The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) are developing virtual reality (VR), augmented reality and mixed reality solutions to help train Indian astronauts for the harsh unknowns of Space.

This collaboration is meant to help the four Indian astronauts (originally Indian Air Force test pilots) who are undergoing specialised training to undertake India's most ambitious space mission —'Gaganyaan' or the human spaceflight programme.&nbsp;

Prof M Manivannan, Department of Applied Mechanics, IIT Madras, explained to WION that among the key takeaways from this collaboration would be the ability to simulate space emergencies and train astronauts for facing them.

"We will be simulating fire in space, medical emergencies, and the astronauts will be trained in mitigating and finding solutions to such situations," he said.

As part of this, both hardware and software systems will be developed. Citing an example, he said that such a VR system would help to analyse how many switches/systems an astronaut can comfortably operate, while being confined to their seats and amid limited ability to move their bodies, etc.&nbsp;

Dr Umamaheswaran, Director, Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC), ISRO, said that space program always had linkages with academia, and IIT Madras has a long history of contributing for ISRO’s program, including human spaceflight program.

As per the MoU signed between IITM and ISRO, the former would utilise the advanced technologies created at the newly-established Experiential Technology Innovation Centre (XTIC) at IIT Madras to promote research and development (R&amp;D) in the domain of extended reality.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/gaganyaan-indian-astronauts-to-experience-4g-acceleration-during-ascent-12g-if-aborted-557263">Gaganyaan: Indian astronauts to experience '4g' acceleration during ascent, '12g' if aborted</a>

While the design and development of these technologies is being carried out by IIT Madras, the 'CAVE' consortium comprising more than 270 Indian startups and companies in VR and haptics would carry out the implementation, Prof. Manivannan added.

He also mentioned that simulations will be carried out to see how the human body reacts to the harsh conditions in orbit, as the pre-existing data in this field is based on Caucasian astronauts and not Indians.&nbsp;

The collaborative effort is expected to churn out space-grade biomedical devices that Indian astronauts can carry to space, thus helping keep a constant track of their health and well-being during their 48-hour stay in space.

"We want to empower ISRO to develop their own AR &amp; VR systems. We've already trained a handful of ISRO scientists in this field" Manivannan said.&nbsp;

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The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) are developing virtual reality (VR), augmented reality and mixed reality solutions to help train Indian astronauts for the harsh unknowns of Space.

The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) are developing virtual reality (VR), augmented reality and mixed reality solutions to help train Indian astronauts for the harsh unknowns of Space. This collaboration is meant to help the four Indian astronauts (originally Indian Air Force test pilots) who are undergoing specialised training to undertake India's most ambitious space mission —'Gaganyaan' or the human spaceflight programme. Prof M Manivannan, Department of Applied Mechanics, IIT Madras, explained to WION that among the key takeaways from this collaboration would be the ability to simulate space emergencies and train astronauts for facing them. "We will be simulating fire in space, medical emergencies, and the astronauts will be trained in mitigating and finding solutions to such situations," he said. As part of this, both hardware and software systems will be developed. Citing an example, he said that such a VR system would help to analyse how many switches/systems an astronaut can comfortably operate, while being confined to their seats and amid limited ability to move their bodies, etc. Dr Umamaheswaran, Director, Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC), ISRO, said that space program always had linkages with academia, and IIT Madras has a long history of contributing for ISRO’s program, including human spaceflight program. As per the MoU signed between IITM and ISRO, the former would utilise the advanced technologies created at the newly-established Experiential Technology Innovation Centre (XTIC) at IIT Madras to promote research and development (R&D) in the domain of extended reality. Also read | Gaganyaan: Indian astronauts to experience '4g' acceleration during ascent, '12g' if aborted While the design and development of these technologies is being carried out by IIT Madras, the 'CAVE' consortium comprising more than 270 Indian startups and companies in VR and haptics would carry out the implementation, Prof. Manivannan added. He also mentioned that simulations will be carried out to see how the human body reacts to the harsh conditions in orbit, as the pre-existing data in this field is based on Caucasian astronauts and not Indians. The collaborative effort is expected to churn out space-grade biomedical devices that Indian astronauts can carry to space, thus helping keep a constant track of their health and well-being during their 48-hour stay in space. "We want to empower ISRO to develop their own AR & VR systems. We've already trained a handful of ISRO scientists in this field" Manivannan said. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

