<p>A delegation led by the Indian government's space sector regulator and facilitator, the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe), is taking part in the Australian Space Forum in Adelaide.</p>

<p>The ongoing visit is aimed at showcasing the capabilities of India's rapidly emerging private space sector and strengthening international collaboration. India's cutting-edge space projects, products, and services are being showcased, sparking business-to-business meetings and discussions with Australian counterparts.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-budget-a-120mn-vc-fund-to-propel-indias-nascent-space-startups-743603">Indian budget 2024: A $120mn VC fund to propel India's nascent space startups</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>The delegation, led by Dr Vinod Kumar, Director Promotion, IN-SPACe, and Shashank Saxena, Deputy Director IN-SPACe, included participants from Indian space startups such as Agnikul Cosmos, TakeMe2Space, Dhruva Space, Bellatrix Aerospace, XDLINX Space, mistEO OrbitAid Aerospace and Skyroot Aerospace.</p>

<p>At the event, in the presence of IN-SPACe&nbsp;officials and Enrico Palermo, Chief of the Australian Space Agency, firms from both nations signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs).</p>

<p>"The Australian Space Forum provided an invaluable platform for Indian space startups to showcase their capabilities and explore potential collaborations with Australian partners. These MoUs represent a significant step towards strengthening ties between our two nations in the space sector," said&nbsp;Dr Kumar.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>The first MoU was&nbsp;between HEX20, an Australian Satellite Platform company and OrbitAid, an Indian company specialising in developing satellite life extension solutions. OrbitAID and HEX20 will collaborate to develop a solution that is similar to a mobile fuel truck that can travel to the needy vehicle and offer fuel.</p>

<p>Performing this operation in space is extremely sophisticated, as it involves docking one satellite with another and transferring fuel.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;India sun mission Aditya-L1 begins collecting data from distance of 50,000 kms | World DNA</strong></p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-sun-mission-aditya-l1-begins-collecting-data-from-distance-of-50000-kms-world-dna-637371/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>The second MoU was signed between HEX20 and TakeMe2Space, an Indian Startup building AI-first compute and storage satellite infrastructure.</p>

<p>TakeMe2Space and Hex20 will collaborate at the intersection of education, space, and AI. As part of the agreement, HEX20 will use TakeMe2Space AI modules and subsystems in their 'Flatsat'.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, TakeMe2Space will give access to its OrbitLab platform for researchers and students to test and run their models on an actual satellite in real time.</p>


A delegation led by the Indian government's space sector regulator and facilitator, the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe), is taking part in the Australian Space Forum in Adelaide.

A delegation led by the Indian government's space sector regulator and facilitator, the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe), is taking part in the Australian Space Forum in Adelaide. The ongoing visit is aimed at showcasing the capabilities of India's rapidly emerging private space sector and strengthening international collaboration. India's cutting-edge space projects, products, and services are being showcased, sparking business-to-business meetings and discussions with Australian counterparts. Also read | Indian budget 2024: A $120mn VC fund to propel India's nascent space startups The delegation, led by Dr Vinod Kumar, Director Promotion, IN-SPACe, and Shashank Saxena, Deputy Director IN-SPACe, included participants from Indian space startups such as Agnikul Cosmos, TakeMe2Space, Dhruva Space, Bellatrix Aerospace, XDLINX Space, mistEO OrbitAid Aerospace and Skyroot Aerospace. At the event, in the presence of IN-SPACe officials and Enrico Palermo, Chief of the Australian Space Agency, firms from both nations signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs). "The Australian Space Forum provided an invaluable platform for Indian space startups to showcase their capabilities and explore potential collaborations with Australian partners. These MoUs represent a significant step towards strengthening ties between our two nations in the space sector," said Dr Kumar. The first MoU was between HEX20, an Australian Satellite Platform company and OrbitAid, an Indian company specialising in developing satellite life extension solutions. OrbitAID and HEX20 will collaborate to develop a solution that is similar to a mobile fuel truck that can travel to the needy vehicle and offer fuel. Performing this operation in space is extremely sophisticated, as it involves docking one satellite with another and transferring fuel. Also watch | India sun mission Aditya-L1 begins collecting data from distance of 50,000 kms | World DNA × The second MoU was signed between HEX20 and TakeMe2Space, an Indian Startup building AI-first compute and storage satellite infrastructure. TakeMe2Space and Hex20 will collaborate at the intersection of education, space, and AI. As part of the agreement, HEX20 will use TakeMe2Space AI modules and subsystems in their 'Flatsat'. Meanwhile, TakeMe2Space will give access to its OrbitLab platform for researchers and students to test and run their models on an actual satellite in real time.

India's space sector prowess exhibited at Australian Space Forum

<p>Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) confirmed that India's space-based solar observatory, Aditya-L1, on Tuesday completed its first halo orbit around the Sun-Earth L1 point.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Indian space agency said that it took 178 days to complete a revolution after it was inserted in its targeted halo orbit on January 6, 2024.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Aditya-L1 spacecraft has been designed and developed by ISRO with an aim to study the solar atmosphere. The mission is an Indian solar observatory at Lagrangian point L1, which was launched on September 2, 2023.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/brains-of-humans-go-through-significant-change-after-death-study-737176">Brain of humans goes through significant change after death: Study</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>ISRO said that the spacecraft is subjected to various perturbing forces that might cause it to depart from the targeted orbit during its travel in the halo orbit.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"It underwent two station-keeping manoeuvres on February 22 and June 7, respectively, to maintain this orbit. Today's 3rd station-keeping manoeuvre has ensured that its travel continued in to the second halo orbit path around L1," ISRO said.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/comet-crashed-with-earth-set-the-planet-ablaze-thousands-of-years-ago-study-736991">Comet crashed on Earth, set the planet ablaze thousands of years ago: Study</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>The space agency said that the journey of Aditya L1 around the Sun-Earth L1 Lagrangian point involves the modelling of complex dynamics.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The understanding of various perturbing forces acting on the spacecraft helped in determining the trajectory accurately and planning precise orbit maneuvers," ISRO said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The flight dynamics software developed in-house at the UR Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) for the Aditya-L1 missions stands "fully validated" with today's manoeuvre.&nbsp;</p>

<p>ISRO also shared a diagram to illustrate the latest milestone achieved by the Aditya-L1 spacecraft. See the image here:&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="ISRO" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="10a20dbb-1377-432f-b7cd-37548a45b090" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/ISRO.png" /></p>

<p>While explaining, ISRO said the blue trajectory in the image is the orbit around the Lagrangian point L1. This trajectory is three-dimensional and what is shown is the projection of it in the X-Y plane.&nbsp;</p>

<p>SK#1, 2 and 3 are the station-keeping&nbsp;manoeuvres by the Aditya-L1 spacecraft, the space agency said, further adding that the final firing of the thrusters, SK#3 on July 2, placed the spacecraft back in the required orbit.&nbsp;</p>

<p>ISRO said that if an accurate firing was not done, the spacecraft would have moved away in a trajectory shown in green colour. The X-Y axes are marked at a distance of km, with Lagrangian point L1 at the origin.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>


Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) confirmed that India's space-based solar observatory, Aditya-L1, on Tuesday completed its first halo orbit around the Sun-Earth L1 point.

