Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is preparing to head to space as part of the Ax-4 mission. His recent training involved simulating space like low pressure conditions to prepare for emergencies in orbit.

ISRO's Shubhanshu Shukla goes through toughest space training for Ax-4 mission! Know all about it

Shubhanshu Shukla is a Group Captain in the Indian Air Force and one of the four astronauts selected for India’s historic Gaganyaan Mission. Born on October 10, 1985.

Who is Shubhanshu Shukla? Things to know about Indian astronaut going to space this month

A Soviet spacecraft launched more than five decades ago is set for an uncontrolled re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere and the scariest part is that might fall anywhere on earth. 

Don't look up! This Soviet-era spacecraft can crash anywhere on Earth this month

This updated mission is scheduled for a 2038 launch, targeting evidence of alien life beyond Earth by sampling material ejected from the moon’s cryovolcanic eruptions.

NASA's Orbilander mission will search for alien life on Saturn's moon 'Enceladus'

Voyager Station is being developed by the Orbital Assembly Corporation (OAC), a California-based space construction company that now operates under the name Above Space. 

How will scientists build this luxury hotel in space? Know all about Voyager Station (Check pics)

Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will travel to the International Space Station in May as a part of Axiom Space’s upcoming Ax-4 mission, making him the first Indian to participate in an international commercial spaceflight to the ISS.

'Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29 and more': Take a look at the aviation legacy of ISRO's Shubhanshu Shukla

In the years following the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers have tallied over 1 trillion galaxies in the universe, but Andromeda stands out. 

7 incredible Andromeda Galaxy images released by NASA

The Roman Telescope will carry out wide and deep sky surveys to study the impact of dark energy and dark matter on cosmic evolution, as well as observe exoplanetary systems beyond the solar system. These surveys are based on proposals from over 1,000 scientists across more than 350 institutions.

'Mapping the stars': NASA unveils Roman Telescope’s celestial vision (Check blueprint)

<div dir="auto" data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody">The heartrending terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, which snuffed out 26 innocent lives, has jolted India into confronting the stark reality of its border security frailties. The announcement by ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan, who doubles as the Secretary of the Department of Space, to launch 100&ndash;150 satellites over the next three years, offers a beacon of hope. Speaking against the backdrop of this tragedy, Narayanan highlighted the limitations of India&rsquo;s current 55-satellite fleet in monitoring its sprawling 7,500-kilometre coastline and rugged borders. Fueled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi&rsquo;s transformative space reforms, this ambitious plan leans heavily on private sector collaboration to fortify India&rsquo;s surveillance architecture. Yet, the question looms large: can this celestial armada truly shield India from horrors like Pahalgam? The answer lies in reimagining border security through the prism of space technology, while navigating the formidable challenges ahead.</div>
<div dir="auto"></div>
<div dir="auto">The Pahalgam attack laid bare the chinks in India&rsquo;s security apparatus, particularly along its porous borders. Terrorists, exploiting the treacherous terrain of the Line of Control (LoC), infiltrated with devastating consequences. Narayanan&rsquo;s vision of a satellite-driven security paradigm seeks to plug these gaps by deploying a constellation of advanced satellites. Equipped with cutting-edge tools like high-resolution optical cameras, synthetic aperture radar (SAR), and thermal imaging, these satellites promise relentless vigilance over India&rsquo;s frontiers. SAR, for instance, can pierce through dense cloud cover and darkness, offering real-time imagery of even the most remote border outposts. Had such technology been operational in Pahalgam, it could have detected unusual movements, enabling security forces to intercept the attackers before they struck. With 100&ndash;150 satellites, India could establish a near-ubiquitous surveillance grid, ensuring that no corner of its borders remains unwatched.</div>
<div dir="auto"></div>
<div dir="auto">What sets this initiative apart is the unprecedented role of India&rsquo;s private space ecosystem, unshackled by Modi&rsquo;s reforms. Companies like Skyroot Aerospace and Pixxel are already making waves, crafting compact, cost-efficient satellites that rival global standards. By mentoring these innovators, ISRO can fast-track the production of small satellites&mdash;akin to those deployed in the Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX)&mdash;which can be swiftly repositioned to track emerging threats. Imagine a scenario where a constellation of such satellites, orbiting in low Earth orbit, relays live feeds of suspicious activity near Pahalgam to a command centre in Jammu. This could have triggered a rapid response, with drones and ground troops converging to neutralise the threat. The synergy between ISRO and private players is poised to democratise space technology, making India&rsquo;s borders not just secure but impenetrable.</div>
<div dir="auto"></div>
<div dir="auto">Beyond surveillance, these satellites could revolutionise intelligence-sharing. By integrating with India&rsquo;s burgeoning 5G networks and secure communication channels, they can transmit data instantaneously to security agencies. The SpaDeX mission, which cemented India&rsquo;s place among the elite club of nations mastering satellite docking, underscores ISRO&rsquo;s technical prowess. This expertise can now be channelled into creating a networked defence ecosystem, where satellites, drones, and ground sensors work in tandem. For instance, a satellite spotting a potential infiltration could cue a drone to verify the threat, while alerting nearby military units. Such a system could have averted the Pahalgam tragedy by enabling preemptive strikes, sparing countless families unimaginable grief.</div>
<div dir="auto"></div>
<div dir="auto">Yet, this celestial shield is not without its challenges. The deluge of data from 150 new satellites demands sophisticated artificial intelligence (AI) to sift through petabytes of imagery and pinpoint actionable intelligence. Without AI-driven analytics, critical alerts risk being drowned in a sea of raw data. Narayanan&rsquo;s nod to AI innovations, like the O-ARM system transforming medical diagnostics, signals the need for similar advancements in defence. ISRO must collaborate with tech giants and startups to develop algorithms that can detect anomalies&mdash;like unauthorised border crossings&mdash;in real time. Moreover, integrating satellite intelligence with ground operations remains a bottleneck. The Pahalgam attack exposed coordination lapses between agencies, underscoring the need for a unified command-and-control framework. Upgrading India&rsquo;s defence infrastructure to seamlessly fuse space-based inputs with field intelligence is non-negotiable.</div>
<div dir="auto"></div>
<div dir="auto">Another hurdle is ensuring the resilience of this satellite network against adversarial threats. Hostile actors, aware of India&rsquo;s growing reliance on space, could target these assets with anti-satellite weapons or cyberattacks. ISRO must prioritise hardening its satellites with encryption, anti-jamming technology, and redundant systems to ensure uninterrupted surveillance. Additionally, the dual-use potential of these satellites&mdash;serving both security and civilian purposes&mdash;adds complexity. Narayanan&rsquo;s proposal for a G20 climate change satellite reflects India&rsquo;s global ambitions, but the immediate focus must remain on safeguarding its citizens. By balancing these priorities, India can emerge as a space superpower while fortifying its homeland.</div>
<div dir="auto"></div>
<div dir="auto">The Pahalgam attack was a grim reminder that India&rsquo;s enemies exploit every vulnerability. Narayanan&rsquo;s satellite surge, backed by private innovation and AI, offers a bold riposte. It envisions a future where India&rsquo;s borders are guarded not just by soldiers but by an unblinking celestial shield. The success of SpaDeX proves ISRO can deliver on audacious goals. Now, it must translate this momentum into a security revolution, ensuring that no mother in Kashmir weeps for a lost child, no village mourns a fallen hero. The stars are aligning for India&rsquo;s defence; it&rsquo;s time to seize the skies and secure the nation.</div>

Beyond surveillance, these satellites could revolutionise intelligence-sharing. By integrating with India’s burgeoning 5G networks and secure communication channels, they can transmit data instantaneously to security agencies.

The heartrending terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, which snuffed out 26 innocent lives, has jolted India into confronting the stark reality of its border security frailties. The announcement by ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan, who doubles as the Secretary of the Department of Space, to launch 100–150 satellites over the next three years, offers a beacon of hope. Speaking against the backdrop of this tragedy, Narayanan highlighted the limitations of India’s current 55-satellite fleet in monitoring its sprawling 7,500-kilometre coastline and rugged borders. Fueled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s transformative space reforms, this ambitious plan leans heavily on private sector collaboration to fortify India’s surveillance architecture. Yet, the question looms large: can this celestial armada truly shield India from horrors like Pahalgam? The answer lies in reimagining border security through the prism of space technology, while navigating the formidable challenges ahead. The Pahalgam attack laid bare the chinks in India’s security apparatus, particularly along its porous borders. Terrorists, exploiting the treacherous terrain of the Line of Control (LoC), infiltrated with devastating consequences. Narayanan’s vision of a satellite-driven security paradigm seeks to plug these gaps by deploying a constellation of advanced satellites. Equipped with cutting-edge tools like high-resolution optical cameras, synthetic aperture radar (SAR), and thermal imaging, these satellites promise relentless vigilance over India’s frontiers. SAR, for instance, can pierce through dense cloud cover and darkness, offering real-time imagery of even the most remote border outposts. Had such technology been operational in Pahalgam, it could have detected unusual movements, enabling security forces to intercept the attackers before they struck. With 100–150 satellites, India could establish a near-ubiquitous surveillance grid, ensuring that no corner of its borders remains unwatched. What sets this initiative apart is the unprecedented role of India’s private space ecosystem, unshackled by Modi’s reforms. Companies like Skyroot Aerospace and Pixxel are already making waves, crafting compact, cost-efficient satellites that rival global standards. By mentoring these innovators, ISRO can fast-track the production of small satellites—akin to those deployed in the Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX)—which can be swiftly repositioned to track emerging threats. Imagine a scenario where a constellation of such satellites, orbiting in low Earth orbit, relays live feeds of suspicious activity near Pahalgam to a command centre in Jammu. This could have triggered a rapid response, with drones and ground troops converging to neutralise the threat. The synergy between ISRO and private players is poised to democratise space technology, making India’s borders not just secure but impenetrable. Beyond surveillance, these satellites could revolutionise intelligence-sharing. By integrating with India’s burgeoning 5G networks and secure communication channels, they can transmit data instantaneously to security agencies. The SpaDeX mission, which cemented India’s place among the elite club of nations mastering satellite docking, underscores ISRO’s technical prowess. This expertise can now be channelled into creating a networked defence ecosystem, where satellites, drones, and ground sensors work in tandem. For instance, a satellite spotting a potential infiltration could cue a drone to verify the threat, while alerting nearby military units. Such a system could have averted the Pahalgam tragedy by enabling preemptive strikes, sparing countless families unimaginable grief. Yet, this celestial shield is not without its challenges. The deluge of data from 150 new satellites demands sophisticated artificial intelligence (AI) to sift through petabytes of imagery and pinpoint actionable intelligence. Without AI-driven analytics, critical alerts risk being drowned in a sea of raw data. Narayanan’s nod to AI innovations, like the O-ARM system transforming medical diagnostics, signals the need for similar advancements in defence. ISRO must collaborate with tech giants and startups to develop algorithms that can detect anomalies—like unauthorised border crossings—in real time. Moreover, integrating satellite intelligence with ground operations remains a bottleneck. The Pahalgam attack exposed coordination lapses between agencies, underscoring the need for a unified command-and-control framework. Upgrading India’s defence infrastructure to seamlessly fuse space-based inputs with field intelligence is non-negotiable. Another hurdle is ensuring the resilience of this satellite network against adversarial threats. Hostile actors, aware of India’s growing reliance on space, could target these assets with anti-satellite weapons or cyberattacks. ISRO must prioritise hardening its satellites with encryption, anti-jamming technology, and redundant systems to ensure uninterrupted surveillance. Additionally, the dual-use potential of these satellites—serving both security and civilian purposes—adds complexity. Narayanan’s proposal for a G20 climate change satellite reflects India’s global ambitions, but the immediate focus must remain on safeguarding its citizens. By balancing these priorities, India can emerge as a space superpower while fortifying its homeland. The Pahalgam attack was a grim reminder that India’s enemies exploit every vulnerability. Narayanan’s satellite surge, backed by private innovation and AI, offers a bold riposte. It envisions a future where India’s borders are guarded not just by soldiers but by an unblinking celestial shield. The success of SpaDeX proves ISRO can deliver on audacious goals. Now, it must translate this momentum into a security revolution, ensuring that no mother in Kashmir weeps for a lost child, no village mourns a fallen hero. The stars are aligning for India’s defence; it’s time to seize the skies and secure the nation.

Unblinking Guardians: Can ISRO's Satellite Revolution Prevent Another Pahalgam?

