<p>The United States is gearing up for its next lunar mission set to launch on February 14, on Valentine's Day.&nbsp;This comes just weeks after a private American moon lander, Peregrine, burned up in the Earth's atmosphere upon its return. The objective of the next lunar mission is to achieve the first landing of a US-built lunar lander on the Moon since Apollo 17 in 1972.</p>

<p>This upcoming endeavour will involve a collaboration between Houston-based Intuitive Machines and SpaceX. The Intuitive Machines' lander, named Nova-C, will be mounted atop a SpaceX rocket. In contrast, Peregrine Mission One had a lander built by Astrobotic Technology and was on the Vulcan Centaur rocket, by United Launch Alliance (ULA).</p>

<p>If successful, it will also mark the first such feat by a private company. The mission is scheduled for a 12:57 am blast off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida by SpaceX. Nova-C lander moon touchdown is anticipated to be on February 22.</p>

<p>Nova-C is expected to land on an impact crater close to the lunar south pole.</p>

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<p>It is&nbsp;estimated that the Apollo programme cost around $25.4 billion USD (not adjusted for inflation). In this latest moon mission, NASA paid over $100 million to the private sector&nbsp;Intuitive Machines.&nbsp;Among Nova-C's payload are scientific instruments crucial for understanding the lunar environment.</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-congressional-budget-stalemate-forces-nasa-layoffs-mars-sample-return-mission-in-peril-688039">US Congressional budget stalemate forces NASA layoffs, Mars sample return mission in peril</a></p>

<p>The most famous of all the Apollo missions is Apollo 11, which landed astronauts on the Moon. On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to set foot on the lunar surface, while Michael Collins orbited above in the command module.&nbsp;</p>

<section>
<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-putin-tightens-grip-on-internet-access-how-russians-are-evading-kremlins-eyes-688009">Putin Tightens Grip on Internet Access | How Russians Are Evading Kremlin's Eyes</a></strong></p>

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<p>Now, NASA's Artemis programme is aiming at returning humans to the Moon by the end of the decade. Named after the twin sister of Apollo in Greek mythology, the Artemis programme seeks to build upon the legacy of the Apollo missions while incorporating new technologies and international partnerships.</p>
</section>

<p>Interestingly, the Nova-C cargo also includes artworks by renowned artist Jeff Koons. The journey to the Moon is fraught with challenges but some nations were able to get past them.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Soft lunar landings have been accomplished by five nations thus far, including the Soviet Union, the United States, which remains the sole nation to have landed humans on the Moon, India, China, and Japan.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


The United States is gearing up for its next lunar mission set to launch on February 14, on Valentine's Day. This comes just weeks after a private American moon lander, Peregrine, burned up in the Earth's atmosphere upon its return.

The United States is gearing up for its next lunar mission set to launch on February 14, on Valentine's Day. This comes just weeks after a private American moon lander, Peregrine, burned up in the Earth's atmosphere upon its return. The objective of the next lunar mission is to achieve the first landing of a US-built lunar lander on the Moon since Apollo 17 in 1972. This upcoming endeavour will involve a collaboration between Houston-based Intuitive Machines and SpaceX. The Intuitive Machines' lander, named Nova-C, will be mounted atop a SpaceX rocket. In contrast, Peregrine Mission One had a lander built by Astrobotic Technology and was on the Vulcan Centaur rocket, by United Launch Alliance (ULA). If successful, it will also mark the first such feat by a private company. The mission is scheduled for a 12:57 am blast off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida by SpaceX. Nova-C lander moon touchdown is anticipated to be on February 22. Nova-C is expected to land on an impact crater close to the lunar south pole. Also Read | Major study links common plastic chemicals to 10% of US premature births It is estimated that the Apollo programme cost around $25.4 billion USD (not adjusted for inflation). In this latest moon mission, NASA paid over $100 million to the private sector Intuitive Machines. Among Nova-C's payload are scientific instruments crucial for understanding the lunar environment. Also Read | US Congressional budget stalemate forces NASA layoffs, Mars sample return mission in peril The most famous of all the Apollo missions is Apollo 11, which landed astronauts on the Moon. On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to set foot on the lunar surface, while Michael Collins orbited above in the command module. Watch | Putin Tightens Grip on Internet Access | How Russians Are Evading Kremlin's Eyes × Now, NASA's Artemis programme is aiming at returning humans to the Moon by the end of the decade. Named after the twin sister of Apollo in Greek mythology, the Artemis programme seeks to build upon the legacy of the Apollo missions while incorporating new technologies and international partnerships. Interestingly, the Nova-C cargo also includes artworks by renowned artist Jeff Koons. The journey to the Moon is fraught with challenges but some nations were able to get past them. Soft lunar landings have been accomplished by five nations thus far, including the Soviet Union, the United States, which remains the sole nation to have landed humans on the Moon, India, China, and Japan. (With inputs from agencies)

US prepares 'Nova-C' lander for a ride to Moon, mission to launch on Valentine's Day

NASA is set to delay its next few missions to the Moon as technical hurdles mount with the various spacecraft it intends to use to get there. Watch this video for all details.

Why is NASA pushing back Moon mission timelines?

India will witness one of the most important celestial adventures, as the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to inject Aditya-L1, the country’s maiden solar mission, into its final orbit, around 1.5 million kilometres from the Earth. Here is a look at the details of the project and its importance. Molly Gambhir tells you more.