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) confirmed that India's space-based solar observatory, Aditya-L1, on Tuesday completed its first halo orbit around the Sun-Earth L1 point. The Indian space agency said that it took 178 days to complete a revolution after it was inserted in its targeted halo orbit on January 6, 2024. Aditya-L1 spacecraft has been designed and developed by ISRO with an aim to study the solar atmosphere. The mission is an Indian solar observatory at Lagrangian point L1, which was launched on September 2, 2023. Also read: Brain of humans goes through significant change after death: Study ISRO said that the spacecraft is subjected to various perturbing forces that might cause it to depart from the targeted orbit during its travel in the halo orbit. "It underwent two station-keeping manoeuvres on February 22 and June 7, respectively, to maintain this orbit. Today's 3rd station-keeping manoeuvre has ensured that its travel continued in to the second halo orbit path around L1," ISRO said. Also read: Comet crashed on Earth, set the planet ablaze thousands of years ago: Study The space agency said that the journey of Aditya L1 around the Sun-Earth L1 Lagrangian point involves the modelling of complex dynamics. "The understanding of various perturbing forces acting on the spacecraft helped in determining the trajectory accurately and planning precise orbit maneuvers," ISRO said. The flight dynamics software developed in-house at the UR Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) for the Aditya-L1 missions stands "fully validated" with today's manoeuvre. ISRO also shared a diagram to illustrate the latest milestone achieved by the Aditya-L1 spacecraft. See the image here: While explaining, ISRO said the blue trajectory in the image is the orbit around the Lagrangian point L1. This trajectory is three-dimensional and what is shown is the projection of it in the X-Y plane. SK#1, 2 and 3 are the station-keeping manoeuvres by the Aditya-L1 spacecraft, the space agency said, further adding that the final firing of the thrusters, SK#3 on July 2, placed the spacecraft back in the required orbit. ISRO said that if an accurate firing was not done, the spacecraft would have moved away in a trajectory shown in green colour. The X-Y axes are marked at a distance of km, with Lagrangian point L1 at the origin. (With inputs from agencies)

Aditya-L1 completes its first halo orbit in 178 days, ISRO shares diagram to explain

<p><meta name="uuid" content="uuidTuvtax9uB7Ya" /></p>

<p>In a span of 15 months, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has completed all three autonomous landing tests of its spaceplane 'Pushpak' at the Aeronautical Test Range, Chitradurga, Karnataka. With the third and most complicated landing test accomplished at&nbsp; 7.10 am Sunday (June 23), ISRO will now have to work towards launching a larger version of this spaceplane to space on a modified rocket, testing the plane in earth orbit, and demonstrating its capability to re-enter the atmosphere, return to earth safely for a runway landing.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Known as a Re-usable Launch Vehicle Technology Demonstrator(RLV-TD) or 'Pushpak', the spaceplane is a sophisticated aerospace vehicle with civilian and strategic applications.</p>

<p>It must be noted that only the US and China are known to operate autonomous spaceplanes, and in the coming years, as ISRO makes further progress on 'Pushpak', India will be the third nation in this list. This is a vehicle that India eventually intends to develop and use to ferry small cargo (satellites and experiments) to space.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Pushpak- The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/indian?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#indian</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Space?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Space</a> plane❤️ 🚀<br />
<br />
In 15 months, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/isro?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#isro</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/India?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#India</a> has completed all 3 fully autonomous landing tests of its <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/space?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#space</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/plane?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#plane</a>. See how it glides in for a smooth landing at 320kmph+ speeds<br />
<br />
Next test- Pushpak'll be launched to space, then it must return autonomously.. <a href="https://t.co/aiJuG19egG">pic.twitter.com/aiJuG19egG</a></p>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1804720231426003090?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>In the latest test, the 1.6-tonne spaceplane was underslung to an Indian Air Force Chinook heavy-lift helicopter, which carried the spaceplane to an altitude of 4.5 km and released it four-and-a-half kilometres away from the runway.</p>

<p>The plane was dropped in a position that was intentionally misaligned with the runway centreline at a sideways distance of 500 metres.</p>

<p>In the maiden landing test in April 2023, the plane was aligned straight to the runway, in the second test done in March 2024, the plane was 150 m misaligned with the runway centreline.</p>

<p>In all three tests, the spaceplane performed a flawless landing (at speeds of more than 320kmph), and performed a touchdown on the runway centreline.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In 2016, the RLV was carried to 65 km altitude by rocket, from there, the vehicle re-entered the denser parts of the atmosphere at Hypersonic speeds, almost five times the speed of sound and finally made a splashdown landing in the Bay of Bengal (simulated runway).</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">India's <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/space?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#space</a> plane 'Pushpak' aces it's 3rd runway landing, after being dropped from an altitude of 4.5kms, distance of 4.5kms<br />
<br />
In this test, the plane was intentionally misaligned 500m from the runway- it had to adjust, steer precisely, mid-flight and land autonomously <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/isro?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#isro</a> <a href="https://t.co/7yzdFS3Bk5">pic.twitter.com/7yzdFS3Bk5</a></p>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1804713255891616210?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Dr&nbsp;Unnikrishnan Nair, the Director of ISRO's VSSC told WION that the latest landing trial is the most sophisticated one.</p>

<p>"At the time of drop, the space plane was intentionally at a sideways distance of 500 metres from the runway centreline. Yet again, the in-built systems performed their roles perfectly and ensured that the plane could make its third consecutive landing on the runway centreline. From an initial 500 metres distance from the runway centreline, the plane was finally at 11 cm or 0.1 metre from the runway centreline," he said, citing an image of the landed plane.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>The final configuration of the RLV</strong></h2>

<p>In its present form, this RLV-TD vehicle is meant for demonstration purposes and the real vehicle would be about 1.6 times larger(comparable to an SUV). Once fully ready, the operational version of the RLV or 'Pushpak' is meant to be mounted atop a modified GSLV rocket and then launched into space, where the spaceplane would be autonomously carrying out on-board experiments and operating its payloads, or even placing small satellites in orbit.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Here's an excl pic of RLV 'Pushpak- after 3rd successful landing trial<br />
<br />
At the time of drop, Pushpak was deliberately placed 500metres beside runway centerline.. Post-landing the plane was barely 11cms(0.1m) away from runway centerline..Precision autonomous landing! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/isro?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#isro</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/india?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#india</a> <a href="https://t.co/BCVlVhctiM">pic.twitter.com/BCVlVhctiM</a></p>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1804736258536546751?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>The spaceplane could function in Low Earth orbit for up to a month and then autonomously perform de-orbiting, re-enter the Earth's atmosphere at very high speeds and temperatures and come in to land on the runway.</p>

<p>This ensures that the spaceplane can be fully re-used after carrying out a few refurbishments.</p>

<p>In many ways, the RLV is similar to the space shuttle operated by the US and the Soviet-era Buran spaceplane. However, the RLV is much smaller and not a crewed plane.</p>

<p>RLV is comparable to the American Boeing X-37B spaceplane and the Chinese 'Shenlong' (Divine dragon), which have been performing classified unmanned missions autonomously for many years.</p>


In a span of 15 months, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has completed all three autonomous landing tests of its spaceplane 'Pushpak' at the Aeronautical Test Range, Chitradurga, Karnataka.

