solar, and human spaceflight capabilities.
ISRO’s Achievements in 2023
India’s space journey in 2023 was defined by precision, innovation, and global recognition:
- Chandrayaan-3 Lunar Mission
- Achieved the first-ever soft landing near the Moon’s south pole on August 23, 2023.
- India became the first country to land in this region and the fourth globally to achieve a soft lunar landing.
- The Vikram lander and Pragyan rover confirmed the presence of sulfur, oxygen, and other elements.
- Aditya-L1 Solar Mission
- Launched on September 2, 2023, India’s first solar observatory reached the L1 point in early 2024.
- Equipped with seven payloads, it studies solar flares, coronal mass ejections, and space weather.
- Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) Landing Experiment
- On April 2, 2023, ISRO successfully tested the Pushpak RLV, demonstrating autonomous landing from 4.5 km altitude.
- A major step toward sustainable and cost-effective space access.
- SSLV-D2 and PSLV-C55 Missions
- SSLV-D2 launched EOS-07, Janus-1, and AzaadiSAT-2, showcasing India’s capability in small satellite launches.
- PSLV-C55 deployed TeLEOS-2 and Lumelite-4 for Singapore, reinforcing India’s commercial launch leadership.
- NVS-01 Satellite Launch
- Strengthened NavIC navigation system with an indigenous atomic clock, launched via GSLV-F12.
- Gaganyaan Preparations
- Conducted the TV-D1 abort test in October 2023, validating the crew escape system.
- Selected four astronaut candidates, with training underway for India’s first crewed mission by 2026.
India’s Space Sector Achievements in 2024
India’s space ambitions soared higher in 2024 with new missions, technological breakthroughs, and global partnerships:
- XPoSat Launch
- On January 1, 2024, ISRO launched XPoSat, India’s first X-ray polarimetry satellite, to study black holes and neutron stars.
- INSAT-3DS and SSLV-D3
- INSAT-3DS launched in February 2024 to improve meteorological data and disaster management.
- SSLV-D3 successfully placed EOS-08 into orbit, completing the vehicle’s development phase.
- Pushpak RLV LEX-03
- In June 2024, ISRO completed its third and final RLV landing test, validating cross-range correction and autonomous navigation.
- Proba-3 Mission
- In December 2024, ISRO launched ESA’s Proba-3 satellites, demonstrating precision formation flying to simulate a solar eclipse.
- SpaDeX Mission
- Scheduled for December 30, 2024, this mission will demonstrate in-space docking, a key capability for future space stations and interplanetary missions.
- Gaganyaan Progress
- Assembly of the Human Rated Launch Vehicle (HLVM3) began in December 2024.
- Uncrewed test flight expected in early 2025.
- International Collaborations
- India signed the Artemis Accords, joined INDUS-X with the US, and expanded partnerships with France, ESA, and NASA.
Conclusion: India’s space sector in 2023–2024 has been defined by ambition, innovation, and global recognition. From the Moon to the Sun, and now toward human spaceflight and space station development, ISRO has laid the foundation for a new era of exploration. The rise of private startups, policy reforms, and international partnerships further signal that India’s space sector is poised for exponential growth.