Gravitas | Aditya-L1 mission set for orbit insertion

ISRO launched its first X-Ray Polarimeter Satellite. The satellite is set to study X-ray emissions from black hole and other celestial objects.

ISRO second after NASA to send specialised astronomy observatory

<p>NASA relaunched a mission to study&nbsp;the “God of Chaos” asteroid as it started coming closer to the orbit of Earth.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A spacecraft, which had recently returned from deep space, was returned by NASA to carry out three studies.&nbsp;</p>

<p>NASA’s spacecraft OSIRIS-REx - which has been named the OSIRIS-APEX - was sent off to study the extremely close flyby of asteroid Apophis&nbsp;in 2029, the like&nbsp;of which “hasn’t happened since the dawn of recorded history,” announced NASA.</p>

<p>The spacecraft came back to Earth in September after it collected samples from space rock Bennu for seven years.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Apophis, also called the “God of Chaos”, is likely to fly close to Earth on April 13, 2029, and will be only 20,000 miles away, which is closer in comparison to a few manmade satellites and will be visible in the Eastern Hemisphere.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-says-an-asteroid-has-come-near-earth-check-details-673517">NASA says an asteroid has come near Earth, check details</a></p>

<p>The space rock, which measures nearly 370 yards across, approaches the Earth every 7,500 years.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The gravity of Earth will affect the space rock as it comes close to the orbit and OSIRIS-APEX will understand the aftermath to see “how its surface changes,” as per Amy Simon, the mission’s project scientist.</p>

<h2><strong>Earth to alter length of day on asteroid</strong></h2>

<p>The Earth’s effects are likely to change the length of the asteroid's day, which at present is around 30.6 hours per day. It can also lead to landslides and quakes on the "God of Chaos".</p>

<p>"We know that tidal forces and the accumulation of rubble pile material are foundational processes that could play a role in planet formation,” said Dani Mendoza DellaGiustina, principal investigator for OSIRIS-APEX at the University of Arizona in Tucson, in a statement.</p>

<p>"They could inform how we got from debris in the early solar system to full-blown planets," DellaGiustina added. On April 13, 2029, the spacecraft will meet the S-type asteroid, but will not land on its surface, and will “operate in proximity” to it for the next 18 months.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;WION Rewind India's moments of glory: India creates Lunar history with Chandrayaan-3</strong></p>

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<p>NASA said that the spacecraft would not only look to observe the surface changes but would also map the surface and analyse the chemical makeup of the rock.</p>

<p>The spacecraft will also go within 16 feet of the surface of the rock so that its thrusters can be fired downwards to see what has stirred it up and provide scientists with a “peek at the material that lies below.”</p>

<p>Even though the rock is still five years away from coming close to the Earth, scientists will keep tracking it as it reaches its first of six close passes with the sun.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


NASA relaunched a mission to study the “God of Chaos” asteroid as it started coming closer to the orbit of Earth. A spacecraft, which had recently returned from deep space, was returned by NASA to carry out three studies.

NASA relaunched a mission to study the “God of Chaos” asteroid as it started coming closer to the orbit of Earth. A spacecraft, which had recently returned from deep space, was returned by NASA to carry out three studies. NASA’s spacecraft OSIRIS-REx - which has been named the OSIRIS-APEX - was sent off to study the extremely close flyby of asteroid Apophis in 2029, the like of which “hasn’t happened since the dawn of recorded history,” announced NASA. The spacecraft came back to Earth in September after it collected samples from space rock Bennu for seven years. Apophis, also called the “God of Chaos”, is likely to fly close to Earth on April 13, 2029, and will be only 20,000 miles away, which is closer in comparison to a few manmade satellites and will be visible in the Eastern Hemisphere. Also read: NASA says an asteroid has come near Earth, check details The space rock, which measures nearly 370 yards across, approaches the Earth every 7,500 years. The gravity of Earth will affect the space rock as it comes close to the orbit and OSIRIS-APEX will understand the aftermath to see “how its surface changes,” as per Amy Simon, the mission’s project scientist. Earth to alter length of day on asteroid The Earth’s effects are likely to change the length of the asteroid's day, which at present is around 30.6 hours per day. It can also lead to landslides and quakes on the "God of Chaos". "We know that tidal forces and the accumulation of rubble pile material are foundational processes that could play a role in planet formation,” said Dani Mendoza DellaGiustina, principal investigator for OSIRIS-APEX at the University of Arizona in Tucson, in a statement. "They could inform how we got from debris in the early solar system to full-blown planets," DellaGiustina added. On April 13, 2029, the spacecraft will meet the S-type asteroid, but will not land on its surface, and will “operate in proximity” to it for the next 18 months. Watch: WION Rewind India's moments of glory: India creates Lunar history with Chandrayaan-3 NASA said that the spacecraft would not only look to observe the surface changes but would also map the surface and analyse the chemical makeup of the rock. The spacecraft will also go within 16 feet of the surface of the rock so that its thrusters can be fired downwards to see what has stirred it up and provide scientists with a “peek at the material that lies below.” Even though the rock is still five years away from coming close to the Earth, scientists will keep tracking it as it reaches its first of six close passes with the sun. (With inputs from agencies)

Asteroid Apophis to flyby Earth in first of its kind encounter in recorded history

<p>Japan's Smart Lander for Investigating the Moon (SLIM), aptly nicknamed the "Moon Sniper" for its precision,&nbsp;successfully entered lunar orbit on Christmas (December 25), marking a significant step toward a historic touchdown on the lunar surface.</p>