In a span of 15 months, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has completed all three autonomous landing tests of its spaceplane 'Pushpak' at the Aeronautical Test Range, Chitradurga, Karnataka. With the third and most complicated landing test accomplished at 7.10 am Sunday (June 23), ISRO will now have to work towards launching a larger version of this spaceplane to space on a modified rocket, testing the plane in earth orbit, and demonstrating its capability to re-enter the atmosphere, return to earth safely for a runway landing. Known as a Re-usable Launch Vehicle Technology Demonstrator(RLV-TD) or 'Pushpak', the spaceplane is a sophisticated aerospace vehicle with civilian and strategic applications. It must be noted that only the US and China are known to operate autonomous spaceplanes, and in the coming years, as ISRO makes further progress on 'Pushpak', India will be the third nation in this list. This is a vehicle that India eventually intends to develop and use to ferry small cargo (satellites and experiments) to space. Pushpak- The #indian #Space plane❤️ 🚀 In 15 months, #isro #India has completed all 3 fully autonomous landing tests of its #space #plane. See how it glides in for a smooth landing at 320kmph+ speeds Next test- Pushpak'll be launched to space, then it must return autonomously.. pic.twitter.com/aiJuG19egG — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) June 23, 2024 × In the latest test, the 1.6-tonne spaceplane was underslung to an Indian Air Force Chinook heavy-lift helicopter, which carried the spaceplane to an altitude of 4.5 km and released it four-and-a-half kilometres away from the runway. The plane was dropped in a position that was intentionally misaligned with the runway centreline at a sideways distance of 500 metres. In the maiden landing test in April 2023, the plane was aligned straight to the runway, in the second test done in March 2024, the plane was 150 m misaligned with the runway centreline. In all three tests, the spaceplane performed a flawless landing (at speeds of more than 320kmph), and performed a touchdown on the runway centreline. In 2016, the RLV was carried to 65 km altitude by rocket, from there, the vehicle re-entered the denser parts of the atmosphere at Hypersonic speeds, almost five times the speed of sound and finally made a splashdown landing in the Bay of Bengal (simulated runway). India's #space plane 'Pushpak' aces it's 3rd runway landing, after being dropped from an altitude of 4.5kms, distance of 4.5kms In this test, the plane was intentionally misaligned 500m from the runway- it had to adjust, steer precisely, mid-flight and land autonomously #isro pic.twitter.com/7yzdFS3Bk5 — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) June 23, 2024 × Dr Unnikrishnan Nair, the Director of ISRO's VSSC told WION that the latest landing trial is the most sophisticated one. "At the time of drop, the space plane was intentionally at a sideways distance of 500 metres from the runway centreline. Yet again, the in-built systems performed their roles perfectly and ensured that the plane could make its third consecutive landing on the runway centreline. From an initial 500 metres distance from the runway centreline, the plane was finally at 11 cm or 0.1 metre from the runway centreline," he said, citing an image of the landed plane. The final configuration of the RLV In its present form, this RLV-TD vehicle is meant for demonstration purposes and the real vehicle would be about 1.6 times larger(comparable to an SUV). Once fully ready, the operational version of the RLV or 'Pushpak' is meant to be mounted atop a modified GSLV rocket and then launched into space, where the spaceplane would be autonomously carrying out on-board experiments and operating its payloads, or even placing small satellites in orbit. Here's an excl pic of RLV 'Pushpak- after 3rd successful landing trial At the time of drop, Pushpak was deliberately placed 500metres beside runway centerline.. Post-landing the plane was barely 11cms(0.1m) away from runway centerline..Precision autonomous landing! #isro #india pic.twitter.com/BCVlVhctiM — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) June 23, 2024 × The spaceplane could function in Low Earth orbit for up to a month and then autonomously perform de-orbiting, re-enter the Earth's atmosphere at very high speeds and temperatures and come in to land on the runway. This ensures that the spaceplane can be fully re-used after carrying out a few refurbishments. In many ways, the RLV is similar to the space shuttle operated by the US and the Soviet-era Buran spaceplane. However, the RLV is much smaller and not a crewed plane. RLV is comparable to the American Boeing X-37B spaceplane and the Chinese 'Shenlong' (Divine dragon), which have been performing classified unmanned missions autonomously for many years.

After acing three autonomous landings, India's 'Pushpak' plane awaits ride to space

Big landmark for India's space capabilities, Pushpak's landing sets stage for orbital test

ISRO achieves final landing tests; Pushpak, India's unmanned space plane, makes key breakthrough

In a span of 15 months, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has completed all three autonomous landing tests of its spaceplane 'Pushpak' at the Aeronautical Test Range, Chitradurga, Karnataka. With the third and most complicated landing test accomplished at 7.10 am Sunday (June 23), ISRO will now have to work towards launching a larger version of this spaceplane to space on a modified rocket, testing the plane in earth orbit, and demonstrating its capability to re-enter the atmosphere, return to earth safely for a runway landing.

India: ISRO achieves final landing test for 'Pushpak'

<p><meta name="uuid" content="uuidmlIjIfFwXIr7" />The Indian space agency ISRO will soon be able to triple the number of launches of its largest rocket LVM3 - going from a maximum of two LVM3 launches a year, to six launches a year. This is significant, given that ISRO performs just about 10 launches in a calendar year, using its entire existing fleet of four rockets.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The possible increase in launch capability is a result of the Government-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) scaling up its manufacturing facilities that cater large components for the three-stage, 640-tonne rocket, which India uses to launch 4-tonne class communication satellites and commercial missions involving dozens of small satellites that are part of large constellations.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">🇮🇳 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Space?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Space</a> agency <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/isro?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#isro</a> can soon go from 2 launches/yr of largest 🚀 LVM3 to 6 🚀/yr, thanks to capacity scale up at Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd<br />
Propellant tank Production, CNC machining facilities inaugurated today in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bengaluru?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bengaluru</a> by IDRO Chief &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/HALHQBLR?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HALHQBLR</a> offcls<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/tech?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#tech</a><br />
Thread: <a href="https://t.co/ABUVZz2Tmc">pic.twitter.com/ABUVZz2Tmc</a></p>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1798316298499444816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 5, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>On Wednesday, in Bengaluru, in the presence of top officials from HAL and the space agency, ISRO Chief Dr S. Somanath inaugurated the HAL Aerospace Division facilities that make the fuel tanks and precision components for the LVM3 rocket. HAL will play a larger role in ISRO's future missions and must focus on emerging technologies, designing challenges, and taking up end-to-end tasks to ease pressure on ISRO, he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>CB Ananthakrishnan, the Chairman and Managing Director of HAL, said that the ongoing collaboration between ISRO and HAL will accelerate India's human spaceflight missions and the development of Next-Generation launch vehicles. "The day is not far off when Space becomes an important vertical of HAL," he added. HAL is predominantly a maker of aircraft and helicopters that are operated by the Indian Armed Forces. HAL is responsible for delivering both Indian-origin military aviation platforms and licence-built foreign ones.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Of the newly inaugurated facilities, the Propellant Tank Production Facility would specialize in the manufacturing of fuel and oxidizer tanks for the LVM3 launch vehicle. These tanks measure 4 metres in diameter&nbsp;and 15 metres in length.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwiY1vPMgMWGAxWhSWwGHQyjBkkQxfQBKAB6BAgMEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/science/isro-begins-countdown-for-launch-of-pslv-c58-to-study-black-holes-neutron-stars-675176" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/science/isro-begins-countdown-for-launch-of-pslv-c58-to-study-black-holes-neutron-stars-675176&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiY1vPMgMWGAxWhSWwGHQyjBkkQxfQBKAB6BAgMEAE">ISRO begins countdown for launch of PSLV-C58XPoSat, to study black holes, neutron stars</a></strong></p>

<p>The Computer Numerical Control (CNC) facility houses machines that can handle high-precision fabrication of 4.5-metre rings and fuel tank domes for the LVM3 rocket. It is common for ISRO to source thousands of pieces of rocket hardware from the Indian industry, be it private ones or&nbsp;government-run ones. ISRO has been following this approach to ensure that they can source components faster from the industry and thereby carry out more launches per year.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwiY1vPMgMWGAxWhSWwGHQyjBkkQxfQBKAB6BAgHEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/science/isro-delayed-chandrayaan-3s-launch-by-four-seconds-to-avoid-massive-collision-in-space-716278" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/science/isro-delayed-chandrayaan-3s-launch-by-four-seconds-to-avoid-massive-collision-in-space-716278&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiY1vPMgMWGAxWhSWwGHQyjBkkQxfQBKAB6BAgHEAE">ISRO delayed Chandrayaan-3's launch by four seconds to avoid massive collision in space</a></strong></p>

<p>Taking this further, ISRO is also completely outsourcing the building of rockets to the Indian industry. As part of this, a consortium of L&amp;T and HAL would be entirely building five PSLV rockets and offering them to ISRO in a ready-to-launch condition. In the long run, ISRO hopes to outsource routine activities (building of an existing fleet of rockets) to the industry and use its resources to focus on the core Research and Development work. This approach also offers opportunities for industry and helps establish a space ecosystem in the country and expands the space economy.&nbsp;</p>


The Indian space agency ISRO will soon be able to triple the number of launches of its largest rocket LVM3 - going from a maximum of two LVM3 launches a year, to six launches a year.