IIT Madras & ISRO developing virtual reality tech to prep Indian astronauts for space emergencies

A team of Indian scientists recently discovered four new near-Earth asteroids during a search training programme overseen by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

NASA collaborated with the International Astronomical Search Cooperation and Vigyan Prasar, an organisation within the purview of India’s Ministry of Science and Technology to assist in the discovery. The six-member team of watchdog citizens-turned scientists used communicators and teachers to detect the rocks, setting an industry precedent.

Meet the team: How did they achieve the feat?

The discovery team was led my Meka Susatya Rekha, a science teacher and the recipient of the National Teacher Award, local media reports claimed. Rekha teaches at a school in Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh and has received praise by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for her accomplishments in the field of teaching.

According to Deccan Chronicle, other team members include K Kiran Kumar Reddy from Kadapa, M Suresh from Vijayawada, Neelakantaiah from Chittoor. In addition, the team also received help from an organisation which aims to popularise science called Vijnana Bharati whose PVLN Sriram helped with the discovery.

With this discovery, scientists are backing on the team to unearth much more. With this hope, the six-member team is expected to participate in an asteroid campaign set to take place on India’s 75th Independence Day this year.

As part of their programme, the scientists underwent a 45-day long training programme under the wing of Saptarishi India Asteroid Search Campaign, which was overseen by the All India Asteroid Search Programme.

To help with their goals, the scientists used data and images from the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System, a space telescope situated in Hawaii, United States.

But what are near-Earth asteroids?

Essentially frozen rocks, near-Earth asteroids are objects that come in proximity to Earth due to their orbits. Most near-Earth objects are identified as asteroids, but a few are also categorised as comets. There are more than 25,000 known near-Earth asteroids and at least a hundred near-Earth comets.&nbsp;

Scientists use two scales referred to as “Torino” and “Palermo” to ascertain the risk presented by such near-Earth objects. The scales are also used to identify the risks of the objects impacting Earth.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/discovered-footprints-of-the-very-last-dinosaurs-to-walk-on-uk-ground-392626" hreflang="en">Discovered; Footprints of the very last Dinosaurs to walk on UK ground</a>

Even if measuring as small as 20 metres, asteroids are capable are wreaking havoc to the local environment and populations. If big enough, asteroids could create a crater on Earth. They’re also capable of setting off tsunamis if they make impact in the ocean.

Any body in the universe is categorised as a near-Earth object if their closest approach to our Sun is less than 1.3 astronomical units, a measure of the distance between the Earth and Sun. All near-Earth objects larger than 140 metres are considered potentially hazardous objects.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/earth-has-a-heartbeat-and-nobody-knows-what-causes-it-392975" hreflang="en">Earth has a 'heartbeat' and nobody knows what causes it</a>

A team of Indian scientists recently discovered four new near-Earth asteroids during a search training programme overseen by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

