In a momentous achievement for India’s space exploration endeavors, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has been honored with the esteemed 2024 John L. ‘Jack’ Swigert Jr. Award for Space Exploration. The recognition comes in light of ISRO’s groundbreaking Chandrayaan-3 mission, marking India’s pioneering foray into lunar exploration.

The award ceremony took place during the opening ceremony of the annual Space Symposium in Colorado, where India’s Consul General in Houston, D C Manjunath, accepted the award on behalf of ISRO. The Space Foundation, in a press release, lauded Chandrayaan-3’s significance in advancing humanity’s exploration aspirations, particularly with its historic landing on the Moon’s uncharted South Pole.

Heather Pringle, CEO of the Space Foundation, praised India’s leadership in space, commending the Chandrayaan-3 team for raising the bar in space exploration. She hailed their remarkable achievement as a model for global cooperation and understanding, expressing anticipation for ISRO’s future endeavors.

Chandrayaan-3, comprising the Vikram lander and the Pragyan rover, made history in August by successfully touching down on the lunar South Pole. This landmark achievement solidified India’s position as the fourth nation to achieve soft landing technology on the Moon, joining the ranks of the US, China, and the erstwhile Soviet Union.

The John L. ‘Jack’ Swigert Jr. Award for Space Exploration, presented annually by the Space Foundation, celebrates extraordinary accomplishments in space exploration and discovery. Named in honor of astronaut Jack Swigert Jr., a Colorado native and Apollo 13 crew member, the award recognizes ISRO’s exceptional contribution to advancing human understanding of space.