The Indian space agency ISRO will soon be able to triple the number of launches of its largest rocket LVM3 - going from a maximum of two LVM3 launches a year, to six launches a year. This is significant, given that ISRO performs just about 10 launches in a calendar year, using its entire existing fleet of four rockets. The possible increase in launch capability is a result of the Government-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) scaling up its manufacturing facilities that cater large components for the three-stage, 640-tonne rocket, which India uses to launch 4-tonne class communication satellites and commercial missions involving dozens of small satellites that are part of large constellations. 🇮🇳 #Space agency #isro can soon go from 2 launches/yr of largest 🚀 LVM3 to 6 🚀/yr, thanks to capacity scale up at Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd Propellant tank Production, CNC machining facilities inaugurated today in #Bengaluru by IDRO Chief & @HALHQBLR offcls#tech Thread: pic.twitter.com/ABUVZz2Tmc — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) June 5, 2024 × On Wednesday, in Bengaluru, in the presence of top officials from HAL and the space agency, ISRO Chief Dr S. Somanath inaugurated the HAL Aerospace Division facilities that make the fuel tanks and precision components for the LVM3 rocket. HAL will play a larger role in ISRO's future missions and must focus on emerging technologies, designing challenges, and taking up end-to-end tasks to ease pressure on ISRO, he said. CB Ananthakrishnan, the Chairman and Managing Director of HAL, said that the ongoing collaboration between ISRO and HAL will accelerate India's human spaceflight missions and the development of Next-Generation launch vehicles. "The day is not far off when Space becomes an important vertical of HAL," he added. HAL is predominantly a maker of aircraft and helicopters that are operated by the Indian Armed Forces. HAL is responsible for delivering both Indian-origin military aviation platforms and licence-built foreign ones. Of the newly inaugurated facilities, the Propellant Tank Production Facility would specialize in the manufacturing of fuel and oxidizer tanks for the LVM3 launch vehicle. These tanks measure 4 metres in diameter and 15 metres in length. Also read: ISRO begins countdown for launch of PSLV-C58XPoSat, to study black holes, neutron stars The Computer Numerical Control (CNC) facility houses machines that can handle high-precision fabrication of 4.5-metre rings and fuel tank domes for the LVM3 rocket. It is common for ISRO to source thousands of pieces of rocket hardware from the Indian industry, be it private ones or government-run ones. ISRO has been following this approach to ensure that they can source components faster from the industry and thereby carry out more launches per year. Also read: ISRO delayed Chandrayaan-3's launch by four seconds to avoid massive collision in space Taking this further, ISRO is also completely outsourcing the building of rockets to the Indian industry. As part of this, a consortium of L&T and HAL would be entirely building five PSLV rockets and offering them to ISRO in a ready-to-launch condition. In the long run, ISRO hopes to outsource routine activities (building of an existing fleet of rockets) to the industry and use its resources to focus on the core Research and Development work. This approach also offers opportunities for industry and helps establish a space ecosystem in the country and expands the space economy.

ISRO gears up for 6 launches per year of its largest rocket LVM3

<p>A powerful solar storm unleashed its fury upon Earth in early May, originating from the highly active region AR13664 on the Sun's surface.&nbsp;This cosmic event, marked by a series of flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs), proved to be the most intense geomagnetic storm since 2003, wreaking havoc on communication and GPS systems globally.</p>

<p>The geomagnetic storm index (Kp) surged to its maximum level of 9, and a very strong X-class flare with a magnitude of 5.8 was recorded. Spaceborne assets of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) captured the signatures of&nbsp;the solar storm that was felt worldwide, with trans-polar flights already being rerouted due to the heightened risks posed by the storm.</p>

<p>However, India experienced relatively lesser effects, owing to the timing of the storm's peak when the ionosphere was not fully developed. "Being at lower latitudes, widespread outages haven't been reported in India. Ionosphere was very turbulent over the Pacific and American sectors," ISRO said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/sun-releases-strongest-x-ray-flares-since-2005-scientists-warn-massive-sunspot-yet-to-burst-721537">Sun releases strongest X-ray flares since 2005, scientists warn massive sunspot yet to burst</a></p>

<p>Ground-based observations provided crucial insights into the event's effects on Earth's atmosphere.</p>

<p>The GNSS network observations at the National Atmospheric Research Laboratory&nbsp;at Gadanki, Andhra Pradesh showed&nbsp;decreases in Total Electron Content (TEC) which later increased, indicating disturbances in the ionosphere.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-attempt-to-recreate-50000-year-old-ancient-herpes-viruses-721541">Scientists attempt to recreate 50,000-year-old ancient 'herpes' viruses</a></p>

<p>The Aditya-L1 also provided valuable data on solar wind dynamics while Chandrayaan-2 gave the signatures of this solar storm from the lunar polar orbit.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The ISRO Navigation Centre has not noticed any significant degradation in the NaVIC service metrices till now, indicating no or negligible impact from the geomagnetic storm," ISRO said in a press release.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Satellite orbit decay rates</strong></h2>

<p>The aftermath of the solar storm is not without consequences. Satellite orbit decay rates, which refers to the gradual decrease in altitude of a satellite orbiting the Earth due to various factors, also witnessed an increase.</p>

<p><strong>Watch | With ultra-processed foods, one is at higher risk of premature death: Study</strong></p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/with-ultra-processed-foods-one-is-at-higher-risk-of-premature-death-study-719793/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>"In general, the orbit decay of all satellites increased by 5 to 6 times compared to nominal value on 11 May 2024," the Indian space agency said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Explaining the decay, ISRO said, "During solar events like this, the energy released from the Sun heats and expands the upper atmosphere. This increased atmospheric density at satellite altitudes creates more drag on satellites, causing them to lose altitude gradually. This effect is most pronounced for satellites in low-Earth orbit."</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


A powerful solar storm unleashed its fury upon Earth in early May, originating from the highly active region AR13664 on the Sun's surface. This cosmic event, marked by a series of flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs), proved to be the most intense geomagnetic storm since 2003, wreaking havoc on communication and GPS systems globally.

A powerful solar storm unleashed its fury upon Earth in early May, originating from the highly active region AR13664 on the Sun's surface. This cosmic event, marked by a series of flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs), proved to be the most intense geomagnetic storm since 2003, wreaking havoc on communication and GPS systems globally. The geomagnetic storm index (Kp) surged to its maximum level of 9, and a very strong X-class flare with a magnitude of 5.8 was recorded. Spaceborne assets of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) captured the signatures of the solar storm that was felt worldwide, with trans-polar flights already being rerouted due to the heightened risks posed by the storm. However, India experienced relatively lesser effects, owing to the timing of the storm's peak when the ionosphere was not fully developed. "Being at lower latitudes, widespread outages haven't been reported in India. Ionosphere was very turbulent over the Pacific and American sectors," ISRO said. Also Read | Sun releases strongest X-ray flares since 2005, scientists warn massive sunspot yet to burst Ground-based observations provided crucial insights into the event's effects on Earth's atmosphere. The GNSS network observations at the National Atmospheric Research Laboratory at Gadanki, Andhra Pradesh showed decreases in Total Electron Content (TEC) which later increased, indicating disturbances in the ionosphere. Also Read | Scientists attempt to recreate 50,000-year-old ancient 'herpes' viruses The Aditya-L1 also provided valuable data on solar wind dynamics while Chandrayaan-2 gave the signatures of this solar storm from the lunar polar orbit. "The ISRO Navigation Centre has not noticed any significant degradation in the NaVIC service metrices till now, indicating no or negligible impact from the geomagnetic storm," ISRO said in a press release. Satellite orbit decay rates The aftermath of the solar storm is not without consequences. Satellite orbit decay rates, which refers to the gradual decrease in altitude of a satellite orbiting the Earth due to various factors, also witnessed an increase. Watch | With ultra-processed foods, one is at higher risk of premature death: Study × "In general, the orbit decay of all satellites increased by 5 to 6 times compared to nominal value on 11 May 2024," the Indian space agency said. Explaining the decay, ISRO said, "During solar events like this, the energy released from the Sun heats and expands the upper atmosphere. This increased atmospheric density at satellite altitudes creates more drag on satellites, causing them to lose altitude gradually. This effect is most pronounced for satellites in low-Earth orbit." (With inputs from agencies)

