From bicycles at Thumba to lunar South Pole: India marks 80th Independence Day with major space expansion - The Tribune

Independence Day 2026: India’s Space leap includes from carrying rockets on bicycles to building space stations

On August 15, 1947, India inherited freedom without the industrial base to manufacture so much as a bicycle. Sixteen years later, in 1963 a rocket component was carried to a launch pad on a bicycle in the fishing village of Thumba as the starting point of a space programme built by a nation with almost nothing to build it with. Vikram Sarabhai’s conviction was that a country did not need to be rich to reach for the stars, it needed only the disc…

From Bicycles at Thumba to Lunar South Pole: India Marks 80th Independence Day with Major Space Expansion

Get latest articles and stories on World at LatestLY. India's space programme has evolved from humble beginnings to a globally competitive ecosystem. With major achievements in lunar exploration, private rocket launches, navigation, human spaceflight and deep-space missions, India is expanding its space economy while advancing ambitious plans for Gaganyaan, Bharatiya Antariksh Station and future planetary exploration. World News | From Bicycles …

From bicycles at Thumba to lunar South Pole: India marks 80th Independence Day with major space expansion - The Tribune

India's space programme has evolved from humble beginnings to a globally competitive ecosystem. With major achievements in lunar exploration, private rocket launches, navigation, human spaceflight and deep-space missions, India is expanding its space economy while advancing ambitious plans for Gaganyaan, Bharatiya Antariksh Station and future planetary exploration.

India’s 80th Independence Day Showcases Space Leadership From Thumba To The Moon

India’s 80th Independence Day in 2026 highlights the nation’s transformation from bicycle-borne rocket parts at Thumba to a thriving ₹85,900...