<p>The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) announced on Monday (Dec 25) that SLIM has "successfully entered the moon's orbit at 04:51 pm Japan time" (0751 GMT), affirming that the probe's trajectory shift proceeded as planned, and the craft's conditions remained nominal.</p>

<p>JAXA disclosed that SLIM's descent towards the moon is scheduled to commence around 12:00 am Japan time on January 20, with the anticipated surface landing just 20 minutes later.</p>

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<p>According to JAXA, SLIM's mission is poised to achieve an "unprecedentedly high precision landing" on the moon, showcasing a margin of error of under 100 metres—a level of accuracy previously deemed unattainable.</p>

<p>Shinichiro Sakai, JAXA's SLIM project manager, highlighted the evolving demands of technology, stating, "Gone are the days when merely exploring 'somewhere on the moon' was desired."</p>

<p>He emphasised on the increased need for pinpoint accuracy in targeting lunar features such as craters and rocks on the lunar surface.</p>

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<p>This tiny probe, slightly larger than a tennis ball, can dynamically change its shape, allowing unparalleled movement on the lunar surface.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>The precision exhibited by SLIM is raising hopes for easier sampling of lunar permafrost, bringing scientists closer to unravelling the mysteries surrounding water resources on the moon. Notably, Japan aims to join the ranks of the United States, Russia, China, and India as the fifth country to successfully land a probe on the moon.</p>

<p>While Japan has faced setbacks in lunar exploration, including the unsuccessful Omotenashi probe in the Artemis 1 mission, SLIM's mission is a renewed optimism for the country in its pursuit of lunar exploration excellence.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Japan's Smart Lander for Investigating the Moon (SLIM), aptly nicknamed the "Moon Sniper" for its precision, successfully entered lunar orbit on Christmas (December 25), marking a significant step toward a historic touchdown on the lunar surface.

Japan's Smart Lander for Investigating the Moon (SLIM), aptly nicknamed the "Moon Sniper" for its precision, successfully entered lunar orbit on Christmas (December 25), marking a significant step toward a historic touchdown on the lunar surface. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) announced on Monday (Dec 25) that SLIM has "successfully entered the moon's orbit at 04:51 pm Japan time" (0751 GMT), affirming that the probe's trajectory shift proceeded as planned, and the craft's conditions remained nominal. JAXA disclosed that SLIM's descent towards the moon is scheduled to commence around 12:00 am Japan time on January 20, with the anticipated surface landing just 20 minutes later. Also Read | AstroSat detects millisecond bursts from new magnetar, to unveil secrets concealed within According to JAXA, SLIM's mission is poised to achieve an "unprecedentedly high precision landing" on the moon, showcasing a margin of error of under 100 metres—a level of accuracy previously deemed unattainable. Shinichiro Sakai, JAXA's SLIM project manager, highlighted the evolving demands of technology, stating, "Gone are the days when merely exploring 'somewhere on the moon' was desired." He emphasised on the increased need for pinpoint accuracy in targeting lunar features such as craters and rocks on the lunar surface. Also Read | India's Aditya-L1 sun mission to conduct critical insertion into halo orbit This tiny probe, slightly larger than a tennis ball, can dynamically change its shape, allowing unparalleled movement on the lunar surface. Watch | DRC marks Christmas amid unrest following elections × The precision exhibited by SLIM is raising hopes for easier sampling of lunar permafrost, bringing scientists closer to unravelling the mysteries surrounding water resources on the moon. Notably, Japan aims to join the ranks of the United States, Russia, China, and India as the fifth country to successfully land a probe on the moon. While Japan has faced setbacks in lunar exploration, including the unsuccessful Omotenashi probe in the Artemis 1 mission, SLIM's mission is a renewed optimism for the country in its pursuit of lunar exploration excellence. (With inputs from agencies)

Japan's 'Moon Sniper' enters lunar orbit on Christmas, sets stage for landing on Jan 20 next year

Sustainability Champions - Special presentation by Shaji K V, Chairman, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) Visit missionsustainability.in to know more.

Mission Sustainability: Sustainability Champions - Shaji K V

The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) on Saturday put the launch of the first uncrewed test flight (TV-D1 Flight Test) in the Gaganyaan Mission on hold.

Gaganyaan Mission: ISRO's first test flight launches in 2nd attempt

<p>The 35-meter-tall Test Vehicle rocket stands ready at the First Launchpad of India's Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. The 12-hour 30-minute countdown for the launch began at 7:30 pm Friday (Oct 20), WION has learnt. At 8 am IST, Saturday, as this countdown ends, the 44-ton vehicle is expected to blast off on a very unique mission.</p>

<p>Unlike orbital-class rockets, this one is not meant to take satellites to space. Instead, it will be used to test a crucial ejection system(known as Crew Escape System) that is meant to save astronauts, in case of a mid-flight rocket failure.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/james-webb-telescope-observes-jet-stream-as-fast-as-category-5-storms-on-jupiter-649197">James Webb Telescope observes jet stream as fast as 'category 5' storms on Jupiter</a></p>