ISRO: Aditya-L1, Chandrayaan-2 capture signatures of solar storm

<p><meta name="uuid" content="uuidkn7JuaP38i0n" /><meta name="uuid" content="uuidkn7JuaP38i0n" /></p>

<p>The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has captured high-resolution images of Chandrayaan-3's lander&nbsp;Vikram,&nbsp;and the Pragyan rover resting on the Moon. <strong><a href="https://moonandbeyond.blog/chandrayaan-3-vikram-lander-pragyan-rover/">Blog post on Moon and Beyond</a></strong> (a blog run by independent researcher Chandra)&nbsp;on Wednesday (May 1) said that&nbsp;the new images were captured&nbsp;on March 15.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Following a successful touchdown at ShivShakti Statio, the Vikram Lander from Chandrayaan-3 deployed its rover, Pragyan, to navigate the cratered lunar surface," the blog post said.</p>

<p>"Equipped with integrated cameras, Pragyan transmitted video footage of its surroundings and commenced its research tasks, designated for a two-week exploration mission," it added.</p>

<p>On August 25 last year, ISRO reported that&nbsp;Pragyan had covered a distance of eight meters shortly after deployment. By the conclusion of its mission, the rover had successfully traversed approximately 101 metres.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Vikram and Pragyan: India's lunar ambassadors, now captured in images by <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Chandrayaan2?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Chandrayaan2</a> OHRC. latest image released by <a href="https://twitter.com/isro?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@isro</a> shows it completely deployed and lying beside the lander. This new image was captured at an ultra-high resolution of 17cm! more details on my blog below👇 <a href="https://t.co/UhhEGUijAR">pic.twitter.com/UhhEGUijAR</a></p>
— Chandra (tckb) (@this_is_tckb) <a href="https://twitter.com/this_is_tckb/status/1785878807557099996?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 2, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Despite the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission,&nbsp;Vikram and Pragyan did not withstand the harsh conditions of the Moon's southern environment and were presumed non-operational. Though the Indian space agency released images of Vikram lander on August 23, 2023, the exact location of Pragyan's final resting place remained unclear.</p>

<p>"Today, for the first time, we can clearly see the little Pragyan positioned right beside Vikram," the post added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The high-resolution image captured on March 15 this year showed significantly greater detail than last year's&nbsp;image shared by ISRO.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The latest image was obtained from a reduced altitude of&nbsp;approximately 65 kilometres, allowing for a resolution of about&nbsp;17&nbsp;cm, compared to the initial post-landing image captured at the regular altitude of 100 kilometres with a resolution of 26 cm.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The difference in resolution is markedly apparent when observing these two images side by side; details such as the crater contours are&nbsp;exceptionally visible," the post added.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has captured high-resolution images of Chandrayaan-3's lander Vikram, and the Pragyan rover resting on the Moon. Blog post on Moon and Beyond (a blog run by independent researcher Chandra) on Wednesday (May 1) said that the new images were captured on March 15.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has captured high-resolution images of Chandrayaan-3's lander Vikram, and the Pragyan rover resting on the Moon. Blog post on Moon and Beyond (a blog run by independent researcher Chandra) on Wednesday (May 1) said that the new images were captured on March 15. "Following a successful touchdown at ShivShakti Statio, the Vikram Lander from Chandrayaan-3 deployed its rover, Pragyan, to navigate the cratered lunar surface," the blog post said. "Equipped with integrated cameras, Pragyan transmitted video footage of its surroundings and commenced its research tasks, designated for a two-week exploration mission," it added. On August 25 last year, ISRO reported that Pragyan had covered a distance of eight meters shortly after deployment. By the conclusion of its mission, the rover had successfully traversed approximately 101 metres. Vikram and Pragyan: India's lunar ambassadors, now captured in images by #Chandrayaan2 OHRC. latest image released by @isro shows it completely deployed and lying beside the lander. This new image was captured at an ultra-high resolution of 17cm! more details on my blog below👇 pic.twitter.com/UhhEGUijAR — Chandra (tckb) (@this_is_tckb) May 2, 2024 × Despite the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, Vikram and Pragyan did not withstand the harsh conditions of the Moon's southern environment and were presumed non-operational. Though the Indian space agency released images of Vikram lander on August 23, 2023, the exact location of Pragyan's final resting place remained unclear. "Today, for the first time, we can clearly see the little Pragyan positioned right beside Vikram," the post added. The high-resolution image captured on March 15 this year showed significantly greater detail than last year's image shared by ISRO. The latest image was obtained from a reduced altitude of approximately 65 kilometres, allowing for a resolution of about 17 cm, compared to the initial post-landing image captured at the regular altitude of 100 kilometres with a resolution of 26 cm. "The difference in resolution is markedly apparent when observing these two images side by side; details such as the crater contours are exceptionally visible," the post added. (With inputs from agencies)

ISRO captures high-resolution images of Chandrayaan-3's Vikram lander, Pragyan rover resting on Moon

<p><meta name="uuid" content="uuidfhKfOQJO6mUX" /></p>

<p>As humanity looks to establish a long-term presence on the&nbsp;moon,&nbsp;several attempts are&nbsp;being made&nbsp;to explore the Lunar South polar region, which&nbsp;is believed&nbsp;to hold vast reserves of water ice.&nbsp;Water ice is crucial - for sustaining life and&nbsp;for&nbsp;use as cryogenic rocket fuel (a combination of supercooled liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen).&nbsp;This&nbsp;is why India's Chandrayaan-3 and the American private lander Odysseus landed in the south polar region. Several upcoming missions&nbsp;are also aimed&nbsp;at exploring this mysterious south-polar region, which could offer insights into the&nbsp;origins of the&nbsp;moon. However, the latest international study says that "the extent of water ice in the northern polar region is twice that in the southern polar region".&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-have-discovered-evidence-of-human-activity-altering-deep-subsurface-of-earth-717083">Scientists have discovered evidence of human activity altering deep subsurface of Earth</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>Conducted by&nbsp;the scientists of Space Applications Centre (SAC), ISRO, in collaboration with researchers at IIT Kanpur, University of Southern California, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, the study reveals evidence for enhanced possibility of water ice occurrence in the polar craters of the&nbsp;Moon.&nbsp;It suggests that the&nbsp;amount of&nbsp;subsurface ice in the first couple of metres is about five to eight times more than&nbsp;the that on the surface at both poles.&nbsp;Therefore, extracting lunar water ice would require considerable drilling, as the ice is likely to be buried beneath the lunar surface.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Regarding the possible origin of this lunar water ice, the study shared by ISRO said, "It&nbsp;confirms the hypothesis that the primary source of subsurface water ice in the lunar poles is outgassing (gases coming from deep within the moon) during volcanism in the Imbrian period (3,800 to 3,850 million years ago)".&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-forewarn-timing-of-triple-whammy-extinction-that-will-eradicate-humankind-716974">Scientists forewarn timing of 'triple whammy extinction' that will eradicate all life from Earth</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>As part of this study, the research team used seven instruments comprising radar, laser, optical, neutron spectrometer, ultra-violet spectrometer, and thermal radiometer onboard the NASA Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter to understand the origin and distribution of water ice on the&nbsp;Moon. Accurate knowledge of the distribution and depth of water ice occurrence in the lunar poles can help plan future lunar exploration missions and their lading sites accordingly.&nbsp;</p>

