 "Chandrayaan 3 monitor station")
India's Chandrayaan-3 mission team was recently awarded the prestigious 2024 John L. 'Jack' Swigert Jr. Award for Space Exploration, acknowledging their efforts to elevate the standards of space exploration.
With the successful Chandrayaan-3 mission in August last year, India became the first country to land on the south pole of the moon. The giant stride in lunar exploration of the south pole, was crafted by the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro), which ‘broadens humanity's horizons in space exploration, opening up new realms for comprehension and collaboration,’ as stated in a press release by the Space Foundation.
The award was accepted by India's Consul General in Houston, D C Manjunath, on behalf of the Isro at the inaugural event of the annual Space Symposium in Colorado.
Comprising both the lander (Vikram) and the rover (Pragyan), India's lunar mission, Chandrayaan-3, successfully touched down on the southern pole of the Moon at 6:04 pm on August 23. With this achievement, India joined the ranks of the US, China, and the former Soviet Union as the fourth nation to demonstrate the capability of soft landing on the lunar surface.
What is the John L ‘Jack’ Jr. Swigert award?
John L ‘Jack’ Swigert Jr. Award for Space Exploration is an honour bestowed by the United States' National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) in recognition of outstanding contributions to space exploration. It is named after John L. ‘Jack’ Swigert Jr., an American astronaut who flew on the Apollo 13 mission in 1970. Swigert played a critical role in the safe return of the Apollo 13 crew after an oxygen tank explosion aborted their planned lunar landing.
The award was established to acknowledge individuals or teams who have made significant achievements or advancements in space exploration, including technological innovations, scientific discoveries, operational excellence, or leadership in advancing space missions. Recipients of the Swigert Award are typically recognised for their exceptional dedication and contributions to Nasa's mission of exploring and understanding space.