<p>The countdown is the time period in the final run-up to the launch, when the health checks of the rocket and associated systems are conducted. Liquid fuels are filled into the rocket's tanks and various parameters are monitored, in preparation for lift-off. Each mission has a unique countdown time, depending on its complexities, and mission profile and type of rocket being used.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Glimpses of India's all-new Test Vehicle 🚀 being readied for maiden mission 'TV-D1' that'll liftoff 8am tomo<br />
<br />
Aug 2022 we saw SSLV being readied for launch and now we have a sub-orbital TV rocket for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Gaganyaan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Gaganyaan</a> test flights<br />
Let's go🇮🇳<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://twitter.com/hashtag/space?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#space</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/tech?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#tech</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/science?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#science</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ISRO?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ISRO</a> <a href="https://t.co/3fezvwfcg8">pic.twitter.com/3fezvwfcg8</a></p>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1715311970247966824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 20, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>The mission abbreviation 'TV-D1' denotes Test Vehicle Demonstration 1. Perched atop the test vehicle is a crew-carrying capsule, known as a Crew module. During the Indian astronaut mission Gaganyaan (expected to take flight in 2025), the Crew module will serve as the home and office of the astronauts, as they travel to space and back. The Crew module being used in Saturday's mission measures and weighs the same as the actual one. However, it doesn't contain pressurization systems(meant to maintain earth-like atmospheric conditions and other technologies that the final version will feature.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>How high will TV-D1 fly?&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Typical spacefaring rockets travel at least 500 km above the earth's surface into an orbit around the home planet. However, TV-D1 would be launched to an altitude that's a little more than that of passenger airliners. 61 seconds from lift-off, the vehicle would reach an altitude of 11.9 km and a speed of Mach1.2(1480kmph) and that's when the rocket would shut down, as pre-programmed.</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-unveils-stunning-lunar-shadow-image-from-ring-of-fire-solar-eclipse-649157">Epic image captures moon's shadow falling on US during the 'ring of fire' solar eclipse</a></p>

<p>Immediately, the Crew escape system would be triggered and the top portion of the rocket comprising the escape system and the crew module would eject itself higher and farther away from the rocket. They would travel a couple of kilometres higher away from the rocket. 90 seconds after lift-off, at around 17kms altitude, the crew escape system and crew module would separate. While the rocket and the crew escape system free-fall into the sea, the crew module uses multiple parachutes to gradually descend and splash down, almost 10kms away from the spaceport's shore. From lift-off to splashdown, this mission is expected to take less than nine minutes.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>What is this test meant to prove?&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Ejecting the 4.5-ton crew module during flight is an extremely sophisticated process. The engineers working on this project would want to test their rocket, crew module and ejection systems at different altitudes and Mach numbers (travel speeds). This would offer them more confidence about the reliability and robustness of the systems that are meant to save astronauts when the rocket faces a catastrophe.</p>

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<p>This process can be compared to how a fighter pilot pulls the ejection handle as a last resort when his/her jet faces an imminent crash/failure. In the jet, the pilot has control to pull the ejection handle, However, given how fast rockets travel and how fast things can go wrong, computer programmes are used to issue the eject/abort command, given how rapidly it must be done.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Components of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/isro?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#isro</a> TV-D1 being stacked vertically...<br />
Really exciting to imagine that with each one of these tests, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/india?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#india</a> is gradually &amp;steadily getting closer to sending our own astronauts <a href="https://twitter.com/IAF_MCC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IAF_MCC</a> pilots to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/space?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#space</a> and bring them back safely <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/tech?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#tech</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Engineering?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Engineering</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/science?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#science</a> 🚀🇮🇳 <a href="https://t.co/f255zrgLcI">pic.twitter.com/f255zrgLcI</a></p>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1715314425950011600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 20, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<h2><strong>Who recovers the capsule?</strong></h2>

<p>After the crew module splashes down in the Bay of Bengal, Indian Navy ships that are waiting within a safe distance would approach the module and with the assistance of expert swimmers, secure the crew module and lift it onto the ship using the on-board crane. Thereafter, it will be secured onboard the ship and then taken to the nearest port(Chennai) and handed back again to ISRO.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>What happens next?</strong></h2>

<p>As the name suggests, TV-D1 is the first of at least four similar tests. Lessons learnt from each test would be applied in the subsequent ones and hardware, software and system changes would be made, to develop the best possible crew escape system. Apart from flight tests, there are several other ground tests also being performed in the run-up to the Gaganyaan astronaut mission. During such testing, ISRO also tries out different types of hardware, made using different materials and different manufacturing processes. This helps zero in on the most-suited version.</p>

<h2><strong>What is this new rocket Test Vehicle?</strong></h2>

<p>By external appearance, Test Vehicle might seem like an all-new rocket. However, it is derived from the L40 booster that is used on the GSLV(formerly GSLV Mk2) rocket. It is a liquid-fuelled rocket stage that is being used for this test, Instead of using a large and expensive rocket for this test, ISRO has re-purposed and modified an existing system for low-cost and easy execution of multiple tests. This Test Vehicle is based on the workhorse Vikas engine that powers the PSLV and GSLV series of rockets. Instead of mounting satellites atop the Test vehicle, the crew module and crew escape system have been mounted, thereby giving the vehicle an all-new appearance.&nbsp;</p>

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The 35-meter-tall Test Vehicle rocket stands ready at the First Launchpad of India's Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. The 12-hour 30-minute countdown for the launch began at 7:30 pm Friday (Oct 20), WION has learnt.