<p>ISRO says that the latest international study also supports a previous study of SAC, ISRO pointing out the possibility of the presence of water ice in some of the polar craters, utilising polarimetric radar data from the Chandrayaan-2 Dual-frequency Synthetic Aperture Radar instrument.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Based on the success of the Indian Chandrayaan-3 Lunar soft-landing, in-situ exploration and the Japanese Lunar soft-landing mission 'SLIM', the space agencies of both nations are working on a Lunar polar exploration mission (LUPEX), which&nbsp;is aimed&nbsp;at studying the lunar poles.&nbsp;Even the planned series of American Artemis crewed lunar&nbsp;missions&nbsp;and Chinese crewed lunar missions&nbsp;are hoping&nbsp;to make breakthroughs that enable a long-term human presence on the&nbsp;moon.&nbsp;Situated around 4 lakh kilometres&nbsp;away&nbsp;from the earth, as humanity's nearest celestial neighbour, the&nbsp;moon&nbsp;could&nbsp;potentially&nbsp;serve as an outpost in space from where mankind could undertake exploration missions into the further reaches of space.&nbsp;</p>


As humanity looks to establish a long-term presence on the moon, several attempts are being made to explore the Lunar South polar region, which is believed to hold vast reserves of water ice.

As humanity looks to establish a long-term presence on the moon, several attempts are being made to explore the Lunar South polar region, which is believed to hold vast reserves of water ice. Water ice is crucial - for sustaining life and for use as cryogenic rocket fuel (a combination of supercooled liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen). This is why India's Chandrayaan-3 and the American private lander Odysseus landed in the south polar region. Several upcoming missions are also aimed at exploring this mysterious south-polar region, which could offer insights into the origins of the moon. However, the latest international study says that "the extent of water ice in the northern polar region is twice that in the southern polar region". Also read: Scientists have discovered evidence of human activity altering deep subsurface of Earth Conducted by the scientists of Space Applications Centre (SAC), ISRO, in collaboration with researchers at IIT Kanpur, University of Southern California, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, the study reveals evidence for enhanced possibility of water ice occurrence in the polar craters of the Moon. It suggests that the amount of subsurface ice in the first couple of metres is about five to eight times more than the that on the surface at both poles. Therefore, extracting lunar water ice would require considerable drilling, as the ice is likely to be buried beneath the lunar surface. Regarding the possible origin of this lunar water ice, the study shared by ISRO said, "It confirms the hypothesis that the primary source of subsurface water ice in the lunar poles is outgassing (gases coming from deep within the moon) during volcanism in the Imbrian period (3,800 to 3,850 million years ago)". Also read: Scientists forewarn timing of 'triple whammy extinction' that will eradicate all life from Earth As part of this study, the research team used seven instruments comprising radar, laser, optical, neutron spectrometer, ultra-violet spectrometer, and thermal radiometer onboard the NASA Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter to understand the origin and distribution of water ice on the Moon. Accurate knowledge of the distribution and depth of water ice occurrence in the lunar poles can help plan future lunar exploration missions and their lading sites accordingly. ISRO says that the latest international study also supports a previous study of SAC, ISRO pointing out the possibility of the presence of water ice in some of the polar craters, utilising polarimetric radar data from the Chandrayaan-2 Dual-frequency Synthetic Aperture Radar instrument. Based on the success of the Indian Chandrayaan-3 Lunar soft-landing, in-situ exploration and the Japanese Lunar soft-landing mission 'SLIM', the space agencies of both nations are working on a Lunar polar exploration mission (LUPEX), which is aimed at studying the lunar poles. Even the planned series of American Artemis crewed lunar missions and Chinese crewed lunar missions are hoping to make breakthroughs that enable a long-term human presence on the moon. Situated around 4 lakh kilometres away from the earth, as humanity's nearest celestial neighbour, the moon could potentially serve as an outpost in space from where mankind could undertake exploration missions into the further reaches of space.

Moon's north pole could have more water ice than south, says study

<p>India’s&nbsp;historic mission to the Moon could have met a disastrous fate in the sky had scientists not been able to make a vital calculation to avoid a devastating collision, the&nbsp;Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) revealed Monday (Apr 29). It was all because of&nbsp;ISRO’s&nbsp;proactive and decisive space management that&nbsp;the Chandrayaan-3 mission could be saved&nbsp;and successfully executed as a&nbsp;key&nbsp;decision&nbsp;was taken&nbsp;even before the rocket lifted&nbsp;off.</p>

<h2><strong>What happened?</strong></h2>

<p>It all happened on July 14, 2023,&nbsp;the day&nbsp;when&nbsp;ISRO’s&nbsp;Chandrayaan-3&nbsp;was scheduled&nbsp;for launch.&nbsp;Just when the&nbsp;scientists were about to press the launch button,&nbsp;a potential threat in space was detected.</p>

<p>ISRO’s&nbsp;mission control team observed that if&nbsp;the mission was launched&nbsp;at the scheduled time, it could intersect with the trajectory of a piece of space debris.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwiRpur7p-eFAxUl2TgGHV9PBYoQxfQBKAB6BAgOEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/isro-to-tie-up-with-elon-musks-spacex-to-launch-satellite-676290" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/isro-to-tie-up-with-elon-musks-spacex-to-launch-satellite-676290&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiRpur7p-eFAxUl2TgGHV9PBYoQxfQBKAB6BAgOEAE">ISRO to tie up with Elon Musk’s SpaceX to launch satellite</a></strong></p>

<p>We&nbsp;know,&nbsp;that&nbsp;objects fly in space with high velocity&nbsp;and&nbsp;they&nbsp;can break spacecraft and satellites into pieces irrespective of their size upon collision.</p>

<h2><strong>The solution</strong></h2>

<p>The ISRO team came up with a simple yet effective solution.&nbsp;They decided to delay the launch by&nbsp;a mere four seconds, which was&nbsp;enough to steer clear of the potential collision.</p>

<p>This decision&nbsp;was based&nbsp;on a detailed Collision Avoidance Analysis (COLA) as part of&nbsp;ISRO's&nbsp;standard Launch Clearance Protocol.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwiRpur7p-eFAxUl2TgGHV9PBYoQxfQBKAB6BAgHEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/science/isro-new-year-gift-xposat-will-lift-off-on-january-1-will-study-black-holes-674375" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/science/isro-new-year-gift-xposat-will-lift-off-on-january-1-will-study-black-holes-674375&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiRpur7p-eFAxUl2TgGHV9PBYoQxfQBKAB6BAgHEAE">ISRO’s New Year’s gift: XPoSat will lift off on January 1, will study black holes</a></strong></p>

<p>“For LVM3-M4/ Chandrayaan-3, the nominal lift-off had to be delayed by 4 seconds based on COLA analysis to avoid close approaches between a debris object and the injected satellites in their orbital phase due to overlapping operational altitudes,”&nbsp;ISRO revealed in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.isro.gov.in/Indian_Space_Situational_Assessment_Report_ISSAR2023.html#:~:text=For%20LVM3%2DM4%2F%20Chandrayaan%2D,due%20to%20overlapping%20operational%20altitudes." target="_blank">a detailed blog post</a>&nbsp;on its website.</p>

<h2><strong>Significance</strong></h2>

<p>The last-minute manoeuvre&nbsp;not only&nbsp;showed the threats posed by space debris&nbsp;but also&nbsp;demonstrated&nbsp;ISRO’s&nbsp;ability to identify and overcome such challenges.</p>

<p>ISRO&nbsp;in&nbsp;its Space Situational Assessment Report (ISSAR)&nbsp;revealed how it deploys advanced technologies and strategic planning to maintain such safety standards.</p>

<p><img alt=" Indian Space Situational Assessment Report (ISSAR) for 2023" src="https://www.isro.gov.in/media_isro/image/index/issar2904242.jpg" /></p>

<p>In its report, the space agency said it carried out 23 such collision avoidance manoeuvres to safeguard its assets in the space.<br />
<br />
<em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


India’s historic mission to the Moon could have met a disastrous fate in the sky had scientists not been able to make a vital calculation to avoid a devastating collision, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) revealed Monday (Apr 29).

