Individuals gearing up to travel and perhaps even relocate will have to wait for some days, as the Passport Seva Portal, India’s official website processing passport-related exercises, will be down from August 29 to September 2.

According to the website, the portal, “Passport Seva portal will be down for technical maintenance from 29th August 2024, Thursday 20:00 hrs IST to 2nd September, Monday 06:00 hrs IST.”

The pop notification on the government website said, “System will not be available during this period for citizens and for all MEA/RPO/BOI/ISP/DoP/Police Authorities. The already booked appointments for 30th August 2024 will be suitably rescheduled and informed to applicants.”

This therefore would mean that all the existing appointments will in all probability be rescheduled.

The Passport Seva Portal X account posted the notifications on August 25. It also reposted posts from Regional Passport Offices.

According to the External Affairs Ministry, “The External Affairs Ministry said this is a routine procedure. “For rescheduling of appointments, we always have contingency plans. The maintenance activity for a public centric service (like Passport Seva Kendras) is always planned in advance so that no inconvenience is meted out to public. So rescheduling an appointment will not be a challenge,” a source from the ministry has said.”

Lately, Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Science & Technology Minister, asserted that India will soon launch Vyommitra, a half-humanoid female robot astronaut, to space ahead of its much delayed Gaganyaan missions. ISRO plans to launch two unmanned missions carrying a humanoid robot ‘Vyommitra’ ahead of the final human-crewed mission, which is anticipated in 2024 or 2025.

Dr Singh said that India’s space sector is on a rapid growth trajectory, with the country’s space economy, currently valued at $8 billion, expected to reach an incredible $40 billion by 2040.

his prediction fits with international observers’ even more promising potential of $100 billion. The Minister highlighted the significant progress in attracting private investment to space entrepreneurs, which have raised more than Rs 1,000 crore since April of this fiscal year.

According to the Minister, the exponential surge in the number of space companies in India is due to PM Narendra Modi’s policies. Starting from one startup in 2014, India now has 190, with some already transforming into viable businesses. This surge in the space sector entrepreneurial activity represents the government’s commitment to encouraging innovation and private participation.

Through satellite launches, ISRO generated foreign cash. India’s space agency until now has launched over 430 foreign satellites, earning over 290 million Euros from European satellites and over 170 million US Dollars from American satellites.

The historic Chandrayaan 3 mission discovered water molecules on the moon’s surface, a feat that had eluded even previous expeditions from the United States and the Soviet Union.

The Minister highlighted that India’s space technology is more than only exploration; it is also about practical applications that impact people’s everyday lives. It is crucial in multiple sectors, including disaster management, infrastructure development, agriculture, telemedicine, and robotic surgery.

 The US space agency NASA and European Space agency (ESA) on Friday lauded India’s Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft that was successfully launched on a historic mission to the far side of the moon. 

The LVM-3, the country’s heavy rocket, nicknamed ‘Bahubali’ carried the 3.8-tonne Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft and put the moon spacecraft into orbit on Friday afternoon. 

The mission is a follow up of the failed Chandrayaan-2 mission in 2019 when the lander named Vikram crashed on to the moon surface. 

“Congratulations to ISRO on the Chandrayaan-3 launch, wishing you safe travels to the Moon. We look forward to the scientific results to come from the mission, including NASA’s laser retroreflector array. India is demonstrating leadership on #ArtemisAccords!” Bill Nelson, NASA administrator on Twitter. 

“Congratulations ISRO on the launch of the #Chandrayaan3 #Moon mission! Our ESA ground station in Kourou will begin tracking the spacecraft as it rises above the horizon in French Guiana tomorrow morning (CEST). Speak to you soon!” ESA added. 

At 2.35 p.m. the LVM3 rocket rose into the sky from the second launch pad here at Satish Dhawan Space Centre. The 43.5 metre tall rocket, weighing about 642 tonnes, rushed upwards and 16-minutes into its flight, the rocket put Chandrayaan-3 into orbit. 

The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft comprises a propulsion module (weighing 2,148 kg), a lander (1,723.89 kg) and a rover (26 kg), the ISRO said. 

Industry experts called the successful launch has fortified India’s position “as a global space power”. 

“The launch of Chandrayaan 3 represents yet another significant turning point in India’s space research endeavours. Chandrayaan 3 has the potential to provide new light on the Moon, spark our interest, and open the door for additional explorations. This amazing project highlights India’s expertise in space exploration and solidifies its status as a major participant on the international stage,” Arjun Naik, Founder, and CEO of Scandron, a Drone start-up. 

“With Chandrayaan 3, we embark on a new chapter of lunar exploration, fueling our aspirations to unravel the Moon’s secrets. This remarkable achievement reinforces India’s position as a global space power and ignites a sense of unity and hope among every Indian, reminding us that our dreams have no bounds,” added Sanjay Kaushik, Managing Partner, Netrika Consulting, an integrity management firm. 

Meanwhile, the lander is expected to reach the moon’s vicinity on August 17, and will descend to the moon from a height of about 100 km from the moon’s surface. 

The soft landing is a tricky issue as it involves a series of complex manoeuvres consisting of rough and fine braking. 

Previously, in April, Japanese lunar exploration company ispace’s Moon lander failed to make its historic touchdown on the lunar surface due to a software glitch. 

In 2019, two attempted lunar landings, by India’s Vikram lander and Israeli nonprofit SpaceIL’s Beresheet both crashed. 

In those landing attempts, the trajectory and speed data went awry before the signals were lost. 

The success of Chandrayaan-3 mission will make India the fourth country in the world to land and ride on the Moon surface after the US, Russia, and China.