The 35-meter-tall Test Vehicle rocket stands ready at the First Launchpad of India's Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. The 12-hour 30-minute countdown for the launch began at 7:30 pm Friday (Oct 20), WION has learnt. At 8 am IST, Saturday, as this countdown ends, the 44-ton vehicle is expected to blast off on a very unique mission. Unlike orbital-class rockets, this one is not meant to take satellites to space. Instead, it will be used to test a crucial ejection system(known as Crew Escape System) that is meant to save astronauts, in case of a mid-flight rocket failure. Also Read | James Webb Telescope observes jet stream as fast as 'category 5' storms on Jupiter The countdown is the time period in the final run-up to the launch, when the health checks of the rocket and associated systems are conducted. Liquid fuels are filled into the rocket's tanks and various parameters are monitored, in preparation for lift-off. Each mission has a unique countdown time, depending on its complexities, and mission profile and type of rocket being used. Glimpses of India's all-new Test Vehicle 🚀 being readied for maiden mission 'TV-D1' that'll liftoff 8am tomo Aug 2022 we saw SSLV being readied for launch and now we have a sub-orbital TV rocket for #Gaganyaan test flights Let's go🇮🇳#isro #india #space #tech #science #ISRO pic.twitter.com/3fezvwfcg8 — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) October 20, 2023 × The mission abbreviation 'TV-D1' denotes Test Vehicle Demonstration 1. Perched atop the test vehicle is a crew-carrying capsule, known as a Crew module. During the Indian astronaut mission Gaganyaan (expected to take flight in 2025), the Crew module will serve as the home and office of the astronauts, as they travel to space and back. The Crew module being used in Saturday's mission measures and weighs the same as the actual one. However, it doesn't contain pressurization systems(meant to maintain earth-like atmospheric conditions and other technologies that the final version will feature. How high will TV-D1 fly? Typical spacefaring rockets travel at least 500 km above the earth's surface into an orbit around the home planet. However, TV-D1 would be launched to an altitude that's a little more than that of passenger airliners. 61 seconds from lift-off, the vehicle would reach an altitude of 11.9 km and a speed of Mach1.2(1480kmph) and that's when the rocket would shut down, as pre-programmed. Also Read | Epic image captures moon's shadow falling on US during the 'ring of fire' solar eclipse Immediately, the Crew escape system would be triggered and the top portion of the rocket comprising the escape system and the crew module would eject itself higher and farther away from the rocket. They would travel a couple of kilometres higher away from the rocket. 90 seconds after lift-off, at around 17kms altitude, the crew escape system and crew module would separate. While the rocket and the crew escape system free-fall into the sea, the crew module uses multiple parachutes to gradually descend and splash down, almost 10kms away from the spaceport's shore. From lift-off to splashdown, this mission is expected to take less than nine minutes. What is this test meant to prove? Ejecting the 4.5-ton crew module during flight is an extremely sophisticated process. The engineers working on this project would want to test their rocket, crew module and ejection systems at different altitudes and Mach numbers (travel speeds). This would offer them more confidence about the reliability and robustness of the systems that are meant to save astronauts when the rocket faces a catastrophe. Watch | India expresses concern over BRI's expansionist intentions × This process can be compared to how a fighter pilot pulls the ejection handle as a last resort when his/her jet faces an imminent crash/failure. In the jet, the pilot has control to pull the ejection handle, However, given how fast rockets travel and how fast things can go wrong, computer programmes are used to issue the eject/abort command, given how rapidly it must be done. Components of #isro TV-D1 being stacked vertically... Really exciting to imagine that with each one of these tests, #india is gradually &steadily getting closer to sending our own astronauts @IAF_MCC pilots to #space and bring them back safely #tech #Engineering #science 🚀🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/f255zrgLcI — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) October 20, 2023 × Who recovers the capsule? After the crew module splashes down in the Bay of Bengal, Indian Navy ships that are waiting within a safe distance would approach the module and with the assistance of expert swimmers, secure the crew module and lift it onto the ship using the on-board crane. Thereafter, it will be secured onboard the ship and then taken to the nearest port(Chennai) and handed back again to ISRO. What happens next? As the name suggests, TV-D1 is the first of at least four similar tests. Lessons learnt from each test would be applied in the subsequent ones and hardware, software and system changes would be made, to develop the best possible crew escape system. Apart from flight tests, there are several other ground tests also being performed in the run-up to the Gaganyaan astronaut mission. During such testing, ISRO also tries out different types of hardware, made using different materials and different manufacturing processes. This helps zero in on the most-suited version. What is this new rocket Test Vehicle? By external appearance, Test Vehicle might seem like an all-new rocket. However, it is derived from the L40 booster that is used on the GSLV(formerly GSLV Mk2) rocket. It is a liquid-fuelled rocket stage that is being used for this test, Instead of using a large and expensive rocket for this test, ISRO has re-purposed and modified an existing system for low-cost and easy execution of multiple tests. This Test Vehicle is based on the workhorse Vikas engine that powers the PSLV and GSLV series of rockets. Instead of mounting satellites atop the Test vehicle, the crew module and crew escape system have been mounted, thereby giving the vehicle an all-new appearance. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

12:30 hrs countdown to ISRO's TV-D1 mission commences; Lift-off at 8 am Saturday. All details here

India space agency ISRO just announced that they're all set for a crucial rocket flight test this Saturday. As part of this ISRO will launch a rocket and shut it down mid-flight to test how a save a potential astronaut carrying a capsule from it. Keep watching this interview with ISRO Chief Dr S Somnath to know more.