Here is a detailed, neutrally toned, and British English version of the story:
<hr>
Katy Perry Becomes First Pop Star to Sing in Space, Succeeding Where Others Fell Short
Katy Perry has become the first pop singer to perform in space, marking a new milestone in the intersection of entertainment and spaceflight. On 14 April 2025, Perry flew aboard Blue Origin&rsquo;s New Shepard rocket alongside five other women, all part of an all-female crew selected for the suborbital mission. During the brief journey, she sang &ldquo;What a Wonderful World&rdquo; after observing Earth from above, becoming the first artist to deliver a live vocal performance beyond the atmosphere.
<a href="https://x.com/blueorigin/status/1911759100859531504/photo/1" rel="dofollow">https://x.com/blueorigin/status/1911759100859531504/photo/1</a>
The achievement comes after years of speculation and attempts by other high-profile artists to reach space &mdash; efforts that, despite their visibility, did not come to fruition.
<h3>Lance Bass: Early Attempt with Soyuz</h3>
The first documented case of a pop singer preparing for space travel dates back to 2002, when NSYNC member Lance Bass underwent cosmonaut training in Russia. At age 23, Bass was scheduled to fly aboard a Soyuz spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS). The trip, backed by a documentary project, would have cost $20 million. However, the mission was eventually cancelled after the project&rsquo;s insurance provider withdrew support shortly before launch. Despite the setback, Bass later said the training experience alone was valuable.
<h3>Beyonce and Jay-Z: Space Music Video Plans</h3>
In the early 2010s, reports emerged that Beyonce and Jay-Z were exploring the idea of recording a music video in space with Virgin Galactic. The couple was believed to be among the hundreds of individuals who had placed a reservation for a suborbital flight on the SpaceShipTwo vehicle. Although the company did not confirm the reservation, media speculation persisted. Following a fatal test flight accident in 2014, it remains unclear whether they retained their tickets.
<h3>Justin Bieber: Confirmed Ticket Holder</h3>
Singer Justin Bieber, along with his manager Scooter Braun, publicly confirmed a Virgin Galactic flight booking in 2013. Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson welcomed them in a social media post at the time. Bieber also expressed interest in filming a music video in space. However, like other early ticket holders, he has yet to fly. Virgin Galactic&rsquo;s SpaceShipTwo has since been used for a series of test and commercial flights, though the company is now transitioning to its next-generation &ldquo;Delta&rdquo; spaceplanes, with passenger services expected to resume in 2026.
<h3>Lady Gaga: Planned Space Performance Delayed</h3>
Lady Gaga was also reported to have purchased a ticket on Virgin Galactic in 2013. She had planned to perform a song during a 2015 flight as part of a high-profile event, the &ldquo;Zero G Colony,&rdquo; at Spaceport America in New Mexico. However, Virgin Galactic's space tourism programme faced delays, and Gaga&rsquo;s flight was postponed indefinitely. She has not yet flown.
<h3>Sarah Brightman: Withdrawn from ISS Mission</h3>
British soprano Sarah Brightman was scheduled to travel to the International Space Station in 2015 as a space tourist through a deal with Russia&rsquo;s space agency. She began training in Star City, similar to Bass, but later withdrew from the flight due to &ldquo;personal family reasons.&rdquo; The seat was eventually filled by a different passenger.
<h3>A Milestone Amid Past Attempts</h3>
Katy Perry&rsquo;s successful suborbital journey makes her the first musical artist to perform in space, achieving what several others had aimed for over the past two decades. While other celebrities have participated in spaceflights through companies like Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic, Perry is the first from the pop music industry to combine the experience with a live vocal performance.
As private space travel becomes more accessible, more artists may follow in her footsteps. But for now, Perry&rsquo;s brief rendition of &ldquo;What a Wonderful World&rdquo; in microgravity stands as a first in music and space history.

The achievement comes after years of speculation and attempts by other high-profile artists to reach space — efforts that, despite their visibility, did not come to fruition.

Here is a detailed, neutrally toned, and British English version of the story: Katy Perry Becomes First Pop Star to Sing in Space, Succeeding Where Others Fell Short Katy Perry has become the first pop singer to perform in space, marking a new milestone in the intersection of entertainment and spaceflight. On 14 April 2025, Perry flew aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket alongside five other women, all part of an all-female crew selected for the suborbital mission. During the brief journey, she sang “What a Wonderful World” after observing Earth from above, becoming the first artist to deliver a live vocal performance beyond the atmosphere. https://x.com/blueorigin/status/1911759100859531504/photo/1 The achievement comes after years of speculation and attempts by other high-profile artists to reach space — efforts that, despite their visibility, did not come to fruition. Lance Bass: Early Attempt with Soyuz The first documented case of a pop singer preparing for space travel dates back to 2002, when NSYNC member Lance Bass underwent cosmonaut training in Russia. At age 23, Bass was scheduled to fly aboard a Soyuz spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS). The trip, backed by a documentary project, would have cost $20 million. However, the mission was eventually cancelled after the project’s insurance provider withdrew support shortly before launch. Despite the setback, Bass later said the training experience alone was valuable. Beyonce and Jay-Z: Space Music Video Plans In the early 2010s, reports emerged that Beyonce and Jay-Z were exploring the idea of recording a music video in space with Virgin Galactic. The couple was believed to be among the hundreds of individuals who had placed a reservation for a suborbital flight on the SpaceShipTwo vehicle. Although the company did not confirm the reservation, media speculation persisted. Following a fatal test flight accident in 2014, it remains unclear whether they retained their tickets. Justin Bieber: Confirmed Ticket Holder Singer Justin Bieber, along with his manager Scooter Braun, publicly confirmed a Virgin Galactic flight booking in 2013. Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson welcomed them in a social media post at the time. Bieber also expressed interest in filming a music video in space. However, like other early ticket holders, he has yet to fly. Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo has since been used for a series of test and commercial flights, though the company is now transitioning to its next-generation “Delta” spaceplanes, with passenger services expected to resume in 2026. Lady Gaga: Planned Space Performance Delayed Lady Gaga was also reported to have purchased a ticket on Virgin Galactic in 2013. She had planned to perform a song during a 2015 flight as part of a high-profile event, the “Zero G Colony,” at Spaceport America in New Mexico. However, Virgin Galactic's space tourism programme faced delays, and Gaga’s flight was postponed indefinitely. She has not yet flown. Sarah Brightman: Withdrawn from ISS Mission British soprano Sarah Brightman was scheduled to travel to the International Space Station in 2015 as a space tourist through a deal with Russia’s space agency. She began training in Star City, similar to Bass, but later withdrew from the flight due to “personal family reasons.” The seat was eventually filled by a different passenger. A Milestone Amid Past Attempts Katy Perry’s successful suborbital journey makes her the first musical artist to perform in space, achieving what several others had aimed for over the past two decades. While other celebrities have participated in spaceflights through companies like Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic, Perry is the first from the pop music industry to combine the experience with a live vocal performance. As private space travel becomes more accessible, more artists may follow in her footsteps. But for now, Perry’s brief rendition of “What a Wonderful World” in microgravity stands as a first in music and space history.

Katy Perry becomes first to sing in space, leaving behind Lady Gaga, Justice Bieber and others

Here&rsquo;s a detailed news story rephrased in a clear, British English format:
<hr>
SpaceX successfully launched the 10th mission under the United States National Reconnaissance Office's (NRO) "proliferated architecture" programme on Saturday, 20 April.
A Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 8:29 a.m. EDT (1229 GMT; 5:29 a.m. local time). The mission, designated NROL-145, deployed another set of small reconnaissance satellites into orbit. These satellites are part of the NRO's evolving strategy to rely on a broader network of cost-effective, small-scale satellites, rather than a limited number of larger, high-capability spacecraft.
NROL-145 marks the latest step in the NRO's shift towards distributed satellite systems aimed at improving the speed and reliability of intelligence collection. According to NRO Director Chris Scolese, the increased number of smaller satellites in orbit is expected to provide improved revisit rates, wider geographical coverage, and quicker access to information.
The launch proceeded as planned. Approximately eight minutes after liftoff, the Falcon 9&rsquo;s first stage successfully landed on a SpaceX drone ship stationed in the Pacific Ocean. This flight marked the 12th launch and recovery for the specific booster used in this mission.
The NRO did not release any specific details or visuals of the payload. SpaceX ended its livestream shortly after the booster landing at the NRO&rsquo;s request, and no footage from the upper stage or details of the satellites were shared. The agency typically maintains a high level of secrecy regarding its reconnaissance payloads.
While not officially confirmed, the satellites in the proliferated architecture programme are believed to be modified versions of SpaceX&rsquo;s Starlink internet satellites, enhanced with surveillance equipment tailored for government use.
The first of these missions was launched in May 2024. Since then, all 10 launches under the proliferated architecture initiative have used Falcon 9 rockets and have taken place from the Vandenberg site.
This approach, using a larger number of satellites deployed frequently, reflects a growing trend in space-based intelligence gathering. The method aims to increase operational resilience and responsiveness in a rapidly changing global environment.

These satellites are part of the NRO's evolving strategy to rely on a broader network of cost-effective, small-scale satellites, rather than a limited number of larger, high-capability spacecraft.

Here’s a detailed news story rephrased in a clear, British English format: SpaceX successfully launched the 10th mission under the United States National Reconnaissance Office's (NRO) "proliferated architecture" programme on Saturday, 20 April. A Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 8:29 a.m. EDT (1229 GMT; 5:29 a.m. local time). The mission, designated NROL-145, deployed another set of small reconnaissance satellites into orbit. These satellites are part of the NRO's evolving strategy to rely on a broader network of cost-effective, small-scale satellites, rather than a limited number of larger, high-capability spacecraft. NROL-145 marks the latest step in the NRO's shift towards distributed satellite systems aimed at improving the speed and reliability of intelligence collection. According to NRO Director Chris Scolese, the increased number of smaller satellites in orbit is expected to provide improved revisit rates, wider geographical coverage, and quicker access to information. The launch proceeded as planned. Approximately eight minutes after liftoff, the Falcon 9’s first stage successfully landed on a SpaceX drone ship stationed in the Pacific Ocean. This flight marked the 12th launch and recovery for the specific booster used in this mission. The NRO did not release any specific details or visuals of the payload. SpaceX ended its livestream shortly after the booster landing at the NRO’s request, and no footage from the upper stage or details of the satellites were shared. The agency typically maintains a high level of secrecy regarding its reconnaissance payloads. While not officially confirmed, the satellites in the proliferated architecture programme are believed to be modified versions of SpaceX’s Starlink internet satellites, enhanced with surveillance equipment tailored for government use. The first of these missions was launched in May 2024. Since then, all 10 launches under the proliferated architecture initiative have used Falcon 9 rockets and have taken place from the Vandenberg site. This approach, using a larger number of satellites deployed frequently, reflects a growing trend in space-based intelligence gathering. The method aims to increase operational resilience and responsiveness in a rapidly changing global environment.

'Web of Watchers': SpaceX sends 10th fleet of spy satellites into orbit for US reconnaissance

A new space mission concept led by researchers at ETH Zurich aims to determine how common life is in the universe &mdash; even if no signs of life are detected. Known as LIFE (Large Interferometer For Exoplanets), the proposed mission would use four space telescopes flying in formation around a central combiner spacecraft to examine rocky planets located in their stars' habitable zones.
The LIFE mission intends to investigate the atmospheres of exoplanets for biosignatures &mdash; chemical indicators of life such as oxygen, water vapour, methane, and others. Using a technique called nulling interferometry, the telescopes would cancel out the light of host stars, allowing the faint signals from orbiting planets to be observed. Although the telescopes would not directly image the planets, they would perform mid-infrared spectroscopy to identify atmospheric molecules.
Currently, LIFE remains a mission concept and has not been adopted by any space agency. However, scientists at ETH Zurich have been examining what such a mission could reveal even in the absence of a positive detection.
Using Bayesian statistical modelling, the team calculated how many Earth-like exoplanets the mission would need to survey to make a meaningful statement about the rarity of life. According to their analysis, if LIFE observed between 40 and 80 planets without detecting any biosignatures, it could suggest &mdash; with statistical confidence &mdash; that fewer than 10 to 20 per cent of similar planets in the galaxy host life.
The study highlights the importance of the chosen statistical approach. Bayesian statistics uses existing knowledge to refine probability estimates, while frequentist statistics relies on large samples and repeated trials. The researchers applied both methods to ensure robustness in their conclusions and found similar results from both approaches.
The team acknowledges that uncertainties remain. Biosignatures may be present but undetectable, or some planets might be misclassified as habitable. These factors could affect interpretations of the data.
Emily Garvin, a doctoral researcher at ETH Zurich, noted that different survey goals may require tailored statistical methods. The study presents a framework for adopting multiple approaches to interpret findings from future space-based observations.
Even if LIFE does not detect biosignatures, its observations could place upper limits on how common inhabited planets are &mdash; contributing to a broader understanding of life's distribution in the universe. The findings were published in The Astronomical Journal on 7 April.