A team of Indian scientists recently discovered four new near-Earth asteroids during a search training programme overseen by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). NASA collaborated with the International Astronomical Search Cooperation and Vigyan Prasar, an organisation within the purview of India’s Ministry of Science and Technology to assist in the discovery. The six-member team of watchdog citizens-turned scientists used communicators and teachers to detect the rocks, setting an industry precedent. Meet the team: How did they achieve the feat? The discovery team was led my Meka Susatya Rekha, a science teacher and the recipient of the National Teacher Award, local media reports claimed. Rekha teaches at a school in Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh and has received praise by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for her accomplishments in the field of teaching. According to Deccan Chronicle, other team members include K Kiran Kumar Reddy from Kadapa, M Suresh from Vijayawada, Neelakantaiah from Chittoor. In addition, the team also received help from an organisation which aims to popularise science called Vijnana Bharati whose PVLN Sriram helped with the discovery. With this discovery, scientists are backing on the team to unearth much more. With this hope, the six-member team is expected to participate in an asteroid campaign set to take place on India’s 75th Independence Day this year. As part of their programme, the scientists underwent a 45-day long training programme under the wing of Saptarishi India Asteroid Search Campaign, which was overseen by the All India Asteroid Search Programme. To help with their goals, the scientists used data and images from the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System, a space telescope situated in Hawaii, United States. But what are near-Earth asteroids? Essentially frozen rocks, near-Earth asteroids are objects that come in proximity to Earth due to their orbits. Most near-Earth objects are identified as asteroids, but a few are also categorised as comets. There are more than 25,000 known near-Earth asteroids and at least a hundred near-Earth comets. Scientists use two scales referred to as “Torino” and “Palermo” to ascertain the risk presented by such near-Earth objects. The scales are also used to identify the risks of the objects impacting Earth. Also read: Discovered; Footprints of the very last Dinosaurs to walk on UK ground Even if measuring as small as 20 metres, asteroids are capable are wreaking havoc to the local environment and populations. If big enough, asteroids could create a crater on Earth. They’re also capable of setting off tsunamis if they make impact in the ocean. Any body in the universe is categorised as a near-Earth object if their closest approach to our Sun is less than 1.3 astronomical units, a measure of the distance between the Earth and Sun. All near-Earth objects larger than 140 metres are considered potentially hazardous objects. Also read: Earth has a 'heartbeat' and nobody knows what causes it

Indian scientists discover four near-Earth asteroids in NASA-backed research programme

Indian astronomers have spotted one of the strongest flares from a feeding super massive black hole or blazar called BL Lacertae.

Blazars or feeding super massive black holes in the heart of distant galaxies receive a lot of attention from the astronomical community because of their complicated emission mechanism. They emit jets of charged particles travelling nearly at the speed of light and are one of the most luminous and energetic objects in the Universe.

The data collected from the flare observed will help calculation of the black hole mass, size of emission region, and mechanism of the emission from one of the oldest astronomical objects known.

The Department of Science and Technology added such analysis can provide a lead to probe mysteries and trace events at different stages of evolution of the Universe.

"BL Lacertae blazar is 10 million light-years away and is among the 50 most prominent blazars that can be observed with the help of a relatively small telescope. It was among the 3 to 4 blazars that was predicted to be experiencing flares by the Whole Earth Blazar Telescope (WEBT), an international consortium of astronomers," the statement said.

A team of astronomers led by Alok Chandra Gupta from Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES), an institute of the Department of Science and Technology, who has been following the blazar since October 2020 as part of an international observational campaign detected the exceptionally high flare on January 16 with the help of Sampurnanand Telescope (ST) and 1.3m Devasthal Fast Optical Telescopes located in Nainital.

Indian astronomers have spotted one of the strongest flares from a feeding super massive black hole or blazar called BL Lacertae. Blazars or feeding super massive black holes in the heart of distant galaxies receive a lot of attention from the astronomical community because of their complicated emission mechanism.

Indian astronomers have spotted one of the strongest flares from a feeding super massive black hole or blazar called BL Lacertae. Blazars or feeding super massive black holes in the heart of distant galaxies receive a lot of attention from the astronomical community because of their complicated emission mechanism. They emit jets of charged particles travelling nearly at the speed of light and are one of the most luminous and energetic objects in the Universe. The data collected from the flare observed will help calculation of the black hole mass, size of emission region, and mechanism of the emission from one of the oldest astronomical objects known. The Department of Science and Technology added such analysis can provide a lead to probe mysteries and trace events at different stages of evolution of the Universe. "BL Lacertae blazar is 10 million light-years away and is among the 50 most prominent blazars that can be observed with the help of a relatively small telescope. It was among the 3 to 4 blazars that was predicted to be experiencing flares by the Whole Earth Blazar Telescope (WEBT), an international consortium of astronomers," the statement said. A team of astronomers led by Alok Chandra Gupta from Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES), an institute of the Department of Science and Technology, who has been following the blazar since October 2020 as part of an international observational campaign detected the exceptionally high flare on January 16 with the help of Sampurnanand Telescope (ST) and 1.3m Devasthal Fast Optical Telescopes located in Nainital.