ISRO chief, Dr S Somnath explains crucial Gangayaan flight test

India's Maiden Sun study Mission Aditya-L1 has completed one month of its 4 month Voyage in Space. The craft has travelled nearly for million kilometers away from the Earth. However, at its destination, there's some kind of traffic. In the next report, we will tell you more about how this traffic will be managed in space.

One month since launch, Aditya-L1 covers 920,000 km

ISRO's Venus mission is unofficially known as 'Shukrayaan'. The name is derived from the Sanskrit words "Shukra" meaning Venus and "yana" meaning craft or vehicle.

ISRO's Venus mission is unofficially known as 'Shukrayaan'

India’s lunar mission, Chandrayaan-3 touched down on the Moon’s surface successfully on August 23. Since then, Chandrayaan-3’s Vikram lander and Pragyan rover conducted studies on the surface and revealed various findings.

Chandrayaan-3: ISRO awaits lander revival after two weeks of sleep mode

Chandrayaan-3: Will Vikram lander wake up on Sep 22 after lunar night?

India's ambitious Sun Mission has achieved yet another milestone. The Aditya-L1 spacecraft has successfully completed its fourth Earthbound orbit raising manoeuvre. ISRO took to the social media platform X to confirm the success of the manoeuvre.

Aditya L-1: India's sun mission completes fourth manoeuvre orbit

<p>Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is gearing up to carry out the&nbsp;fourth Earth-bound manoeuvre in its Aditya-L1 mission. The manoeuvre will take place at 2 am IST on September 15 (2330 GMT on September 14). It is a crucial step as the Indian space agency is seeking to place the spacecraft in halo orbit around the Lagrange Point 1 (L1) of the Sun-Earth system.</p>

<p>The scheduled manoeuvre is part of a series of orbit-raising manoeuvres which will prepare the spacecraft for its journey further to the L1 point.</p>

<p>India's first space-based solar observatory was launched on September 2. Since then, three Earth-bound manoeuvres have been successfully carried out. The most recent took place on September 10. At the end of the third manoeuvre, the Aditya L1 spacecraft attained an orbit of 296 km x 71676 km, as per data released by ISRO.</p>

<p>The fourth manoeuvre will further raise the spacecraft's orbit.</p>

<p>The L1 point was discovered by mathematician Joseph Louis Lagrange. It is considered to be the most significant of the Lagrangian points for observation of the Sun. A spacecraft that's placed in a halo orbit around the L1 point would be in a position to observe the Sun continuously without any eclipses or occultation. This will help to observe solar activities in real-time.</p>

<p>Aditya-L1 is carrying seven payloads. These are designed for various layers of the Sun. Out of seven, four will directly view the Sun. The other three payloads will perform in-situ studies of particles and fields at the L1 point.</p>

<p>The instruments on Aditya-L1 are expected to provide important information about coronal mass ejection, coronal heating, pre-flare and flare activities among other solar phenomena of importance.</p>

<p>India is fresh off the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission. With a successful landing near the Moon's south pole, India has become the first country to land a spacecraft in this region. The rover and the lander are currently in sleep mode with chances of waking up again on Sep 22.</p>

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Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is gearing up to carry out the fourth Earth-bound manoeuvre in its Aditya-L1 mission. The manoeuvre will take place at 2 am IST on September 15 (2330 GMT on September 14).

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is gearing up to carry out the fourth Earth-bound manoeuvre in its Aditya-L1 mission. The manoeuvre will take place at 2 am IST on September 15 (2330 GMT on September 14). It is a crucial step as the Indian space agency is seeking to place the spacecraft in halo orbit around the Lagrange Point 1 (L1) of the Sun-Earth system. The scheduled manoeuvre is part of a series of orbit-raising manoeuvres which will prepare the spacecraft for its journey further to the L1 point. India's first space-based solar observatory was launched on September 2. Since then, three Earth-bound manoeuvres have been successfully carried out. The most recent took place on September 10. At the end of the third manoeuvre, the Aditya L1 spacecraft attained an orbit of 296 km x 71676 km, as per data released by ISRO. The fourth manoeuvre will further raise the spacecraft's orbit. The L1 point was discovered by mathematician Joseph Louis Lagrange. It is considered to be the most significant of the Lagrangian points for observation of the Sun. A spacecraft that's placed in a halo orbit around the L1 point would be in a position to observe the Sun continuously without any eclipses or occultation. This will help to observe solar activities in real-time. Aditya-L1 is carrying seven payloads. These are designed for various layers of the Sun. Out of seven, four will directly view the Sun. The other three payloads will perform in-situ studies of particles and fields at the L1 point. The instruments on Aditya-L1 are expected to provide important information about coronal mass ejection, coronal heating, pre-flare and flare activities among other solar phenomena of importance. India is fresh off the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission. With a successful landing near the Moon's south pole, India has become the first country to land a spacecraft in this region. The rover and the lander are currently in sleep mode with chances of waking up again on Sep 22. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Aditya-L1 mission: ISRO gears up to carry out fourth manoeuvre on Sept 15