LIFE remains a mission concept and has not been adopted by any space agency. However, scientists at ETH Zurich have been examining what such a mission could reveal even in the absence of a positive detection.

A new space mission concept led by researchers at ETH Zurich aims to determine how common life is in the universe — even if no signs of life are detected. Known as LIFE (Large Interferometer For Exoplanets), the proposed mission would use four space telescopes flying in formation around a central combiner spacecraft to examine rocky planets located in their stars' habitable zones. The LIFE mission intends to investigate the atmospheres of exoplanets for biosignatures — chemical indicators of life such as oxygen, water vapour, methane, and others. Using a technique called nulling interferometry, the telescopes would cancel out the light of host stars, allowing the faint signals from orbiting planets to be observed. Although the telescopes would not directly image the planets, they would perform mid-infrared spectroscopy to identify atmospheric molecules. Currently, LIFE remains a mission concept and has not been adopted by any space agency. However, scientists at ETH Zurich have been examining what such a mission could reveal even in the absence of a positive detection. Using Bayesian statistical modelling, the team calculated how many Earth-like exoplanets the mission would need to survey to make a meaningful statement about the rarity of life. According to their analysis, if LIFE observed between 40 and 80 planets without detecting any biosignatures, it could suggest — with statistical confidence — that fewer than 10 to 20 per cent of similar planets in the galaxy host life. The study highlights the importance of the chosen statistical approach. Bayesian statistics uses existing knowledge to refine probability estimates, while frequentist statistics relies on large samples and repeated trials. The researchers applied both methods to ensure robustness in their conclusions and found similar results from both approaches. The team acknowledges that uncertainties remain. Biosignatures may be present but undetectable, or some planets might be misclassified as habitable. These factors could affect interpretations of the data. Emily Garvin, a doctoral researcher at ETH Zurich, noted that different survey goals may require tailored statistical methods. The study presents a framework for adopting multiple approaches to interpret findings from future space-based observations. Even if LIFE does not detect biosignatures, its observations could place upper limits on how common inhabited planets are — contributing to a broader understanding of life's distribution in the universe. The findings were published in The Astronomical Journal on 7 April.

'Hunting for aliens': How a new space telescope called 'LIFE' could change everything

A new short documentary released by the European Space Agency (ESA) raises concerns about the increasing volume of debris orbiting Earth. Titled&nbsp;"Space Debris: Is it a Crisis?", the eight-minute film opens by stating that around 70 per cent of the approximately 20,000 satellites launched since the beginning of the space age remain in orbit. These are joined by hundreds of millions of smaller fragments created through collisions, explosions, and deliberate destruction.
The documentary examines the potential consequences of the rising number of satellite constellations, such as those deployed for global internet services. It notes that the increase in such constellations will likely add to the already growing population of orbital debris, as additional fragments are produced during launches and as non-operational satellites remain in space without retrieval mechanisms.
ESA&rsquo;s film uses data and orbital models to explore how debris can affect active satellites. Even small fragments, due to the high speeds involved in orbit, can significantly damage functioning spacecraft. In the event of a collision between two satellites, the consequences could be severe. The film also acknowledges that some debris re-enters Earth&rsquo;s atmosphere in an uncontrolled manner.
The documentary points out that different orbital zones face different levels of risk, with low Earth orbit&mdash;home to satellites used for communication, navigation, and climate monitoring&mdash;particularly vulnerable.
While discussing potential mitigation strategies, the film warns against hasty actions. It calls for a more considered approach to ensure that long-term sustainability is not undermined by short-term fixes. ESA underlines the complexity of addressing the debris issue without shifting the burden elsewhere.

The documentary points out that different orbital zones face different levels of risk, with low Earth orbit—home to satellites used for communication, navigation, and climate monitoring—particularly vulnerable.

A new short documentary released by the European Space Agency (ESA) raises concerns about the increasing volume of debris orbiting Earth. Titled "Space Debris: Is it a Crisis?", the eight-minute film opens by stating that around 70 per cent of the approximately 20,000 satellites launched since the beginning of the space age remain in orbit. These are joined by hundreds of millions of smaller fragments created through collisions, explosions, and deliberate destruction. The documentary examines the potential consequences of the rising number of satellite constellations, such as those deployed for global internet services. It notes that the increase in such constellations will likely add to the already growing population of orbital debris, as additional fragments are produced during launches and as non-operational satellites remain in space without retrieval mechanisms. ESA’s film uses data and orbital models to explore how debris can affect active satellites. Even small fragments, due to the high speeds involved in orbit, can significantly damage functioning spacecraft. In the event of a collision between two satellites, the consequences could be severe. The film also acknowledges that some debris re-enters Earth’s atmosphere in an uncontrolled manner. The documentary points out that different orbital zones face different levels of risk, with low Earth orbit—home to satellites used for communication, navigation, and climate monitoring—particularly vulnerable. While discussing potential mitigation strategies, the film warns against hasty actions. It calls for a more considered approach to ensure that long-term sustainability is not undermined by short-term fixes. ESA underlines the complexity of addressing the debris issue without shifting the burden elsewhere.

ESA new short film investigates impact of increasing orbital debris

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, along with her Crew-9 crewmates, has returned to Earth after spending over nine months aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The Crew Dragon capsule, named&nbsp;Freedom, splashed down off the coast of Florida on Tuesday evening, marking the end of an unexpectedly prolonged mission that was initially planned for just 10 days.
As the hatch of Crew Dragon opened, Williams took her first breath of fresh air after 276 days in space. Like all astronauts returning from extended missions, she was assisted out of the spacecraft by the recovery team. Due to the effects of prolonged weightlessness, Williams was carried out on a stretcher, a common precaution as astronauts readjust to Earth&rsquo;s gravity.
<img src="https://img-cdn.thepublive.com/fit-in/580x348/filters:format(webp)/wion/media/post_attachments/17c444cd-bf6.png">
Extended stays in microgravity lead to muscle atrophy and bone density loss, making it difficult for returning astronauts to walk immediately. NASA follows a standard protocol to assess crew members' health upon landing, gradually reintroducing them to normal physical activity. Williams, who now holds the record for the second-longest cumulative time spent in space by a NASA astronaut at 608 days, will undergo medical evaluations and rehabilitation in the coming weeks.
Williams and her crewmate Butch Wilmore were originally sent to the ISS on Boeing&rsquo;s Starliner spacecraft for a short test mission in June 2024. However, technical issues with Starliner forced NASA to delay their return indefinitely. Ultimately, they were brought back aboard SpaceX&rsquo;s Crew Dragon along with NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, who were also part of Crew-9&rsquo;s extended stay on the ISS.
<img src="https://img-cdn.thepublive.com/fit-in/580x348/filters:format(webp)/wion/media/post_attachments/e90795df-50a.png">
Speaking to mission control after landing, Williams expressed gratitude to the teams that worked on their safe return. "It&rsquo;s great to be back on Earth," she said.
Williams, Wilmore, Hague, and Gorbunov will spend the next few weeks at NASA&rsquo;s Johnson Space Center in Houston, undergoing post-flight recovery before resuming normal activities.

As the hatch of Crew Dragon opened, Williams took her first breath of fresh air after 276 days in space.

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, along with her Crew-9 crewmates, has returned to Earth after spending over nine months aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The Crew Dragon capsule, named Freedom, splashed down off the coast of Florida on Tuesday evening, marking the end of an unexpectedly prolonged mission that was initially planned for just 10 days. As the hatch of Crew Dragon opened, Williams took her first breath of fresh air after 276 days in space. Like all astronauts returning from extended missions, she was assisted out of the spacecraft by the recovery team. Due to the effects of prolonged weightlessness, Williams was carried out on a stretcher, a common precaution as astronauts readjust to Earth’s gravity. Extended stays in microgravity lead to muscle atrophy and bone density loss, making it difficult for returning astronauts to walk immediately. NASA follows a standard protocol to assess crew members' health upon landing, gradually reintroducing them to normal physical activity. Williams, who now holds the record for the second-longest cumulative time spent in space by a NASA astronaut at 608 days, will undergo medical evaluations and rehabilitation in the coming weeks. Williams and her crewmate Butch Wilmore were originally sent to the ISS on Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft for a short test mission in June 2024. However, technical issues with Starliner forced NASA to delay their return indefinitely. Ultimately, they were brought back aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon along with NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, who were also part of Crew-9’s extended stay on the ISS. Speaking to mission control after landing, Williams expressed gratitude to the teams that worked on their safe return. "It’s great to be back on Earth," she said. Williams, Wilmore, Hague, and Gorbunov will spend the next few weeks at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, undergoing post-flight recovery before resuming normal activities.

'Carried out on stretcher': NASA's Sunita Williams takes first breath of fresh air after 9 months

NASA astronauts Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Sunita "Suni" Williams have concluded a mission that extended far beyond its original timeline. Initially planned as a short-duration test of Boeing&rsquo;s Starliner spacecraft, the mission evolved into a nine-month stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS) due to technical challenges. The following timeline outlines key events in the mission&rsquo;s progression.
June 5, 2024: Starliner Launches The Starliner spacecraft lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. The mission, known as the Crew Flight Test (CFT), aimed to evaluate Starliner&rsquo;s capabilities before it could be certified for routine astronaut transport.
June 6, 2024: Docking Delayed Due to Thruster Malfunctions Starliner encountered issues with its reaction-control system (RCS) thrusters while approaching the ISS. Five of the 28 thrusters failed, preventing an initial docking attempt. The mission team restored functionality to four of the five thrusters, allowing Starliner to dock successfully on its second attempt.
June 18, 2024: Return Delayed Due to Further Issues NASA postponed Starliner&rsquo;s return to Earth, originally scheduled for June 26, to assess and address technical issues, including helium leaks in the propulsion system. The decision extended Wilmore and Williams&rsquo; stay on the ISS beyond the initial 10-day plan.
July 2, 2024: NASA Extends Mission Beyond 45-Day Limit The mission&rsquo;s duration was officially extended past the originally planned 45-day maximum. NASA determined that the spacecraft&rsquo;s performance in orbit warranted further analysis before authorising a return.
August 24, 2024: NASA Confirms Starliner Will Return Uncrewed NASA and Boeing announced that Starliner would return to Earth without astronauts. Wilmore and Williams would remain on the ISS until alternative return arrangements could be made, with Crew-9&rsquo;s SpaceX Dragon capsule designated for their return.
August 30, 2024: Crew-9 Adjustments to Accommodate Starliner Crew NASA adjusted Crew-9&rsquo;s manifest, removing two astronauts&mdash;Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson&mdash;to make room for Wilmore and Williams on the return flight.
September 7, 2024: Starliner Returns Uncrewed Starliner successfully landed at White Sands Space Harbor, New Mexico, without astronauts on board. NASA continued its assessment of the vehicle&rsquo;s technical issues.
September 22, 2024: Sunita Williams Takes Command of ISS Following the departure of Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko, Williams assumed command of the ISS. She continued overseeing operations while awaiting her return to Earth.
September 28, 2024: Crew-9 Launches to ISS A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched Crew-9 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The mission carried two astronauts&mdash;Nick Hague (NASA) and Aleksandr Gorbunov (Roscosmos)&mdash;while reserving two seats on the Crew Dragon spacecraft for Wilmore and Williams&rsquo; eventual return.
November 12, 2024: Williams Addresses Health Concerns Speculation regarding Williams&rsquo; health due to the prolonged mission was dismissed in an interview from the ISS. She confirmed that she had maintained her physical fitness and remained in stable condition.
December 17, 2024: NASA Delays Return to March 2025 NASA announced that Crew-9 would remain on the ISS until Crew-10&rsquo;s arrival. Crew-10&rsquo;s launch was postponed due to issues with its new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.
January 30, 2025: Williams Sets Spacewalk Record Williams conducted a 5.5-hour extravehicular activity (EVA) alongside Wilmore, setting a record for the most cumulative EVA time by a female astronaut.
February 11, 2025: NASA Moves Up Return Timeline NASA opted to use a flight-proven Dragon capsule, Endurance, for Crew-10 rather than wait for a new spacecraft. This adjustment allowed Crew-10 to launch in mid-March, enabling Crew-9&rsquo;s earlier-than-expected return.
March 14, 2025: Crew-10 Launches to ISS The Crew-10 mission launched from NASA&rsquo;s Kennedy Space Center, arriving at the ISS the following day, paving the way for Crew-9&rsquo;s departure.
March 18, 2025: Wilmore and Williams Return to Earth Crew-9&rsquo;s Dragon capsule, Freedom, undocked from the ISS at 1:05 a.m. EDT and was scheduled to splash down off the coast of Florida at 5:57 p.m. EDT, marking the conclusion of a mission that significantly exceeded its original duration.