India’s historic mission to the Moon could have met a disastrous fate in the sky had scientists not been able to make a vital calculation to avoid a devastating collision, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) revealed Monday (Apr 29). It was all because of ISRO’s proactive and decisive space management that the Chandrayaan-3 mission could be saved and successfully executed as a key decision was taken even before the rocket lifted off. What happened? It all happened on July 14, 2023, the day when ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3 was scheduled for launch. Just when the scientists were about to press the launch button, a potential threat in space was detected. ISRO’s mission control team observed that if the mission was launched at the scheduled time, it could intersect with the trajectory of a piece of space debris. Also read: ISRO to tie up with Elon Musk’s SpaceX to launch satellite We know, that objects fly in space with high velocity and they can break spacecraft and satellites into pieces irrespective of their size upon collision. The solution The ISRO team came up with a simple yet effective solution. They decided to delay the launch by a mere four seconds, which was enough to steer clear of the potential collision. This decision was based on a detailed Collision Avoidance Analysis (COLA) as part of ISRO's standard Launch Clearance Protocol. Also read: ISRO’s New Year’s gift: XPoSat will lift off on January 1, will study black holes “For LVM3-M4/ Chandrayaan-3, the nominal lift-off had to be delayed by 4 seconds based on COLA analysis to avoid close approaches between a debris object and the injected satellites in their orbital phase due to overlapping operational altitudes,” ISRO revealed in a detailed blog post on its website. Significance The last-minute manoeuvre not only showed the threats posed by space debris but also demonstrated ISRO’s ability to identify and overcome such challenges. ISRO in its Space Situational Assessment Report (ISSAR) revealed how it deploys advanced technologies and strategic planning to maintain such safety standards. In its report, the space agency said it carried out 23 such collision avoidance manoeuvres to safeguard its assets in the space. (With inputs from agencies)

ISRO delayed Chandrayaan-3’s launch by four seconds to avoid massive collision in space

<p>ISRO announced a breakthrough in rocket engine technology, having developed a lightweight Carbon-Carbon (C-C) nozzle. This innovation, achieved by the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), is set to enhance critical parameters of rocket engines, including thrust levels and payload capacity.</p>

<p>ISRO stated that the VSSC in Thiruvananthapuram used advanced Carbon-Carbon (C-C) composites to make a nozzle with top-notch features.</p>

<p>By using methods like carbonising green composites, chemical vapour infiltration, and high-temperature treatment, ISRO has created a lightweight nozzle with strong, durable properties, capable of maintaining its strength even in high temperatures.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/spacex-launches-tata-group-satellite-assembled-and-tested-in-india-709083">Also read |&nbsp;SpaceX launches TATA Group satellite assembled and tested in India</a></p>

<h2><strong>What's the special feature?</strong></h2>

<p>ISRO mentioned a special feature of the C-C nozzle: it has a coating made of silicon carbide, which helps it work better in environments where oxidation occurs. This makes it stronger against heat and corrosion, allowing it to handle tough conditions.</p>

<p>This improvement is important, especially for ISRO's main rocket, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). Currently, the PS4 stage of the PSLV uses nozzles made of a metal called columbium alloy. But if ISRO switches these out for C-C nozzles, they could make the rocket lighter by about 67 per cent.</p>

<p>This change could let the PSLV carry 15 kg more payload into space, which is a big deal for missions.</p>

<p>Testing the C-C nozzle was a big step for ISRO. They did a 60-second test on March 19, 2024, at the High-Altitude Test (HAT) facility in ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC), Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu. This test showed that the system works well and the hardware is strong.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;ISRO Chief S Somanath explains role of India's NavIC satellites; know all about NavIC satellites</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/isro-chief-s-somanath-explains-role-of-indias-navic-satellites-know-all-about-navic-satellites-708995/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>"Subsequent tests, including a 200-second hot test on April 2, 2024, further validated the nozzle's capabilities, with temperatures reaching 1216 K, matching predictions," the release said.</p>

<p>The teamwork included the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) in Valiamala near Thiruvananthapuram, which planned and set up the test. The testing and execution happened at the High-Altitude Test (HAT) facility in IPRC, as mentioned.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


ISRO announced a breakthrough in rocket engine technology, having developed a lightweight Carbon-Carbon (C-C) nozzle. This innovation, achieved by the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), is set to enhance critical parameters of rocket engines, including thrust levels and payload capacity.

ISRO announced a breakthrough in rocket engine technology, having developed a lightweight Carbon-Carbon (C-C) nozzle. This innovation, achieved by the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), is set to enhance critical parameters of rocket engines, including thrust levels and payload capacity. ISRO stated that the VSSC in Thiruvananthapuram used advanced Carbon-Carbon (C-C) composites to make a nozzle with top-notch features. By using methods like carbonising green composites, chemical vapour infiltration, and high-temperature treatment, ISRO has created a lightweight nozzle with strong, durable properties, capable of maintaining its strength even in high temperatures. Also read | SpaceX launches TATA Group satellite assembled and tested in India What's the special feature? ISRO mentioned a special feature of the C-C nozzle: it has a coating made of silicon carbide, which helps it work better in environments where oxidation occurs. This makes it stronger against heat and corrosion, allowing it to handle tough conditions. This improvement is important, especially for ISRO's main rocket, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). Currently, the PS4 stage of the PSLV uses nozzles made of a metal called columbium alloy. But if ISRO switches these out for C-C nozzles, they could make the rocket lighter by about 67 per cent. This change could let the PSLV carry 15 kg more payload into space, which is a big deal for missions. Testing the C-C nozzle was a big step for ISRO. They did a 60-second test on March 19, 2024, at the High-Altitude Test (HAT) facility in ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC), Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu. This test showed that the system works well and the hardware is strong. Also watch | ISRO Chief S Somanath explains role of India's NavIC satellites; know all about NavIC satellites "Subsequent tests, including a 200-second hot test on April 2, 2024, further validated the nozzle's capabilities, with temperatures reaching 1216 K, matching predictions," the release said. The teamwork included the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) in Valiamala near Thiruvananthapuram, which planned and set up the test. The testing and execution happened at the High-Altitude Test (HAT) facility in IPRC, as mentioned. (With inputs from agencies)

ISRO scientists create new lightweight nozzle for rocket engines, call it ‘breakthrough’

The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) also known as NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) is a group of 7 satellites that provides Global positioning system (GPS) service in India. ISRO Chief Dr. S Somanath explains role of India's NavIC Satellites. Watch to know more.

ISRO Chief S Somanath explains role of India's NavIC satellites; know all about NavIC satellites

India mulls expansion of NavIC satellite range

The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) also known as NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) is a group of 7 satellites that provides Global positioning system (GPS) service in India. ISRO Chief Dr. Somanath explains role of India's NavIC Satellites. Watch in.

India mulls expansion of Navic satellite range

The launch of India's first semi-cryogenic rocket schedule for today has been delayed again. It uses commercially available aviation turbine fuel or Kerosene and medical-grade liquid oxygen.

