Notable scientific achievements that marked 2023!

India stands as a kickstarter for many technological advancements and innovations and even this year, the country witnesses various achievements in Science and space and innovations that were reported from various hooks and corners. As the year wraps, here's an ode to the notable scientific achievements that marked its presence in 2023. Check those out below!

1. India's moon mission recorded history 

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Chandrayaan-3, India’s Moon mission made history with the successful landing on the lunar surface on August 2023. As the lander recorded a 'soft landing' on the South Pole, India became the first country in the world to send a lander, Vikram, and a lunar rover, Pragyan to this part of the moon. Launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, the mission worked upon by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) was a third after two failed attempts. 

2.  Aditya-L1 to discover the mystery of the sun

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After the successful landing of the lunar rover, the next focus for the ISRO turned out to be the launch of Aditya-L1 mission on September 2, 2023. Developed by the Space Astronomy Group at ISRO's UR Rao Satellite Centre in Bengaluru, this mission also marked its significant feat in solar research as it captured its first high-energy solar flare using the High Energy L1 Orbiting X-ray Spectrometer (HEL1OS). The model has been designed to monitor high-energy X-ray activity from the Sun. It will land on its destination, Lagrange Point 1 on January 6, 2024. 

3. Gaganyaan to send the humans to space 

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India's first human space flight programme - the Gaganyaan mission got another height when, in October, it tested its first flight test vehicle Abort Mission-1 (TV-D1). Conducted at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh’s Sriharikota on October 21, the test included launching a crew module to outer space and, bringing it back to Earth which was recovered after the touchdown in the Bay of Bengal. The ISRO has mentioned after this testing that the flight evaluated the Crew Escape System, including various separation systems, signaling a great start to the mission.

4. India enters Artemis Accords

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With India signing the Artemis Accords - an arrangement with the principles of the US government to send humans to the moon by 2025, India aimed to look forward to the exploration of space. India became a signatory in the global effort to establish a practical set of principles to explore space in cooperation with other nations. The move is aimed at working with the United States and on future Moon missions. It also has paved the way for ISRO to collaborate with NASA to send an Indian astronaut to the International Space Station. 

5. National Quantum Mission to pace up technological infrastructure