GANDERBAL, AUGUST 22: Department of Physics, Central University of Kashmir, (CUKashmir) celebrated the National Space Day with enthusiasm and academic fervour at Tulmulla on Thursday. It commemorated India’s monumental achievements in space exploration, particularly the successful soft landing of “Chandrayaan-3” on the lunar South Pole.
Delivering the plenary talk on the theme “India’s First Mission to Venus: An Early Overview”, Prof. P. Sreekumar, Satish Dhawan Professor at ISRO, Advisor to its Space Science Programme and recipient of the Vikram Sarabhai award, provided insights into India’s interplanetary endeavour and highlighted how India’s space missions have consistently contributed to scientific knowledge while showcasing technological prowess. “ISRO is now targeting 2031 for the launch of Shukrayaan-1, taking advantage of an optimal window that reduces fuel requirements. This represents a shift from the earlier planned launch date,” Prof. Sreekumar revealed. He explained that optimal launch windows from Earth to Venus occur approximately every 19 months, but particularly favourable windows that significantly reduce fuel requirements appear roughly every eight years. He mentioned that the 2031 window is especially advantageous for mission planning.