India: Europe's ESA & ISRO to boost collaboration in space programmes: S Somanath

India's space prowess and possibilities  - ISRO Chief Dr S Somanath Exclusive on WION

India's space prowess and possibilities  - ISRO Chief Dr S Somanath

Watch in Top Headlines of the hour: -UK: Storm Kathleen havoc - US alert amid Iran 'revenge' threat - 'Chinese workers resent security' - ISRO Chief interview - WION Exclusive

UK: Storm Kathleen havoc | US alert amid Iran 'revenge' threat

India eyes second private rocket launch, Agnibaan: ISRO Chief S Somanath

The launch of India's first semi-cryogenic rocket schedule for today has been delayed again. It uses commercially available aviation turbine fuel or Kerosene and medical-grade liquid oxygen. Watch to know more.

Indian astronauts being trained by US and Russian space agencies : ISRO Chief Dr S Somanath

Watch in Top Headlines of the hour: - Ready for face off: Israel - IDF removes forces from South Gaza - ISRO's Chief interview on Gaganyaan's capabilities - Chinese workers resent security

Ready for face off: Israel | IDF removes forces from South Gaza

Watch in Top Headlines of the hour: - ISRO's Chief interview on Gaganyaan's capabilities - IDF removes forces from South Gaza - Storm Kathleen havoc in the UK - Poland local elections at test for tusk

Storm Kathleen havoc in the UK | IDF removes forces from South Gaza

Space ambitions cannot exist in isolation: ISRO Chief Dr S Somanath Exclusive on WION

Indian astronauts being treated by US & Russian space agencies: S Somanath

Watch in Top Headlines of the hour: - Poland local elections a test for tusk - US alert amid Iran 'revenge' threat - 'Chinese workers resent security' - ISRO Chief interview - WION Exclusive

ISRO Chief on Gaganyaan capabilities | China workers resent security: Maryam Nawaz

ISRO Chief India's space diplomacy | Poland local elections

<p><meta name="uuid" content="uuidCHuKJTY6ATms" /><meta charset="utf-8" /></p>

<p>On March 22, the Indian Air Force and ISRO tested "Pushpak," an SUV-sized winged rocket aimed to make space travel more affordable. The test involved dropping the rocket from a helicopter onto the Aeronautical Test Range in&nbsp;<a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/chitradurga" target="_blank">Chitradurga</a>, Karnataka from 15,000 feet of altitude.</p>

<p>The Indian Air Force released an incredible video showing the rocket called "Swadeshi Space Shuttle" descent from inside the helicopter. Sharing the video on social media platform X, the Indian Air Force wrote, "Airlifted to an altitude of 4.5 kms, IAF Air Warriors were part of the successful mission. IAF heartily congratulates ISRO on achieving this milestone. IAF will contribute and collaborate in future as well, for many such undertakings."</p>

<h2><strong>Puspak's advanced capabilities</strong></h2>

<p>The rocket was airlifted to an altitude of 4.5 kilometers before being released. It autonomously approached the runway and landed precisely, showcasing its advanced landing capabilities. The Indian Air Force congratulated ISRO on this milestone and pledged future collaboration for similar missions. The test aimed to demonstrate the rocket's ability to autonomously land, which was deemed "excellent and precise."</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Utilising the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IAF?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IAF</a> Chinook helicopter for its airlift and subsequent positioning at a predefined altitude and location, <a href="https://twitter.com/isro?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@isro</a> successfully demonstrated the autonomous landing capability of the Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) 'PUSHPAK' as part of its RLV-LEX 2 mission.<br />
<br />
Airlifted to… <a href="https://t.co/FCTGHk51wO">pic.twitter.com/FCTGHk51wO</a></p>
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) <a href="https://twitter.com/IAF_MCC/status/1771126619815682402?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 22, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>"This mission successfully simulated the approach and high-speed landing conditions of an RLV returning from space. With the RLV-LEX-02, Isro has re-validated its indigenously developed technologies in areas such as navigation, control systems, landing gear, and deceleration systems, which are essential for performing a high-speed autonomous landing of a space-returning vehicle," a press release by ISRO read.</p>

<p>While this was the third test flight, operational deployment of Pushpak is expected to take several more years. ISRO chief S Somanath had previously said.</p>

<h2><strong>What's the history behind Pushpak's name?</strong></h2>

<p>The rocket's name, "Pushpak," is inspired by the mythical "Pushpak Viman" from the Ramayana, associated with the Lord of Wealth, Kubera. According to Ramayana, after defeating Ravana, lord Ram returned to Ayodhya on "Pushpak Viman."</p>

<h2><strong>Pushpak's development timeline</strong></h2>

<p>The making of Pushpak began a decade ago with a dedicated team of engineers and scientists. The 6.5-meter craft weighs 1.75 tons and utilises small thrusters for precise landing. The government has invested over ₹100 crore in this project, reflecting its commitment to advancing space technology.</p>


On March 22, the Indian Air Force and ISRO tested "Pushpak," an SUV-sized winged rocket aimed to make space travel more affordable. The test involved dropping the rocket from a helicopter onto the Aeronautical Test Range in Chitradurga, Karnataka from 15,000 feet of altitude.

On March 22, the Indian Air Force and ISRO tested "Pushpak," an SUV-sized winged rocket aimed to make space travel more affordable. The test involved dropping the rocket from a helicopter onto the Aeronautical Test Range in Chitradurga, Karnataka from 15,000 feet of altitude. The Indian Air Force released an incredible video showing the rocket called "Swadeshi Space Shuttle" descent from inside the helicopter. Sharing the video on social media platform X, the Indian Air Force wrote, "Airlifted to an altitude of 4.5 kms, IAF Air Warriors were part of the successful mission. IAF heartily congratulates ISRO on achieving this milestone. IAF will contribute and collaborate in future as well, for many such undertakings." Puspak's advanced capabilities The rocket was airlifted to an altitude of 4.5 kilometers before being released. It autonomously approached the runway and landed precisely, showcasing its advanced landing capabilities. The Indian Air Force congratulated ISRO on this milestone and pledged future collaboration for similar missions. The test aimed to demonstrate the rocket's ability to autonomously land, which was deemed "excellent and precise." Utilising the #IAF Chinook helicopter for its airlift and subsequent positioning at a predefined altitude and location, @isro successfully demonstrated the autonomous landing capability of the Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) 'PUSHPAK' as part of its RLV-LEX 2 mission. Airlifted to… pic.twitter.com/FCTGHk51wO — Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) March 22, 2024 × "This mission successfully simulated the approach and high-speed landing conditions of an RLV returning from space. With the RLV-LEX-02, Isro has re-validated its indigenously developed technologies in areas such as navigation, control systems, landing gear, and deceleration systems, which are essential for performing a high-speed autonomous landing of a space-returning vehicle," a press release by ISRO read. While this was the third test flight, operational deployment of Pushpak is expected to take several more years. ISRO chief S Somanath had previously said. What's the history behind Pushpak's name? The rocket's name, "Pushpak," is inspired by the mythical "Pushpak Viman" from the Ramayana, associated with the Lord of Wealth, Kubera. According to Ramayana, after defeating Ravana, lord Ram returned to Ayodhya on "Pushpak Viman." Pushpak's development timeline The making of Pushpak began a decade ago with a dedicated team of engineers and scientists. The 6.5-meter craft weighs 1.75 tons and utilises small thrusters for precise landing. The government has invested over ₹100 crore in this project, reflecting its commitment to advancing space technology.

ISRO's swadeshi space shuttle Pushpak gracefully survives 15,000 feet drop | Watch

ISRO successfully conducts RLV LEX 02 landing experiment, showcasing autonomous landing capability of reusable vehicle. Watch to know more.

ISRO successfully tests 'Pushpak' launch vehicle

ISRO successfully executes landing mission of RLV 'Pushpak'

isro

Isro, News on Isro, stories on Isro, articles on Isro, Isro stories at Wion, Isro news, Isro latest news