75th Independence day special: Space Kidz India unfurls Indian flag 30 kilometres above the planet

As India marks the 75 years of its Independence, Space Kidz India unfurled the Indian flag about 30 kilometres above the planet. The flag was sent to an altitude of 1,06,000 feet above the planet on a balloon that unfurled it.

The event was part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav slogan and under the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to celebrate the historic anniversary.

Space Kidz India is an organization creating "young scientists for the country and spreading awareness among children for a borderless world." The organisation recently launched a satellite into Low Earth Orbit. AzadiSAT was developed by 750 girl students from across India to mark the 75 years of Independence.

While the satellite was lost, due to orbital issues, as the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) that launched it into space failed to place it into a circular orbit around the planet, the organization managed to create an ecosystem and a process to develop small satellites.

As India celebrates its Independence Day, messages have been pouring in from space, astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, who is living and working on the International Space Station, in a video message said it is a pleasure to congratulate India on 75 years of Independence and that for decades international agencies have worked together with the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) on many space and science missions.

Meanwhile, Indian-American astronaut Raja Chari also congratulated India and said "Nasa and Isro have a long history of cooperation, going back to early days of space age when Nasa worked with Isro on sounding rockets in India. The cooperation continues today as we work on joint space and Earth science missions."