<p>The Indian Embassy in South Korea recently shared an exciting development - South Korea's lunar orbiter, Danuri, captured images of the Vikram lander's landing site on the Moon's surface. The images were taken at the landing site of Chandrayaan-3, known as the 'Shiv Shakti Point,' situated on the Moon's South Pole.&nbsp;The embassy wrote on X social media platform, "Sharing the wonderful snap taken by South Korea’s lunar orbiter Danuri of ‘Shiv Shakti point’- the landing site of Chandrayaan-3 on the South Pole of Moon’s surface."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Sharing the wonderful snap taken by South Korea’s lunar orbiter Danuri of ‘Shiv Shakti point’- the landing site of Chandrayaan-3 on the South Pole of Moon’s surface👇<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/indiarokat50?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#indiarokat50</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/chandrayaan3?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#chandrayaan3</a><br />
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PC: <a href="https://twitter.com/withmsit?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@withmsit</a> <a href="https://t.co/ks6ydIzPjF">pic.twitter.com/ks6ydIzPjF</a></p>
— India in ROK (@IndiainROK) <a href="https://twitter.com/IndiainROK/status/1701576788529557906?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 12, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>The Ministry of Science and ICT of the Republic of Korea also marked this occasion by sharing the images, celebrating India's successful landing on the lunar south pole, a first in the history of humankind. In a post, the ministry wrote, "Commemorating India’s successful landing on the lunar south pole for the first time in humanity’s history, Korea’s lunar orbiter #Danuri sent photos of #Chandrayaan-3’s landing site on August 28th."</p>

<h2><strong>Captured from lunar orbit</strong></h2>

<p>Danuri, orbiting the Moon at an altitude of approximately 100 kilometers, successfully photographed Chandrayaan-3's landing site, offering a bird's-eye view of the lunar surface. This landing site, 'Shiv Shakti Point,' is located approximately 600 kilometers from the Moon's South Pole.</p>

<p>Chandrayaan-3, India's lunar exploration mission, achieved a historic landing on the lunar surface on August 23.</p>

<p>The rover has been diligently conducting extensive research and data collection, with a primary focus on analysing the composition of the Moon's soil and atmosphere.</p>

<p>The Chandrayaan-3 mission commenced on July 14, lifting off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. It successfully entered lunar orbit on August 5th, and on August 17th, the lander module separated from the propulsion module.</p>

<h2><strong>Danuri's ongoing lunar exploration</strong></h2>

<p>Korea's lunar probe, Danuri, has a mission timeline that extends until December 2025. During this period, it will conduct various scientific and technological missions, including photographing potential lunar landing sites and measuring the lunar magnetic field to gain insights into the Moon's origin.</p>

<p>The images captured by Danuri of Chandrayaan-3's landing site represent a significant milestone in international cooperation in space exploration and research. This collaboration shows the shared commitment of nations to explore and understand the mysteries of the lunar landscape.</p>

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The Indian Embassy in South Korea recently shared an exciting development - South Korea's lunar orbiter, Danuri, captured images of the Vikram lander's landing site on the Moon's surface.

The Indian Embassy in South Korea recently shared an exciting development - South Korea's lunar orbiter, Danuri, captured images of the Vikram lander's landing site on the Moon's surface. The images were taken at the landing site of Chandrayaan-3, known as the 'Shiv Shakti Point,' situated on the Moon's South Pole. The embassy wrote on X social media platform, "Sharing the wonderful snap taken by South Korea’s lunar orbiter Danuri of ‘Shiv Shakti point’- the landing site of Chandrayaan-3 on the South Pole of Moon’s surface." Sharing the wonderful snap taken by South Korea’s lunar orbiter Danuri of ‘Shiv Shakti point’- the landing site of Chandrayaan-3 on the South Pole of Moon’s surface👇#indiarokat50 #chandrayaan3 PC: @withmsit pic.twitter.com/ks6ydIzPjF — India in ROK (@IndiainROK) September 12, 2023 × The Ministry of Science and ICT of the Republic of Korea also marked this occasion by sharing the images, celebrating India's successful landing on the lunar south pole, a first in the history of humankind. In a post, the ministry wrote, "Commemorating India’s successful landing on the lunar south pole for the first time in humanity’s history, Korea’s lunar orbiter #Danuri sent photos of #Chandrayaan-3’s landing site on August 28th." Captured from lunar orbit Danuri, orbiting the Moon at an altitude of approximately 100 kilometers, successfully photographed Chandrayaan-3's landing site, offering a bird's-eye view of the lunar surface. This landing site, 'Shiv Shakti Point,' is located approximately 600 kilometers from the Moon's South Pole. Chandrayaan-3, India's lunar exploration mission, achieved a historic landing on the lunar surface on August 23. The rover has been diligently conducting extensive research and data collection, with a primary focus on analysing the composition of the Moon's soil and atmosphere. The Chandrayaan-3 mission commenced on July 14, lifting off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. It successfully entered lunar orbit on August 5th, and on August 17th, the lander module separated from the propulsion module. Danuri's ongoing lunar exploration Korea's lunar probe, Danuri, has a mission timeline that extends until December 2025. During this period, it will conduct various scientific and technological missions, including photographing potential lunar landing sites and measuring the lunar magnetic field to gain insights into the Moon's origin. The images captured by Danuri of Chandrayaan-3's landing site represent a significant milestone in international cooperation in space exploration and research. This collaboration shows the shared commitment of nations to explore and understand the mysteries of the lunar landscape. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Chandrayaan-3 landing site 'Shiv Shakti' clicked by South Korea's Danuri lunar orbiter

India's Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission has garnered global acclaim at the G20 summit. IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva praised India's space prowess, noting it achieved this feat with a budget less than that of the movie 'Interstellar.'