Indian astronomers detect optical flare in one of the oldest space objects

A group of Indian astronomers have discovered one of the farthest Star galaxies in the universe. 
 
"It is a matter of pride that India’s first Multi-Wavelength Space Observatory “AstroSat” has detected extreme-UV light from a galaxy located 9.3 billion light-years away from Earth.The galaxy called AUDFs01 was discovered by a team of Astronomers led by Dr Kanak Saha from the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) Pune," said Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh. 
 
The importance and uniqueness of this original discovery can be made out from the fact that it has been reported in the leading international journal “Nature Astronomy” published from Britain. 
 
India’s AstroSat/UVIT was able to achieve this unique feat because the background noise in the UVIT detector is much less than one on the Hubble Space Telescope of US based NASA.

Dr Jitendra Singh has congratulated India’s Space Scientists for once again proving to the world that India’s capability in Space technology has risen to a distinguished level from where our scientists are now offering cues and giving leads to the Space scientists in other parts of the world. 
 
According to Professor ShyamTandon, the excellent spatial resolution and high sensitivity is a tribute to the hard work of the UVIT core team of scientists for over a decade.

On January 6 this year, Indian astronomers had found a mysterious ring of hydrogen gas around a far-away galaxy that does not generate any star.

On August 25, a global team led by scientists had discovered one of the earliest galaxies in extreme ultraviolet light. AstroSat, India’s first multi-wavelength satellite that has five unique X-ray and ultraviolet telescopes working in tandem, has detected extreme UV light from a galaxy called AUDFs01, 9.3 billion light-years away from Earth.

(With inputs from agencies)

A group of Indian astronomers have discovered one of the farthest Star galaxies in the universe. "It is a matter of pride that India’s first Multi-Wavelength Space Observatory “AstroSat” has detected extreme-UV light from a galaxy located 9.

A group of Indian astronomers have discovered one of the farthest Star galaxies in the universe. "It is a matter of pride that India’s first Multi-Wavelength Space Observatory “AstroSat” has detected extreme-UV light from a galaxy located 9.3 billion light-years away from Earth.The galaxy called AUDFs01 was discovered by a team of Astronomers led by Dr Kanak Saha from the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) Pune," said Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh. The importance and uniqueness of this original discovery can be made out from the fact that it has been reported in the leading international journal “Nature Astronomy” published from Britain. India’s AstroSat/UVIT was able to achieve this unique feat because the background noise in the UVIT detector is much less than one on the Hubble Space Telescope of US based NASA. Dr Jitendra Singh has congratulated India’s Space Scientists for once again proving to the world that India’s capability in Space technology has risen to a distinguished level from where our scientists are now offering cues and giving leads to the Space scientists in other parts of the world. According to Professor ShyamTandon, the excellent spatial resolution and high sensitivity is a tribute to the hard work of the UVIT core team of scientists for over a decade. On January 6 this year, Indian astronomers had found a mysterious ring of hydrogen gas around a far-away galaxy that does not generate any star. On August 25, a global team led by scientists had discovered one of the earliest galaxies in extreme ultraviolet light. AstroSat, India’s first multi-wavelength satellite that has five unique X-ray and ultraviolet telescopes working in tandem, has detected extreme UV light from a galaxy called AUDFs01, 9.3 billion light-years away from Earth. (With inputs from agencies)

Indian Astronomers discover one of the farthest Star galaxies in the universe

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IIT Madras & ISRO developing virtual reality tech to prep Indian astronauts for space emergencies

Indian scientists discover four near-Earth asteroids in NASA-backed research programme

Indian astronomers detect optical flare in one of the oldest space objects

Indian Astronomers discover one of the farthest Star galaxies in the universe