ISRO receives major US space exploration award

The award was presented at the Space Foundation’s yearly opening ceremony of the Space Symposium in Colourado on April 8. Consul General of India in Houston, DC Manjunath received the award on behalf of ISRO’s Chandrayaan team, reported ANI.

Space Foundation is a nonprofit organisation founded in 1983, offering information, education and collaboration for the global space ecosystem.

"As the first nation to land on the Moon’s South Pole, Chandrayaan-3, a mission developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation, extends humanity’s space exploration aspirations to new and fertile areas for understanding and cooperation. Furthermore, the technical and engineering achievements demonstrated by this mission show the world the unquestioned leadership and ingenuity of the people of India in the global space ecosystem," Space Foundation earlier said in a statement.

Space Foundation CEO Heather Pringle earlier said: "The pioneering work of the entire Chandrayaan-3 team has again raised the bar for space exploration, and their remarkable lunar landing is a model to us all. Congratulations and we can’t wait to see what you do next!”

The John L. “Jack” Swigert Jr. Award for Space Exploration recognises extraordinary accomplishments by a company, space agency, or consortium of organisations in the realm of space exploration and discovery.

 The award honours the memory of astronaut John L. “Jack” Swigert Jr., one of the inspirations for the creation of Space Foundation. A Colourado native, Swigert served with retired U.S. Navy Captain James A. Lovell Jr. and Fred Haise on the legendary Apollo 13 lunar mission, which was aborted after the perilous rupture of an oxygen tank while in route to the Moon.
People around the world watched as NASA overcame tremendous odds and returned the crew safely to Earth.
 
In that spirit of accomplishment, the Jack Swigert Award is presented annually at Space Symposium by Space Foundation.