IMF director hails India's lunar mission budget at G20 Summit

After the success of Chandrayaan-3 the entire world is tuned into what India is doing in the space sector. India wakes up to another big update this time on its maiden solar mission. The Indian space agency ISRO has successfully completed the second Earthbound manoeuvre of the Aditya-L1 spacecraft.

Aditya-L1 mission: India's maiden solar mission crosses another milestone

Days after Chandrayaan-3's successful moon landing, the Vikram Lander has "soft-landed" on the lunar surface again.

Chandrayaan 3:  Vikram lander exceeds Chandrayaan-3 mission goals, with a hop

The ISRO announced on Monday that the launch of Aditya-L1 will take place at 11:50 am on September 2, 2022. The spacecraft will take off from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. ISRO has invited citizens "to witness the launch from the Launch View Gallery at Sriharikota".

Aditya-L1 mission: ISRO completes rehearsal successfully

<p>Geetika Srivastava, a 2005 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, will assume the role of India's charge&nbsp;d'affaires at its High Commission in Islamabad, Pakistan. This appointment marks the first time a female diplomat will lead India's representation in Pakistan. Srivastava's appointment is followed by the tenure of Suresh Kumar, who will be returning to New Delhi soon, media reports said.</p>

<p>Prior to her new assignment, Srivastava served as a joint secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)'s Indo-Pacific division. With an accomplished career, she also brings experience from her posting at the Indian Embassy in Beijing, China from 2007 to 2009, as well as her role as the director of the Regional Passport Office (RPO) in Kolkata.</p>

<p>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/storm-idalia-lashes-western-cuba-as-it-intensifies-into-major-hurricane-630067">Storm Idalia lashes western Cuba as it intensifies into major hurricane</a></p>

<h2><strong>Challenging role</strong></h2>

<p>Srivastava's assignment comes at a challenging time, as the diplomatic relations between India and Pakistan have been strained due to various factors, including terrorism breeding from Pakistani soil.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After India decided to abrogate Article 370, which revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, in August 2019, Islamabad downgraded diplomatic ties with New Delhi.</p>

<p>Now, the high commissions in Islamabad and New Delhi are led by respective charge d'affaires.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Historically, India has always been represented by male diplomats in its missions, and this appointment is the first in Indian diplomacy.</p>

<p>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/twitter-turned-x-faced-another-outage-down-for-thousands-of-users-630065">Twitter turned 'X' faces another outage, platform down for thousands of users</a></p>

<h2><strong>Recent developments</strong></h2>

<p>Pakistan also appointed Saad Ahmad Warraich as its new charge d'affaires in New Delhi.</p>

<p><strong>Watch | Gravitas: 'Don't Speak Japanese Loudly'; Tokyo Cautions Citizens Amid Harassment In China&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<p>Warraich, who previously served in Pakistan's Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, succeeded Salman Sharif, who left India in July.</p>

<p>The Indian position on Pakistan’s role in spreading and nurturing international terror groups has long remained clear and constant. New Delhi has repeatedly raised the issue of Pakistan's continued support of cross-border terrorism in bilateral, regional, and multilateral forums, and has shared credible inputs regarding the Pakistani origins of the captured terrorists.</p>

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Geetika Srivastava, a 2005 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, will assume the role of India's charge d'affaires at its High Commission in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Geetika Srivastava, a 2005 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, will assume the role of India's charge d'affaires at its High Commission in Islamabad, Pakistan. This appointment marks the first time a female diplomat will lead India's representation in Pakistan. Srivastava's appointment is followed by the tenure of Suresh Kumar, who will be returning to New Delhi soon, media reports said. Prior to her new assignment, Srivastava served as a joint secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)'s Indo-Pacific division. With an accomplished career, she also brings experience from her posting at the Indian Embassy in Beijing, China from 2007 to 2009, as well as her role as the director of the Regional Passport Office (RPO) in Kolkata. Also Read | Storm Idalia lashes western Cuba as it intensifies into major hurricane Challenging role Srivastava's assignment comes at a challenging time, as the diplomatic relations between India and Pakistan have been strained due to various factors, including terrorism breeding from Pakistani soil. After India decided to abrogate Article 370, which revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, in August 2019, Islamabad downgraded diplomatic ties with New Delhi. Now, the high commissions in Islamabad and New Delhi are led by respective charge d'affaires. Historically, India has always been represented by male diplomats in its missions, and this appointment is the first in Indian diplomacy. Also Read | Twitter turned 'X' faces another outage, platform down for thousands of users Recent developments Pakistan also appointed Saad Ahmad Warraich as its new charge d'affaires in New Delhi. Watch | Gravitas: 'Don't Speak Japanese Loudly'; Tokyo Cautions Citizens Amid Harassment In China × Warraich, who previously served in Pakistan's Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, succeeded Salman Sharif, who left India in July. The Indian position on Pakistan’s role in spreading and nurturing international terror groups has long remained clear and constant. New Delhi has repeatedly raised the issue of Pakistan's continued support of cross-border terrorism in bilateral, regional, and multilateral forums, and has shared credible inputs regarding the Pakistani origins of the captured terrorists. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Geetika Srivastava appointed as India's 1st female diplomat to head mission in Pakistan

Chandrayaan 3, for the first time ever in the history of world space science, profiled the soil of the south pole of the moon, its temperature variation up to 10cm beneath the surface.

Chandrayaan 3 shares first observations about moon's soil temperature

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