Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: INDIA has secured nine major world records in space exploration and is on track to add 8 to 10 more in the coming years. Addressing an event in New Delhi, ISRO Chairman V Narayanan highlighted India’s achievements from Chandrayaan missions to Mars Orbiter Mission and advancements in cryogenic technology. He said the Mars Orbiter Mission in 2014 made India the first nation to reach Mars on its maiden attempt.
In 2017, the PSLV-C37 created history by launching 104 satellites in a single mission. He said Chandrayaan-2 in 2019 placed the world’s best orbiter camera around the Moon, while Chandrayaan-3, in 2023, made India the first country to land a spacecraft near the lunar South Pole. He said, between 2014 and 2017, India achieved three global records in cryogenic stage development, including the fastest maiden flight of LVM3 with a cryogenic stage in 28 months, compared with timelines ranging from 37 to 108 months in other nations.
Narayanan said ISRO’s cost-sensitive approach has been crucial in reducing launch expenses. The ISRO chief also noted that India has launched more than 4,000 rockets and 133 satellites so far, contributing to national security, economic growth, and the rise of space entrepreneurship. Looking ahead, Narayanan said ISRO plans to achieve 8-10 additional world records in space technology. He added that by 2040, India aims to land a human on the Moon, marking another milestone in the country’s journey toward becoming a developed nation.