The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) made history yesterday after the successful soft landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the south pole of the Moon, making India the first country to land on the uncharted surface. 

Companies in the aerospace, space-tech and defence sectors, Centum Electronics, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Larsen and Toubro (L&T), Mishra Dhatu Nigam Ltd (Midhani), MTAR Technologies and Paras Defence and Space Technologies are cashing in on the euphoric mood in the market. 

Stocks of companies involved in making India’s mission successful are and will be in focus after the landing. These stocks saw buying interest on Wednesday and continued to extend their gains on Thursday to hit fresh 52-week highs. 

Centum Electronics shares zoomed 8.61% to Rs 1,784.95, Paras Defence jumped 7.89% to Rs 774.30 per share, and MTAR Technologies rallied to Rs 2,389.60, gaining 7.61% from the last closing price. 

At noon, a few shares consolidated their gains as investors booked profit. Shares of L&T were down 0.21% to Rs 2,711.80 apiece at around 10:15 am, while HAL lost nearly 0.2% to Rs 4,023. Midhani saw its shares trade at Rs 412.50, just over a per cent higher. 

Centum Electronics has delivered mission-critical electronic components on almost all ISRO satellite programs, including 200 mission-critical modules for the Chandrayaan-3 mission. Shares of the company hit a fresh 52-week high of Rs 1,948.35 on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) on Thursday morning, gaining nearly 27% in the last three trading sessions.  

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd is a public sector aerospace and defence company that provided key support in the form of expertise, technology, and components to the mission. HAL shares hit new 52-week highs for two straight days to rise as high as Rs 4,135 on the NSE.

Larsen & Toubro (L&T) manufactured and proof pressure tested the critical booster segments of the mission, namely the head end segment, middle segment and nozzle bucket flange at its Powai facility. The stock hit a 52-week high of Rs 2,766.80 in early trading on Thursday. 

Mishra Dhatu Nigam (Midhani) Ltd said it developed and supplied various critical and strategic for the launch vehicle, Launch Vehicle Mark-III (LVM 3) M4, of Chandrayaan-3. This scrip also hit its 52-week high of Rs 426.30 on the day after the landing. 

MTAR Technologies has been associated with ISRO for over three decades and supplied Vikas Engines, Cryogenic Engine subsystems and Electro-Pneumatic Modules for Chandrayaan’s LVM3 M4. Its shares opened on a 52-week high of Rs 2,440, rising another 8% after gaining on Wednesday.

Paras Defense and Space Technologies provided the navigation system for the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft. The company also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Department of Space and NewSpace India to assist the latter. On Thursday, it saw its shares race to a 52-week high of Rs 842 in early trading hours.