Initially planned as a short-duration test of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, the mission evolved into a nine-month stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS) due to technical challenges.

NASA astronauts Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Sunita "Suni" Williams have concluded a mission that extended far beyond its original timeline. Initially planned as a short-duration test of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, the mission evolved into a nine-month stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS) due to technical challenges. The following timeline outlines key events in the mission’s progression. June 5, 2024: Starliner Launches The Starliner spacecraft lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. The mission, known as the Crew Flight Test (CFT), aimed to evaluate Starliner’s capabilities before it could be certified for routine astronaut transport. June 6, 2024: Docking Delayed Due to Thruster Malfunctions Starliner encountered issues with its reaction-control system (RCS) thrusters while approaching the ISS. Five of the 28 thrusters failed, preventing an initial docking attempt. The mission team restored functionality to four of the five thrusters, allowing Starliner to dock successfully on its second attempt. June 18, 2024: Return Delayed Due to Further Issues NASA postponed Starliner’s return to Earth, originally scheduled for June 26, to assess and address technical issues, including helium leaks in the propulsion system. The decision extended Wilmore and Williams’ stay on the ISS beyond the initial 10-day plan. July 2, 2024: NASA Extends Mission Beyond 45-Day Limit The mission’s duration was officially extended past the originally planned 45-day maximum. NASA determined that the spacecraft’s performance in orbit warranted further analysis before authorising a return. August 24, 2024: NASA Confirms Starliner Will Return Uncrewed NASA and Boeing announced that Starliner would return to Earth without astronauts. Wilmore and Williams would remain on the ISS until alternative return arrangements could be made, with Crew-9’s SpaceX Dragon capsule designated for their return. August 30, 2024: Crew-9 Adjustments to Accommodate Starliner Crew NASA adjusted Crew-9’s manifest, removing two astronauts—Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson—to make room for Wilmore and Williams on the return flight. September 7, 2024: Starliner Returns Uncrewed Starliner successfully landed at White Sands Space Harbor, New Mexico, without astronauts on board. NASA continued its assessment of the vehicle’s technical issues. September 22, 2024: Sunita Williams Takes Command of ISS Following the departure of Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko, Williams assumed command of the ISS. She continued overseeing operations while awaiting her return to Earth. September 28, 2024: Crew-9 Launches to ISS A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched Crew-9 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The mission carried two astronauts—Nick Hague (NASA) and Aleksandr Gorbunov (Roscosmos)—while reserving two seats on the Crew Dragon spacecraft for Wilmore and Williams’ eventual return. November 12, 2024: Williams Addresses Health Concerns Speculation regarding Williams’ health due to the prolonged mission was dismissed in an interview from the ISS. She confirmed that she had maintained her physical fitness and remained in stable condition. December 17, 2024: NASA Delays Return to March 2025 NASA announced that Crew-9 would remain on the ISS until Crew-10’s arrival. Crew-10’s launch was postponed due to issues with its new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. January 30, 2025: Williams Sets Spacewalk Record Williams conducted a 5.5-hour extravehicular activity (EVA) alongside Wilmore, setting a record for the most cumulative EVA time by a female astronaut. February 11, 2025: NASA Moves Up Return Timeline NASA opted to use a flight-proven Dragon capsule, Endurance, for Crew-10 rather than wait for a new spacecraft. This adjustment allowed Crew-10 to launch in mid-March, enabling Crew-9’s earlier-than-expected return. March 14, 2025: Crew-10 Launches to ISS The Crew-10 mission launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, arriving at the ISS the following day, paving the way for Crew-9’s departure. March 18, 2025: Wilmore and Williams Return to Earth Crew-9’s Dragon capsule, Freedom, undocked from the ISS at 1:05 a.m. EDT and was scheduled to splash down off the coast of Florida at 5:57 p.m. EDT, marking the conclusion of a mission that significantly exceeded its original duration.

NASA's Sunita Williams is back! Check the timeline of a 9-day space mission that turned into a 9-month nightmare

Sunita Williams Returns to Earth with Crew Dragon-9 After Extended ISS Mission
NASA astronaut Sunita Williams and her crewmate Butch Wilmore have successfully returned to Earth aboard SpaceX&rsquo;s Crew Dragon-9 capsule after an unexpectedly prolonged nine-month stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The spacecraft made a safe splashdown off the coast of Florida in the Gulf of Mexico at 3:27 a.m. IST on March 19, 2025.
<h3>Extended Mission Due to Starliner Delays</h3>
Williams and Wilmore initially arrived at the ISS in June 2024 on Boeing&rsquo;s Starliner as part of a test mission that was originally planned for just eight days. However, technical issues with the Starliner spacecraft resulted in an indefinite extension of their stay. As NASA worked on resolving the complications, the agency eventually decided to bring them back aboard a SpaceX capsule instead.
<h3>Successful Splashdown and Recovery</h3>
Crew Dragon-9, which carried Williams and Wilmore back to Earth, successfully completed its deorbit burn before re-entering the atmosphere and deploying its parachutes for a controlled descent into the ocean. NASA and SpaceX recovery teams were on standby to retrieve the capsule and ensure the astronauts' safe return to solid ground.
<h3>Medical Checks and Rehabilitation</h3>
Following their return, Williams and Wilmore will undergo thorough medical evaluations and post-mission debriefings. Spending an extended duration in space leads to physiological changes, including muscle atrophy and bone density loss, necessitating weeks of rehabilitation before they can fully adjust to Earth&rsquo;s gravity.
<h3>Sunita Williams&rsquo; Spaceflight Record</h3>
With this mission, Sunita Williams has now logged 608 cumulative days in space, making her the second-highest NASA astronaut in terms of total time spent in orbit. She still trails behind Peggy Whitson, who holds the record at 675 days.
<h3>Recognition from India</h3>
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and various dignitaries from India extended their congratulations to Williams, celebrating her achievements as a trailblazing astronaut of Indian origin. Williams&rsquo; perseverance and dedication continue to serve as an inspiration for aspiring astronauts and space enthusiasts worldwide.
Her return marks the end of an unforeseen challenge but highlights the resilience of astronauts in the face of adversity, as well as the critical role of international collaboration in space exploration.

Crew Dragon-9, which carried Williams and Wilmore back to Earth, successfully completed its deorbit burn before re-entering the atmosphere and deploying its parachutes for a controlled descent into the ocean.

Sunita Williams Returns to Earth with Crew Dragon-9 After Extended ISS Mission NASA astronaut Sunita Williams and her crewmate Butch Wilmore have successfully returned to Earth aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon-9 capsule after an unexpectedly prolonged nine-month stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The spacecraft made a safe splashdown off the coast of Florida in the Gulf of Mexico at 3:27 a.m. IST on March 19, 2025. Extended Mission Due to Starliner Delays Williams and Wilmore initially arrived at the ISS in June 2024 on Boeing’s Starliner as part of a test mission that was originally planned for just eight days. However, technical issues with the Starliner spacecraft resulted in an indefinite extension of their stay. As NASA worked on resolving the complications, the agency eventually decided to bring them back aboard a SpaceX capsule instead. Successful Splashdown and Recovery Crew Dragon-9, which carried Williams and Wilmore back to Earth, successfully completed its deorbit burn before re-entering the atmosphere and deploying its parachutes for a controlled descent into the ocean. NASA and SpaceX recovery teams were on standby to retrieve the capsule and ensure the astronauts' safe return to solid ground. Medical Checks and Rehabilitation Following their return, Williams and Wilmore will undergo thorough medical evaluations and post-mission debriefings. Spending an extended duration in space leads to physiological changes, including muscle atrophy and bone density loss, necessitating weeks of rehabilitation before they can fully adjust to Earth’s gravity. Sunita Williams’ Spaceflight Record With this mission, Sunita Williams has now logged 608 cumulative days in space, making her the second-highest NASA astronaut in terms of total time spent in orbit. She still trails behind Peggy Whitson, who holds the record at 675 days. Recognition from India Prime Minister Narendra Modi and various dignitaries from India extended their congratulations to Williams, celebrating her achievements as a trailblazing astronaut of Indian origin. Williams’ perseverance and dedication continue to serve as an inspiration for aspiring astronauts and space enthusiasts worldwide. Her return marks the end of an unforeseen challenge but highlights the resilience of astronauts in the face of adversity, as well as the critical role of international collaboration in space exploration.

'Splashdown': NASA's Sunita Williams successfully lands on Earth, Crew Dragon maintains 100% safety record

The Andromeda Galaxy, the nearest major galaxy to the Milky Way, has something lurking around its outskirts, something that should not exist at all. Astronomers have discovered a satellite galaxy called Andromeda XXXV. It is the dimmest and smallest satellite galaxy to be ever discovered. Experts are shocked to see this satellite galaxy since according to calculations, it should not be there.
Scientists are now trying to solve the mystery, since while Milky Way's satellite galaxies stopped churning out stars billions of years ago, Andromeda XXXV has continued to birth more stars.&nbsp;
The discovery of this satellite galaxy on the outer edges of the Andromeda was published in Astrophysical Journal Letters. A team of researchers led by the University of Michigan found the structure and the finding has changed their ideas about how galaxies form and survive in different cosmic environments.&nbsp;
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/barnards-star-the-great-white-whale-of-astronomy-harbours-four-planets-8845278" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">EUREKA! Barnard&rsquo;s Star, the 'great white whale' of astronomy, is hiding four planets</a>
The dwarf galaxy is about 3 million light-years away and is proof that the universe harbours more mysteries and "helps correct what we do know and reveals more about what we don&rsquo;t," Marcos Arias, lead author of the study, said.
<h2>Milky Way's satellite galaxies</h2>
The Milky Way is also surrounded by several satellite galaxies, and this is not the first one seen around Andromeda. However, what's different is that the earlier satellite galaxies were too big and bright, while this one is the faintest one yet seen.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/astronomers-find-128-new-moons-orbiting-planet-saturn-dont-think-jupiter-will-ever-catch-up-8845107" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Astronomers find 128 new moons orbiting planet Saturn: 'Don't think Jupiter will ever catch up'</a>
&ldquo;These are fully functional galaxies, but they&rsquo;re about a millionth of the size of the Milky Way,&rdquo; the study&rsquo;s senior author, Eric Bell, U-M professor and associate chair of astronomy said.&nbsp;
Till now, scientists have only managed to study the tiny galaxies around the Milky Way because of their proximity. Bell said, "It&rsquo;s the first time we&rsquo;ve done that outside our system.&rdquo;
<h2>Hubble helped find the satellite galaxy</h2>
Bell and Eric used the Hubble Space Telescope to study the galaxy. The National Science Foundation and NASA, through the Space Telescope Science Institute, also supported the program.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/12500000000-year-old-galaxy-is-shooting-jet-streams-right-at-earth-8842494" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Supermassive black hole 12,500,000,000 light-years away is shooting jets towards Earth. What does it mean?</a>
<h2>'Murder mystery' in Andromeda</h2>
What they found fascinated them. They saw that Andromeda XXXV was still churning out more stars, while stars in the satellite galaxies around the Milky Way mostly only had ancient stars.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Most of the Milky Way satellites have very ancient star populations. They stopped forming stars about 10 billion years ago,&rdquo; Arias said. &ldquo;What we&rsquo;re seeing is that similar satellites in Andromeda can form stars up to a few billion years ago&mdash;around 6 billion years.&rdquo;
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/super-earth-20-light-years-away-excites-scientists-8834090" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">'Second home for humanity?' Super-Earth 20 light-years away excites scientists</a>
Bell says there is a "murder mystery in Andromeda", where the larger host likely sucked the gas supply from the smaller galaxies, ending star formation.
Bell further said that when the universe got extremely hot for a second time after its birth, it was "a death sentence for star formation."
&ldquo;We thought they were basically all going to be fried because the entire universe turned into a vat of boiling oil,&rdquo; Bell said. However, why was Andromeda XXXV not fried is a question that might not get an answer anytime soon.

