Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the second National Space Day in the country on Saturday, that India has already reached the Moon and Mars, and now is the time to "explore deeper space" and that these unexplored regions hold vital secrets for the future of humanity.
In a special appeal, revealing the future great missions of India, namely that India is rapidly developing breakthrough technologies, such as semi-cryogenic engines and electric motors, and very soon, thanks to the focused efforts of our scientists, India will launch the Gaganyaan mission and, in the coming years, will build its own space station. He also invited young citizens to join India's "astronaut pool" and help fulfill the country's aspirations.
The Prime Minister called on the private sector to participate and build five space RNs in the next five years. “Currently, India has five major launches every year; can we increase it to 50 rockets every year, i.e. one per week?- he asked the private sector. He also announced, that the first PSLV rocket, built by the private sector, will be launched soon.
Modi expressed his satisfaction with that, that India's first private communications satellite is also under development, and said, that preparations are underway for the launch of a constellation of Earth observation satellites as part of a public-private partnership.
The Prime Minister emphasized, that over 350 startups become engines of innovation and acceleration of the development of space technologies. India is currently hosting the International Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiad, in which almost 300 young participants from over sixty countries.
Remembering, that two years ago India became the first country, which reached the South Pole of the Moon, by creating history, the prime minister emphasized, that India also became the fourth country in the world, which has docking and undocking capabilities in space. He told, that only three days ago he met the captain of the group Shubhanshu Shukla, who unfurled the national flag on the International Space Station.
"Space technology is increasingly becoming an integral part of governance in India", Modi said, giving the following examples, as satellite-based assessment in crop insurance schemes, satellite information and safety for fishermen, application in the field of elimination of the consequences of natural disasters and the use of geospatial data in the National Master Plan.