Andromeda XXXV was still churning out more stars, while stars in the satellite galaxies around the Milky Way mostly only had ancient stars. Science & Tech Trending

The Andromeda Galaxy, the nearest major galaxy to the Milky Way, has something lurking around its outskirts, something that should not exist at all. Astronomers have discovered a satellite galaxy called Andromeda XXXV. It is the dimmest and smallest satellite galaxy to be ever discovered. Experts are shocked to see this satellite galaxy since according to calculations, it should not be there. Scientists are now trying to solve the mystery, since while Milky Way's satellite galaxies stopped churning out stars billions of years ago, Andromeda XXXV has continued to birth more stars. The discovery of this satellite galaxy on the outer edges of the Andromeda was published in Astrophysical Journal Letters. A team of researchers led by the University of Michigan found the structure and the finding has changed their ideas about how galaxies form and survive in different cosmic environments. Also Read: EUREKA! Barnard’s Star, the 'great white whale' of astronomy, is hiding four planets The dwarf galaxy is about 3 million light-years away and is proof that the universe harbours more mysteries and "helps correct what we do know and reveals more about what we don’t," Marcos Arias, lead author of the study, said. Milky Way's satellite galaxies The Milky Way is also surrounded by several satellite galaxies, and this is not the first one seen around Andromeda. However, what's different is that the earlier satellite galaxies were too big and bright, while this one is the faintest one yet seen. Also Read: Astronomers find 128 new moons orbiting planet Saturn: 'Don't think Jupiter will ever catch up' “These are fully functional galaxies, but they’re about a millionth of the size of the Milky Way,” the study’s senior author, Eric Bell, U-M professor and associate chair of astronomy said. Till now, scientists have only managed to study the tiny galaxies around the Milky Way because of their proximity. Bell said, "It’s the first time we’ve done that outside our system.” Hubble helped find the satellite galaxy Bell and Eric used the Hubble Space Telescope to study the galaxy. The National Science Foundation and NASA, through the Space Telescope Science Institute, also supported the program. Also Read: Supermassive black hole 12,500,000,000 light-years away is shooting jets towards Earth. What does it mean? 'Murder mystery' in Andromeda What they found fascinated them. They saw that Andromeda XXXV was still churning out more stars, while stars in the satellite galaxies around the Milky Way mostly only had ancient stars. “Most of the Milky Way satellites have very ancient star populations. They stopped forming stars about 10 billion years ago,” Arias said. “What we’re seeing is that similar satellites in Andromeda can form stars up to a few billion years ago—around 6 billion years.” Also Read: 'Second home for humanity?' Super-Earth 20 light-years away excites scientists Bell says there is a "murder mystery in Andromeda", where the larger host likely sucked the gas supply from the smaller galaxies, ending star formation. Bell further said that when the universe got extremely hot for a second time after its birth, it was "a death sentence for star formation." “We thought they were basically all going to be fried because the entire universe turned into a vat of boiling oil,” Bell said. However, why was Andromeda XXXV not fried is a question that might not get an answer anytime soon.

'Death sentence for star formation', yet Andromeda XXXV survived. How?

Barnard&rsquo;s Star, our cosmic neighbour that is only six light-years away, has thrown up a surprise. Scientists have found four tiny planets orbiting it, a discovery that can help us learn about planet formation. Barnard&rsquo;s Star has intrigued astronomers for years who have wondered about the possibility of planets hiding in the system.&nbsp;
Now they have found not one, but four planets that complete a full circle around their star in just a few days. According to calculations, &nbsp;each of these planets is just 20 to 30 per cent of the mass of Earth and are rocky worlds.
The findings have been published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.
"It&rsquo;s a really exciting find &ndash; Barnard&rsquo;s Star is our cosmic neighbour, and yet we know so little about it," Ritvik Basant, PhD student at the University of Chicago and first author of the study, said.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/monstrous-structures-100-times-higher-than-everest-lie-inside-earth-8845124" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Monstrous structures '100 times higher than Everest' lie inside Earth. Are they pieces of Theia?</a>
"It&rsquo;s signalling a breakthrough with the precision of these new instruments from previous generations."
<h2>Barnard&rsquo;s Star is a legend in astronomy</h2>
In the past, scientists have claimed to have spotted planets in the vicinity of Barnard&rsquo;s Star. However, no conclusive proof could ever be provided about the existence of planets around it. This led to the star earning the nickname the "great white whale".&nbsp;
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/super-earth-20-light-years-away-excites-scientists-8834090" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">'Second home for humanity?' Super-Earth 20 light-years away excites scientists</a>
Barnard&rsquo;s Star is a legend in the field of astronomy, despite the lack of conclusive proof of planets before. This is because several experts seemed to have received clues signalling the presence of planets around it. But ultimately the calculations fell short, leaving them shattered. The hide-and-seek game intrigued more and more scientists, slowly making Barnard&rsquo;s Star a hit.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/radio-burst-travels-to-earth-from-other-side-of-the-universe-8829758" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">'200 million light years': Radio burst reaches Earth from other side of the universe</a>
These mixed signals were often the result of the use of less sensitive equipment that can produce conflicting signals.&nbsp;
<h2>How were the planets around Barnard&rsquo;s Star discovered?</h2>
Spotting planets that orbit a star at a close distance is not easy. The team used an instrument called MAROON-X, installed on the Gemini Telescope in Hawaii, to detect disturbances in the star&rsquo;s light signal. This led them to discover three planets around Barnard&rsquo;s Star. The fourth one was found using older data from an earlier observation that was captured by ESPRESSO in Chile.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/millions-of-alien-invaders-from-alpha-centauri-lurking-in-solar-system-8826962" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">38 trillion kilometres: Millions of alien intruders from Alpha Centauri lurking in solar system</a>
The lead author of the study, Basant, is sure that they are not simply "phantom" planets.
&ldquo;We observed at different times of night on different days. They&rsquo;re in Chile; we&rsquo;re in Hawaii. Our teams didn&rsquo;t coordinate with each other at all,&rdquo; said Basant. &ldquo;That gives us a lot of assurance that these aren&rsquo;t phantoms in the data.&rdquo;
<h2>How is Barnard&rsquo;s Star different from Proxima Centauri?</h2>
Barnard&rsquo;s Star has been a popular contender for hosting planets because it is a single-star system, the closest to us after the Sun. On the other hand, Proxima Centauri is a multi-star system, with three stars locked in a gravitational dance. Such conditions are not conducive to planet formation, however, a single-star system is much more likely to birth planets.

Barnard’s Star is a legend in astronomy circles. Planet-hunters often say they have found a planet around it, but it turns out to be not true later. Why? Science & Tech Trending

Barnard’s Star, our cosmic neighbour that is only six light-years away, has thrown up a surprise. Scientists have found four tiny planets orbiting it, a discovery that can help us learn about planet formation. Barnard’s Star has intrigued astronomers for years who have wondered about the possibility of planets hiding in the system. Now they have found not one, but four planets that complete a full circle around their star in just a few days. According to calculations, each of these planets is just 20 to 30 per cent of the mass of Earth and are rocky worlds. The findings have been published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. "It’s a really exciting find – Barnard’s Star is our cosmic neighbour, and yet we know so little about it," Ritvik Basant, PhD student at the University of Chicago and first author of the study, said. Also Read: Monstrous structures '100 times higher than Everest' lie inside Earth. Are they pieces of Theia? "It’s signalling a breakthrough with the precision of these new instruments from previous generations." Barnard’s Star is a legend in astronomy In the past, scientists have claimed to have spotted planets in the vicinity of Barnard’s Star. However, no conclusive proof could ever be provided about the existence of planets around it. This led to the star earning the nickname the "great white whale". Also Read: 'Second home for humanity?' Super-Earth 20 light-years away excites scientists Barnard’s Star is a legend in the field of astronomy, despite the lack of conclusive proof of planets before. This is because several experts seemed to have received clues signalling the presence of planets around it. But ultimately the calculations fell short, leaving them shattered. The hide-and-seek game intrigued more and more scientists, slowly making Barnard’s Star a hit. Also Read: '200 million light years': Radio burst reaches Earth from other side of the universe These mixed signals were often the result of the use of less sensitive equipment that can produce conflicting signals. How were the planets around Barnard’s Star discovered? Spotting planets that orbit a star at a close distance is not easy. The team used an instrument called MAROON-X, installed on the Gemini Telescope in Hawaii, to detect disturbances in the star’s light signal. This led them to discover three planets around Barnard’s Star. The fourth one was found using older data from an earlier observation that was captured by ESPRESSO in Chile. Also Read: 38 trillion kilometres: Millions of alien intruders from Alpha Centauri lurking in solar system The lead author of the study, Basant, is sure that they are not simply "phantom" planets. “We observed at different times of night on different days. They’re in Chile; we’re in Hawaii. Our teams didn’t coordinate with each other at all,” said Basant. “That gives us a lot of assurance that these aren’t phantoms in the data.” How is Barnard’s Star different from Proxima Centauri? Barnard’s Star has been a popular contender for hosting planets because it is a single-star system, the closest to us after the Sun. On the other hand, Proxima Centauri is a multi-star system, with three stars locked in a gravitational dance. Such conditions are not conducive to planet formation, however, a single-star system is much more likely to birth planets.

EUREKA! Barnard’s Star, the 'great white whale' of astronomy, is hiding four planets

Scientists have discovered the farthest and oldest blazar in the universe that is shooting out jets of charged particles directly at us. It sits at the heart of a galaxy 12.9 billion light-years away and is named J0410&ndash;0139. The blazar offers a view into the universe when it was less than 800 million years old. Astronomers are eager to peer into it and learn more about supermassive black holes, something they say were likely more common in the early universe than believed.
Blazars are a rare discovery. They are active galactic nucleus (AGN) that are powered by supermassive black holes, some of which can be billions of times the mass of our Sun. These black holes ingest matter and shoot out charged particles at nearly the speed of light. These are in the form of jets and are classified as blazars when they are aiming right for Earth.&nbsp;
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The discovery of the blazar was published in Nature Astronomy and The Astrophysical Journal Letters. The US National Science Foundation's Very Large Array, the Very Long Baseline Array, the Chandra X-ray Observatory, and ALMA (Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimetre Array) were some of the equipment that helped them pinpoint the blazar.
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<h2>Oldest blazar in universe discovered</h2>
The blazar has stumped scientists who are now questioning the existing notions about supermassive black holes and their existence in the early universe. Since J0410&ndash;0139 is officially the oldest blazar, scientists are now trying to figure out how big these black holes could get and how quickly.
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The latest blazar is like a window into a universe that is in its infancy stage, and experts are hoping to learn how many such supermassive black holes were there when the universe was still young.
<h2>Supermassive black holes in the universe</h2>
Researchers believe that supermassive black holes in the early universe either grew much faster than we previously believed or were simply born bigger than we thought possible. Since the jet stream is pointed directly at Earth, it sets up a unique platform for scientists to explore black holes, ancient galaxies, and the jet stream.
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Joe Pesce, programme director at the NSF National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NSF NRAO), said, "This observation adds to a body of findings indicating that supermassive black holes in the early universe aren't acting like we thought they should."
&ldquo;These observations are surprising because we don't seem to understand supermassive black hole formation as well as we thought. But they are also exciting because it's a new mystery that we have to solve," he added.
<h2>Not just one, but a 'hundred more'</h2>
Researchers believe that finding one such jet stream means that there were likely a hundred more at the time. The first author of the study, Eduardo Ba&ntilde;ados states, "Finding one AGN with a jet pointing directly towards us implies that at that time, there must have been many AGN in that period of cosmic history."

Science & Tech Trending: A galaxy 12.9 billion light-years away has a supermassive black hole at its centre that is shooting a jetstream right at Earth.

Scientists have discovered the farthest and oldest blazar in the universe that is shooting out jets of charged particles directly at us. It sits at the heart of a galaxy 12.9 billion light-years away and is named J0410–0139. The blazar offers a view into the universe when it was less than 800 million years old. Astronomers are eager to peer into it and learn more about supermassive black holes, something they say were likely more common in the early universe than believed. Blazars are a rare discovery. They are active galactic nucleus (AGN) that are powered by supermassive black holes, some of which can be billions of times the mass of our Sun. These black holes ingest matter and shoot out charged particles at nearly the speed of light. These are in the form of jets and are classified as blazars when they are aiming right for Earth. Also Read: '200 million light years': Radio burst reaches Earth from other side of the universe The discovery of the blazar was published in Nature Astronomy and The Astrophysical Journal Letters. The US National Science Foundation's Very Large Array, the Very Long Baseline Array, the Chandra X-ray Observatory, and ALMA (Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimetre Array) were some of the equipment that helped them pinpoint the blazar. Also Read: 'Second home for humanity?' Super-Earth 20 light-years away excites scientists Oldest blazar in universe discovered The blazar has stumped scientists who are now questioning the existing notions about supermassive black holes and their existence in the early universe. Since J0410–0139 is officially the oldest blazar, scientists are now trying to figure out how big these black holes could get and how quickly. Also Read: Here’s why NASA engineers are switching off instruments on Voyager space probes The latest blazar is like a window into a universe that is in its infancy stage, and experts are hoping to learn how many such supermassive black holes were there when the universe was still young. Supermassive black holes in the universe Researchers believe that supermassive black holes in the early universe either grew much faster than we previously believed or were simply born bigger than we thought possible. Since the jet stream is pointed directly at Earth, it sets up a unique platform for scientists to explore black holes, ancient galaxies, and the jet stream. Also Read: Ancient Magdalena people practiced cannibalism, made jewellery from body parts Joe Pesce, programme director at the NSF National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NSF NRAO), said, "This observation adds to a body of findings indicating that supermassive black holes in the early universe aren't acting like we thought they should." “These observations are surprising because we don't seem to understand supermassive black hole formation as well as we thought. But they are also exciting because it's a new mystery that we have to solve," he added. Not just one, but a 'hundred more' Researchers believe that finding one such jet stream means that there were likely a hundred more at the time. The first author of the study, Eduardo Bañados states, "Finding one AGN with a jet pointing directly towards us implies that at that time, there must have been many AGN in that period of cosmic history."

Supermassive black hole 12,500,000,000 light-years away is shooting jets towards Earth. What does it mean?

Scientists looking for planets hosting life have discovered one that they believe hosts water and is strikingly similar to Earth. This body is only 20 light-years away from us and is orbiting a sun-like star. It is likely to have an atmosphere on the same scale as ours and is a super-Earth that has been named HD 20794 d.
It completed one orbit of its star in 647 days, a number within the habitable zone, which means it has a high likelihood of hosting water. The discovery has been confirmed by Instituto de Astrof&iacute;sica de Canarias (IAC) and the Universidad de La Laguna (ULL). The super-Earth is orbiting in the habitable zone of its star, HD 20794.
The revelation follows 20 years of observations and is expected to open the doors to studying the atmospheres of Earth-like planets in greater detail. The findings were published recently in the journal Astronomy &amp; Astrophysics.
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The quest for finding life beyond Earth is based on the premise of finding bodies that lie in the habitable zones of Sun-like stars. Scientists can also learn about similar conditions present on Earth that helped birth life on our planet.&nbsp;
This is not the first planet to have been found orbiting HD 20794. The star, only slightly smaller than our Sun, has been of interest to scientists for years who have already found two other planets orbiting it that have also been termed super-Earths.
<h2>About the new super-Earth</h2>
HD 20794 d, the new super-Earth, has a mass six times that of Earth. It completes one orbit around its star in 647 days. This puts it in the habitable zone, as it is only about 40 days less than Mars&rsquo; orbit around the Sun.
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Planets lying in this zone are at a perfect distance from their star, which is apt for conditions that facilitate the existence of water.
The planet&rsquo;s distance from its star and the proximity of the system make it the perfect candidate to be studied using the ELT, ESO&rsquo;s 40-meter telescope, or for future missions by NASA and ESA.
"This is the perfect type of planet for characterizing terrestrial planet atmospheres with next-generation instruments and missions," explains Nicola Nari, a researcher at Lightbridges SL, a doctoral student at the Universidad de La Laguna and the study&rsquo;s lead author.&nbsp;
<h2>'Very few similar planets'</h2>
Alejandro Su&aacute;rez Mascare&ntilde;o, a researcher at the IAC and co-author of the work, says, "We know of very few similar planets."&nbsp;
"This will surely be one of the first we can study," he added.
However, scientists are not sure if it can host life because of a number of reasons. They don't believe it can be a "second home for humanity" because of its high mass and elliptical orbit.&nbsp;
However, Alejandro Su&aacute;rez Mascare&ntilde;o, a researcher at the IAC and co-author of the work, believes that "its position and peculiar orbit give us a unique opportunity to study how the conditions for habitability vary over time."

Science & Tech Trending | Super-Earth HD 20794 d might have water. Scientists are excited to learn about it but can it be a "second home for humanity"?

Scientists looking for planets hosting life have discovered one that they believe hosts water and is strikingly similar to Earth. This body is only 20 light-years away from us and is orbiting a sun-like star. It is likely to have an atmosphere on the same scale as ours and is a super-Earth that has been named HD 20794 d. It completed one orbit of its star in 647 days, a number within the habitable zone, which means it has a high likelihood of hosting water. The discovery has been confirmed by Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) and the Universidad de La Laguna (ULL). The super-Earth is orbiting in the habitable zone of its star, HD 20794. The revelation follows 20 years of observations and is expected to open the doors to studying the atmospheres of Earth-like planets in greater detail. The findings were published recently in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. Also Read: Plants fought for millions of years after Earth's worst mass extinction event The quest for finding life beyond Earth is based on the premise of finding bodies that lie in the habitable zones of Sun-like stars. Scientists can also learn about similar conditions present on Earth that helped birth life on our planet. This is not the first planet to have been found orbiting HD 20794. The star, only slightly smaller than our Sun, has been of interest to scientists for years who have already found two other planets orbiting it that have also been termed super-Earths. About the new super-Earth HD 20794 d, the new super-Earth, has a mass six times that of Earth. It completes one orbit around its star in 647 days. This puts it in the habitable zone, as it is only about 40 days less than Mars’ orbit around the Sun. Also Read: '200 million light years': Radio burst reaches Earth from other side of the universe Planets lying in this zone are at a perfect distance from their star, which is apt for conditions that facilitate the existence of water. The planet’s distance from its star and the proximity of the system make it the perfect candidate to be studied using the ELT, ESO’s 40-meter telescope, or for future missions by NASA and ESA. "This is the perfect type of planet for characterizing terrestrial planet atmospheres with next-generation instruments and missions," explains Nicola Nari, a researcher at Lightbridges SL, a doctoral student at the Universidad de La Laguna and the study’s lead author. 'Very few similar planets' Alejandro Suárez Mascareño, a researcher at the IAC and co-author of the work, says, "We know of very few similar planets." "This will surely be one of the first we can study," he added. However, scientists are not sure if it can host life because of a number of reasons. They don't believe it can be a "second home for humanity" because of its high mass and elliptical orbit. However, Alejandro Suárez Mascareño, a researcher at the IAC and co-author of the work, believes that "its position and peculiar orbit give us a unique opportunity to study how the conditions for habitability vary over time."

'Second home for humanity?' Super-Earth 20 light-years away excites scientists

Astronomers detected a mysterious fast radio burst in 2022 and its origins have remained a secret ever since. Such radio signals are common in the universe and have often amazed experts. These signals are extremely bright despite normally lasting merely a thousandth of a second. The said radio signal has now been traced to a surprising object millions of light-years away.
Rotating neutron stars, known as pulsars, are considered the likely origin of radio bursts. They are like cosmic lighthouses, sending out bright flashes of light while rotating at great speeds.
Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have revealed that the radio burst came from a neutron star&rsquo;s &lsquo;magnetosphere&rsquo;, or its magnetic field.
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This dying star was some 200 million light-years away in a distant galaxy and had just exploded. So the radio burst basically came from the other side of the universe. The burst came from the magnetic field around its core.&nbsp;
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Such radio bursts are not known to originate from the magnetosphere of a star. So this finding assumes greater importance in the field of astronomy as the MIT team has dubbed it the first conclusive evidence of a burst coming from the magnetosphere.
<h2>Radio burst hid more secrets</h2>
The light beam reflected also had a strange pattern. It was in the shape of a smooth S-curve, which scientists deduced means that the burst was twisting and moving.
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The revelations did not stop here, and the neutron star held more surprises. The MIT team found that the distance between the radio burst and the surface of the dying star was merely 10,000 kilometres. That's tiny when you consider how large the cosmos and the bodies residing in it are.
<h2>Radio bursts in the universe</h2>
Radio bursts have baffled astronomers for years. Recently, they discovered the longest radio signal in space which seemed to be coming from a neutron star or a unique white dwarf. Such signals only last for less than a second, but in this case, the radio signal recorded had a cycle that was nearly an hour long.&nbsp;
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However, neutron stars are not the only source of radio signals in space. NASA discovered that our sun has been sending out similar signals. These waves were first noted years ago and the CubeSat Radio Interferometry Experiment, or CURIE, was launched from the &nbsp;European Space Agency Ariane 6 rocket in early July last year to study them.&nbsp;
When coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and solar flares are released by the sun, they also produce mysterious radio signals. But the exact point of origin has never been identified.&nbsp;

Science & Tech Trending - A fast radio burst detected in 2022 has remained a mystery, baffling scientists about its origins. Now they finally have an answer.

Astronomers detected a mysterious fast radio burst in 2022 and its origins have remained a secret ever since. Such radio signals are common in the universe and have often amazed experts. These signals are extremely bright despite normally lasting merely a thousandth of a second. The said radio signal has now been traced to a surprising object millions of light-years away. Rotating neutron stars, known as pulsars, are considered the likely origin of radio bursts. They are like cosmic lighthouses, sending out bright flashes of light while rotating at great speeds. Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have revealed that the radio burst came from a neutron star’s ‘magnetosphere’, or its magnetic field. Also Read: Radio signal that took 8 billion years to reach Earth came from seven interacting galaxies This dying star was some 200 million light-years away in a distant galaxy and had just exploded. So the radio burst basically came from the other side of the universe. The burst came from the magnetic field around its core. Also Read: Longest-ever cosmic radio signal lasting nearly an hour likely coming from... Such radio bursts are not known to originate from the magnetosphere of a star. So this finding assumes greater importance in the field of astronomy as the MIT team has dubbed it the first conclusive evidence of a burst coming from the magnetosphere. Radio burst hid more secrets The light beam reflected also had a strange pattern. It was in the shape of a smooth S-curve, which scientists deduced means that the burst was twisting and moving. Also Read: Our sun is sending mysterious radio signals for decades. NASA plans to find the exact source The revelations did not stop here, and the neutron star held more surprises. The MIT team found that the distance between the radio burst and the surface of the dying star was merely 10,000 kilometres. That's tiny when you consider how large the cosmos and the bodies residing in it are. Radio bursts in the universe Radio bursts have baffled astronomers for years. Recently, they discovered the longest radio signal in space which seemed to be coming from a neutron star or a unique white dwarf. Such signals only last for less than a second, but in this case, the radio signal recorded had a cycle that was nearly an hour long. Also Read: This strange Russian radio signal has been transmitting beeps and buzzes since 1982. Nobody knows why However, neutron stars are not the only source of radio signals in space. NASA discovered that our sun has been sending out similar signals. These waves were first noted years ago and the CubeSat Radio Interferometry Experiment, or CURIE, was launched from the European Space Agency Ariane 6 rocket in early July last year to study them. When coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and solar flares are released by the sun, they also produce mysterious radio signals. But the exact point of origin has never been identified.

'200 million light years': Radio burst reaches Earth from other side of the universe

Our solar system might be home to nearly one million aliens from another star system. These aliens are not life forms but space rocks, or asteroids, that belong to the triple star system Alpha Centauri. Scientists who made the revelation say that these asteroids are currently in the Oort cloud, but some of them may be able to infiltrate into the inner solar system.
Alpha Centauri is around 4.3 light-years (38 trillion kilometres) away and according to a new study, if it ejects material equivalent to what our solar system releases, then nearly a million space rocks, some as large as 328 feet, could be residing in the solar system, more specifically the Oort Cloud. This region lies on the outskirts of our system.
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The Alpha Centauri system is moving closer to ours and scientists say that going by this trend, the amount of asteroids entering the solar system will increase over the next 28,000 years.
"We were a little surprised to find that the amount of material from Alpha Centauri was not completely negligible," University of Western Ontario researcher Paul Wiegert told Space.com.
He adds that finding this material in the solar system is a surprise since the universe is vast and "perhaps no material from Alpha Centauri could reach us at all."
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<h2>Interstellar invaders in the solar system</h2>
What pushed Weigert and University of Western Ontario PhD student Cole Gregg to study the alien space rocks were two interstellar visitors - &nbsp;Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov.&nbsp;
Shaped like a cigar, Oumuamua caught the fascination of astronomers when it travelled through the inner solar system in 2017. The 2I/Borisov is a comet/asteroid hybrid which was discovered in 2019.&nbsp;
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Both of them are trying to learn more about alien visitors that might be coming from interstellar space. They believe there are definitely more than just the two currently known interstellar visitors, Oumuamua and Comet Borisov. This would help them understand where the future interstellar visitors come from.
<h2>How are asteroids and comets ejected from Alpha Centauri?</h2>
They carried out a simulation of the solar system and Alpha Centauri that lasted for over 100 million years, which found that a significant number of objects can enter the solar system from the nearby star system.
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The gravitational interactions between the stars and the planets in Alpha Centauri disturb the orbits of smaller objects like asteroids and comets, causing them to enter our solar system. However, most of them get caught in the Oort Cloud. Those that manage to enter the interiors of the solar system are moving at quick speeds, and so never get caught in the gravitational pull of the sun.
"Because they have rather high speeds, they do not get gravitationally captured by our sun but instead simply pass through our system," Wiegart added.

Science & Tech | Trending | Asteroids and comets from Alpha Centauri are lurking on the outer edges of our solar system. There is a record of two interstellar visitors who breached the interiors.

Our solar system might be home to nearly one million aliens from another star system. These aliens are not life forms but space rocks, or asteroids, that belong to the triple star system Alpha Centauri. Scientists who made the revelation say that these asteroids are currently in the Oort cloud, but some of them may be able to infiltrate into the inner solar system. Alpha Centauri is around 4.3 light-years (38 trillion kilometres) away and according to a new study, if it ejects material equivalent to what our solar system releases, then nearly a million space rocks, some as large as 328 feet, could be residing in the solar system, more specifically the Oort Cloud. This region lies on the outskirts of our system. Also Read: 'Once in 1,000 years...': NASA says asteroid 2024 YR4 can hit the Moon. Is Earth safe? The Alpha Centauri system is moving closer to ours and scientists say that going by this trend, the amount of asteroids entering the solar system will increase over the next 28,000 years. "We were a little surprised to find that the amount of material from Alpha Centauri was not completely negligible," University of Western Ontario researcher Paul Wiegert told Space.com. He adds that finding this material in the solar system is a surprise since the universe is vast and "perhaps no material from Alpha Centauri could reach us at all." Also Read: Mars 1,000,000 BC: 'Mind-reading spy' claims he saw people 'dying' on the red planet Interstellar invaders in the solar system What pushed Weigert and University of Western Ontario PhD student Cole Gregg to study the alien space rocks were two interstellar visitors - Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov. Shaped like a cigar, Oumuamua caught the fascination of astronomers when it travelled through the inner solar system in 2017. The 2I/Borisov is a comet/asteroid hybrid which was discovered in 2019. Also Read: God exists, and the proof lies in a mathematical equation, expert says Both of them are trying to learn more about alien visitors that might be coming from interstellar space. They believe there are definitely more than just the two currently known interstellar visitors, Oumuamua and Comet Borisov. This would help them understand where the future interstellar visitors come from. How are asteroids and comets ejected from Alpha Centauri? They carried out a simulation of the solar system and Alpha Centauri that lasted for over 100 million years, which found that a significant number of objects can enter the solar system from the nearby star system. Also Read: 'Terminator' on Moon: An X and V will appear soon. Here is when to watch The gravitational interactions between the stars and the planets in Alpha Centauri disturb the orbits of smaller objects like asteroids and comets, causing them to enter our solar system. However, most of them get caught in the Oort Cloud. Those that manage to enter the interiors of the solar system are moving at quick speeds, and so never get caught in the gravitational pull of the sun. "Because they have rather high speeds, they do not get gravitationally captured by our sun but instead simply pass through our system," Wiegart added.

38 trillion kilometres: Millions of alien intruders from Alpha Centauri lurking in solar system

Asteroid 2024 YR4 presented a massive scare in recent weeks when scientists noticed that the space rock might make an impact on Earth in the year 2032. However, after several calculations, NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) have ruled out that it is a risk. But turns out that our satellite, the moon, is not out of the woods. It seems the asteroid is heading its way now.
2024 YR4 has been keeping scientists on their toes ever since it emerged that it might impact our planet on Dec 22, 2032. It started off with a one in 83 chance of a direct hit and the potential to cause "severe damage to a local region".
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That risk at one point rose to one in a 32 chance of an impact. The region of impact was calculated to be somewhere across the eastern Pacific Ocean, northern South America, the Atlantic Ocean, Africa, the Arabian Sea, or South Asia.
But Earthlings can now heave a sigh of relief. From as high as 3.1 per cent, the risk of impact is now down to just 0.001 per cent. The asteroid is about the size of a football pitch, which is 131 to 295 feet (40 to 90 metres) wide.&nbsp;
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But just as it seemed all was fine now, scientists say that the asteroid might now become a threat to our moon. According to NASA, 2024 YR4 has a slight chance of hitting the Moon. The odds have risen to one in 55 (1.8 per cent chance). The space agency has predicted this number to grow in the coming weeks.
&ldquo;There still remains a very small chance for asteroid 2024 YR4 to impact the Moon,&rdquo; a NASA spokesperson said.
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<h2>When will asteroid 2024 YR4 hit the Moon?</h2>
The predicted impact with the Moon is expected to happen around the same window as was predicted for Earth - Dec 2032.&nbsp;
Lindley Johnson, Planetary Defense Officer Emeritus with NASA, was quoted as saying by the Houston Chronicle that an impact between the asteroid of this size and the moon would be a very rare occurrence. He says something like this only happens once in a thousand years.&nbsp;
While this won't affect Earth in any way, the resulting crater and the swirling debris in the form of meteoroids can impact future moon missions, besides man-made craft and other objects on the moon's surface.&nbsp;
<h2>Studying asteroid 2024 YR4</h2>
NASA and ESA plan on studying asteroid 2024 YR4 when it makes an extremely close approach to Earth in 2032. It would present the perfect opportunity to learn about its composition and ultimately its origin.&nbsp;
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For now, NASA will aim the James Webb Space Telescope at the asteroid in the coming weeks to see it up close. But they only have a few weeks to look at it since it will soon become invisible as it moves away from Earth. It won't return to sight before 2028, and who knows, things might change at the time.
Asteroid 2024 YR4 is a near-Earth object and was first spotted by a telescope in Chile on Dec 24, 2024.

Science & Tech Trending | An impact between asteroid 2024 YR4 and the Moon can happen in Dec 2032. Moon missions and spacecraft might take the hit. Will Earth be spared?

Asteroid 2024 YR4 presented a massive scare in recent weeks when scientists noticed that the space rock might make an impact on Earth in the year 2032. However, after several calculations, NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) have ruled out that it is a risk. But turns out that our satellite, the moon, is not out of the woods. It seems the asteroid is heading its way now. 2024 YR4 has been keeping scientists on their toes ever since it emerged that it might impact our planet on Dec 22, 2032. It started off with a one in 83 chance of a direct hit and the potential to cause "severe damage to a local region". Also Read: Asteroid to hit Earth in 2032? Scientists warn of space rock that can cause 'severe damage' That risk at one point rose to one in a 32 chance of an impact. The region of impact was calculated to be somewhere across the eastern Pacific Ocean, northern South America, the Atlantic Ocean, Africa, the Arabian Sea, or South Asia. But Earthlings can now heave a sigh of relief. From as high as 3.1 per cent, the risk of impact is now down to just 0.001 per cent. The asteroid is about the size of a football pitch, which is 131 to 295 feet (40 to 90 metres) wide. Also Read: 70 million kilometres away, Lucy targets asteroid Donaldjohanson But just as it seemed all was fine now, scientists say that the asteroid might now become a threat to our moon. According to NASA, 2024 YR4 has a slight chance of hitting the Moon. The odds have risen to one in 55 (1.8 per cent chance). The space agency has predicted this number to grow in the coming weeks. “There still remains a very small chance for asteroid 2024 YR4 to impact the Moon,” a NASA spokesperson said. Also Read: Asteroid Bennu sample proves humans are, in fact, made of stardust: Study When will asteroid 2024 YR4 hit the Moon? The predicted impact with the Moon is expected to happen around the same window as was predicted for Earth - Dec 2032. Lindley Johnson, Planetary Defense Officer Emeritus with NASA, was quoted as saying by the Houston Chronicle that an impact between the asteroid of this size and the moon would be a very rare occurrence. He says something like this only happens once in a thousand years. While this won't affect Earth in any way, the resulting crater and the swirling debris in the form of meteoroids can impact future moon missions, besides man-made craft and other objects on the moon's surface. Studying asteroid 2024 YR4 NASA and ESA plan on studying asteroid 2024 YR4 when it makes an extremely close approach to Earth in 2032. It would present the perfect opportunity to learn about its composition and ultimately its origin. Also Read: NASA bumps up probability of 'city killer' asteroid 2024-YR4 slamming into our planet Earth in 8 years For now, NASA will aim the James Webb Space Telescope at the asteroid in the coming weeks to see it up close. But they only have a few weeks to look at it since it will soon become invisible as it moves away from Earth. It won't return to sight before 2028, and who knows, things might change at the time. Asteroid 2024 YR4 is a near-Earth object and was first spotted by a telescope in Chile on Dec 24, 2024.

'Once in 1,000 years...': NASA says asteroid 2024 YR4 can hit the Moon. Is Earth safe?

Private space exploration firm Firefly Aerospace has shared a stunning image of a sunrise on the moon, taken by its lunar lander, as it kickstarted its days-long operations on the lunar surface. The spacecraft, Blue Ghost, is busy working after a historic landing on Sunday (Mar 2).
The image, shared on&nbsp; X on Monday (Mar 3), showed a bright sunrise set against the arid lunar surface marked with several craters.
"Rise and shine! Firefly's Blue Ghost lander captured its first sunrise on the moon, marking the beginning of the lunar day and the start of surface operations in its new home," the post reads.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m7twg1e1-7uu0ntaq-3ybmk0ni">
Rise and shine! Firefly&rsquo;s <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BlueGhost?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BlueGhost</a> lander captured its first sunrise on the Moon, marking the beginning of the lunar day and the start of surface operations in its new home. Our <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GhostRiders?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GhostRiders</a> have already begun operating many of the 10 <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NASA</a> payloads aboard the lander and will&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/YI9nuFZfmk">pic.twitter.com/YI9nuFZfmk</a>
&mdash; Firefly Aerospace (@Firefly_Space) <a href="https://twitter.com/Firefly_Space/status/1896561229151305925?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 3, 2025</a></blockquote>
The sunrise marks the beginning of the lunar day that will last for 15 days before the extremely cold lunar night sets in.
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The Blue Ghost lander made its descent in the northeastern region of the near side of the moon. It is sitting pretty near Mons Latreille, a solitary lunar peak in the vast basin Mare Crisium ("Sea of Crises").
<h2>GhostRiders on Blue Ghost</h2>
The company further shared that the lander's "GhostRiders have already begun operating many of the 10 NASA payloads" aboard the Blue Ghost.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/asteroid-donaldjohanson-photo-70-million-kilometres-from-lucy-8761779" rel="dofollow">70 million kilometres away, Lucy targets asteroid Donaldjohanson</a>
They will continue to operate for the next two weeks and "into the lunar night", Firefly Aerospace shared.
The experiments planned for Blue Ghost include studying the geology of the moon and the lunar composition. It will also carry work to learn more about space weather and how heat flows on the moon. The most exciting of them is the testing of the drilling technology.
<iframe width="600" height="auto" style="width: 100%; aspect-ratio: 4/3;" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" class="external-video publive-iframes-block" src="https://cdn.thepublive.com/wion/static/kaltura_player/wion_video_player_iframe.html?thumbnail=wion/media/post_attachments/screenshot/2802_WION_MOON_12PM/00000002.jpg&amp;videourl=https://vodakm.zeenews.com/vod/WION/2802_WION_MOON_12PM.mp4/index.m3u8&amp;duration=59&amp;tags=moon, blue ghost, spacecraft, nasa, world news" title="Blue Ghost lander sends stunning close-ups of the Moon " id="PL_iframe_block-m7twsjpg-b1p3lz4q-8cyncwz1"></iframe>
Cameras on the lander will take pictures of how lunar dust levitates on the surface at sunset.
<h2>Blue Ghost launch</h2>
Blue Ghost was launched on Jan 15 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Sharing the joy of achieving a historic feat, Firefly CEO Jason Kim said in an X post on Sunday, "Firefly is literally and figuratively over the moon."
"This bold, unstoppable team has proven we're well equipped to deliver reliable, affordable access to the moon, and we won't stop there," Kim continued. "With annual lunar missions, Firefly is paving the way for a lasting lunar presence that will help unlock access to the rest of the solar system for our nation, our partners and the world." Notably, Intuitive Machines' Odysseus was the first private lander on the moon that did so in February last year.
&nbsp;

Science & Tech Trending News - Blue Ghost lander has captured a beautiful sunrise on the moon. The sun's rays are extremely bright and sharp, contrasting with the rugged and dark background of the moon.

Private space exploration firm Firefly Aerospace has shared a stunning image of a sunrise on the moon, taken by its lunar lander, as it kickstarted its days-long operations on the lunar surface. The spacecraft, Blue Ghost, is busy working after a historic landing on Sunday (Mar 2). The image, shared on X on Monday (Mar 3), showed a bright sunrise set against the arid lunar surface marked with several craters. "Rise and shine! Firefly's Blue Ghost lander captured its first sunrise on the moon, marking the beginning of the lunar day and the start of surface operations in its new home," the post reads. Rise and shine! Firefly’s #BlueGhost lander captured its first sunrise on the Moon, marking the beginning of the lunar day and the start of surface operations in its new home. Our #GhostRiders have already begun operating many of the 10 @NASA payloads aboard the lander and will… pic.twitter.com/YI9nuFZfmk — Firefly Aerospace (@Firefly_Space) March 3, 2025 The sunrise marks the beginning of the lunar day that will last for 15 days before the extremely cold lunar night sets in. Also Read: Blue Ghost Landing: US firm's spacecraft second private lander on moon The Blue Ghost lander made its descent in the northeastern region of the near side of the moon. It is sitting pretty near Mons Latreille, a solitary lunar peak in the vast basin Mare Crisium ("Sea of Crises"). GhostRiders on Blue Ghost The company further shared that the lander's "GhostRiders have already begun operating many of the 10 NASA payloads" aboard the Blue Ghost. Also Read: 70 million kilometres away, Lucy targets asteroid Donaldjohanson They will continue to operate for the next two weeks and "into the lunar night", Firefly Aerospace shared. The experiments planned for Blue Ghost include studying the geology of the moon and the lunar composition. It will also carry work to learn more about space weather and how heat flows on the moon. The most exciting of them is the testing of the drilling technology. Cameras on the lander will take pictures of how lunar dust levitates on the surface at sunset. Blue Ghost launch Blue Ghost was launched on Jan 15 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Sharing the joy of achieving a historic feat, Firefly CEO Jason Kim said in an X post on Sunday, "Firefly is literally and figuratively over the moon." "This bold, unstoppable team has proven we're well equipped to deliver reliable, affordable access to the moon, and we won't stop there," Kim continued. "With annual lunar missions, Firefly is paving the way for a lasting lunar presence that will help unlock access to the rest of the solar system for our nation, our partners and the world." Notably, Intuitive Machines' Odysseus was the first private lander on the moon that did so in February last year.

'GhostRiders' on Blue Ghost click sunrise on the moon, get ready to kick up some dust

Europe&rsquo;s Ariane 6 commercial launch has been postponed for the second time due to an anomaly detected on the ground, French aerospace company Arianespace announced on Monday. The mission was set to take off from the Kourou spaceport in French Guiana but was called off minutes before launch. Arianespace CEO David Cavailloles confirmed that the decision to delay the launch was necessary and that it would not take place on the scheduled day.
The first commercial flight of Ariane 6 was initially scheduled for 26 February but was delayed due to a previous anomaly. Arianespace has not provided a revised launch date.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/web-stories/science-technology/thermonuclear-blast-a-star-is-about-to-explode-in-deep-space-and-it-will-be-visible-from-earth-8774338">'Thermonuclear blast': A star is about to explode in deep space and it will be visible from Earth</a>
<h2>CSO-3 Satellite</h2>
The mission aims to deploy the CSO-3 satellite, developed for the French Defence Procurement and Technology Agency (DGA) and the French space agency CNES, on behalf of the French Air and Space Force&rsquo;s Space Command (CDE). The satellite is part of the Optical Space Component (CSO) programme, which enhances France&rsquo;s defence and reconnaissance capabilities.
Ariane 6 is Europe&rsquo;s next-generation heavy-lift launcher, designed to succeed the Ariane 5 rocket. It comes in two configurations: Ariane 62, equipped with two boosters, and Ariane 64, with four boosters for higher payload capacity.
The Ariane 62 version was set to carry the CSO-3 satellite into a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of approximately 800 km. The satellite was expected to separate from the rocket around an hour and six minutes after launch. The CSO-3 satellite is the third and final component of the CSO constellation, joining CSO-1, launched in December 2018, and CSO-2, launched in December 2020.
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The satellites are supposed to be positioned in different sun-synchronous orbits to perform distinct roles: CSO-1 and CSO-3 focus on reconnaissance, covering operational theatres, and providing revisit capability, while CSO-2 is dedicated to high-resolution imaging and analysis. The constellation is designed to support the Multinational Space-based Imaging System (MUSIS), an initiative led by the DGA.&nbsp;
The CSO satellites are built by Airbus Defence and Space, with Thales Alenia Space supplying the very high-resolution optical imaging instrument. Each satellite has an expected operational lifespan of ten years. Arianespace has been working closely with CNES and the French military to ensure the successful deployment of the CSO-3 satellite, but further technical evaluations will now be required before a new launch date is confirmed.

Science: ESA's Ariane 6 mission was set to take off from the Kourou spaceport in French Guiana but was called off minutes before launch due to a ground system anomaly.

Europe’s Ariane 6 commercial launch has been postponed for the second time due to an anomaly detected on the ground, French aerospace company Arianespace announced on Monday. The mission was set to take off from the Kourou spaceport in French Guiana but was called off minutes before launch. Arianespace CEO David Cavailloles confirmed that the decision to delay the launch was necessary and that it would not take place on the scheduled day. The first commercial flight of Ariane 6 was initially scheduled for 26 February but was delayed due to a previous anomaly. Arianespace has not provided a revised launch date. Also read: 'Thermonuclear blast': A star is about to explode in deep space and it will be visible from Earth CSO-3 Satellite The mission aims to deploy the CSO-3 satellite, developed for the French Defence Procurement and Technology Agency (DGA) and the French space agency CNES, on behalf of the French Air and Space Force’s Space Command (CDE). The satellite is part of the Optical Space Component (CSO) programme, which enhances France’s defence and reconnaissance capabilities. Ariane 6 is Europe’s next-generation heavy-lift launcher, designed to succeed the Ariane 5 rocket. It comes in two configurations: Ariane 62, equipped with two boosters, and Ariane 64, with four boosters for higher payload capacity. The Ariane 62 version was set to carry the CSO-3 satellite into a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of approximately 800 km. The satellite was expected to separate from the rocket around an hour and six minutes after launch. The CSO-3 satellite is the third and final component of the CSO constellation, joining CSO-1, launched in December 2018, and CSO-2, launched in December 2020. Also read: '36 billion suns inside': NASA's Hubble Telescope discovers one of the largest black hole hiding inside an Einstein Ring The satellites are supposed to be positioned in different sun-synchronous orbits to perform distinct roles: CSO-1 and CSO-3 focus on reconnaissance, covering operational theatres, and providing revisit capability, while CSO-2 is dedicated to high-resolution imaging and analysis. The constellation is designed to support the Multinational Space-based Imaging System (MUSIS), an initiative led by the DGA. The CSO satellites are built by Airbus Defence and Space, with Thales Alenia Space supplying the very high-resolution optical imaging instrument. Each satellite has an expected operational lifespan of ten years. Arianespace has been working closely with CNES and the French military to ensure the successful deployment of the CSO-3 satellite, but further technical evaluations will now be required before a new launch date is confirmed.

ESA's Ariane 6 launch delayed again due to ground system anomaly

The Lucy spacecraft that was launched in 2021 has caught the first clear glimpse of Donaldjohanson in the main asteroid belt. NASA has released images of the asteroid that appears like a smidge of light in photos captured by Lucy&rsquo;s LOng Range Reconnaissance Imager (or L&rsquo;LORRI, for short). The mission was launched in 2021 to study Trojan asteroids that travel around the Sun with Jupiter and three others in the solar system.&nbsp;
Asteroid Donaldjohanson is not a Trojan, but its position in the solar system means that Lucy would be able to conduct a flyby near it. Lucy's ultimate goal is to reach the Trojans near Jupiter, study their composition and learn more about where they possibly originated.
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The asteroid is named after anthropologist Donaldjohanson who discovered the fossilized hominid Lucy in 1974. Lying in the main asteroid belt, it is roughly four kilometres in diameter.
The current photos show Donaldjohanson at a distance of 70 million kilometres from Lucy. However, the probe will keep on closing in and carry out an extremely close flyby of the asteroid on 20 April 2025.
<figure class="image"><img alt="Asteroid Donaldjohanson" src="https://img-cdn.thepublive.com/fit-in/1280x720/filters:format(webp)/wion/media/media_files/2025/02/27/YPnYyJm8Qmt7NVZNO1Qg.png" style="width: 1280px;">
<figcaption>Asteroid Donaldjohanson is not a Trojan. Photograph: (NASA/Goddard/SwRI/Johns Hopkins APL)</figcaption>
</figure>
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At this point, Lucy will pass by Donaldjohanson at a distance of 960 kilometres.
<h2>Why is Donaldjohanson special?</h2>
Donaldjohanson is just a stop in Lucy's journey. However, scientists are intrigued to learn more about the asteroid as it is believed to be a piece of debris left behind following a massive collision about 130 million years ago. This cosmic event supposedly created the Erigone family of asteroids, as per the Lucy mission site.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/alien-life-in-universe-sulfur-dioxide-gas-exoplanet-8746476" rel="dofollow">Aliens cannot live on a planet where this one element is present, scientists say</a>
<h2>Lucy and asteroid Dinkinesh</h2>
Earlier, Lucy snapped asteroid Dinkinesh and its tiny moon in November 2023. The discovery was historic as the moon, named Selam, was found to comprise two smaller objects that were touching each other. This is known as a contact binary and was the first such instance where it was found to be orbiting an asteroid.&nbsp;
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<h2>What are Trojan asteroids?</h2>
The first Trojan asteroid Lucy would reach is Eurybates, about 64 kilometres across. The aim of the Eurybates flyby is to understand why the Trojan asteroids are moving together in front of Jupiter. These asteroids are believed to be remnants of the same primordial material that led to the creation of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. However, they are all different in composition and might have drifted from various parts of the solar system.

Science & Tech Trending news Asteroid Donaldjohanson has intrigued scientists because it is thought to be the debris of a catastrophic collision that happened 130 million years ago.

The Lucy spacecraft that was launched in 2021 has caught the first clear glimpse of Donaldjohanson in the main asteroid belt. NASA has released images of the asteroid that appears like a smidge of light in photos captured by Lucy’s LOng Range Reconnaissance Imager (or L’LORRI, for short). The mission was launched in 2021 to study Trojan asteroids that travel around the Sun with Jupiter and three others in the solar system. Asteroid Donaldjohanson is not a Trojan, but its position in the solar system means that Lucy would be able to conduct a flyby near it. Lucy's ultimate goal is to reach the Trojans near Jupiter, study their composition and learn more about where they possibly originated. Also Read: Scientists test laser-powered device to detect ancient life on planet Mars The asteroid is named after anthropologist Donaldjohanson who discovered the fossilized hominid Lucy in 1974. Lying in the main asteroid belt, it is roughly four kilometres in diameter. The current photos show Donaldjohanson at a distance of 70 million kilometres from Lucy. However, the probe will keep on closing in and carry out an extremely close flyby of the asteroid on 20 April 2025. Asteroid Donaldjohanson is not a Trojan. Photograph: (NASA/Goddard/SwRI/Johns Hopkins APL) Also Read: World's deadliest spider is milked for its venom. A zoo in Australia wants you to catch them At this point, Lucy will pass by Donaldjohanson at a distance of 960 kilometres. Why is Donaldjohanson special? Donaldjohanson is just a stop in Lucy's journey. However, scientists are intrigued to learn more about the asteroid as it is believed to be a piece of debris left behind following a massive collision about 130 million years ago. This cosmic event supposedly created the Erigone family of asteroids, as per the Lucy mission site. Also Read: Aliens cannot live on a planet where this one element is present, scientists say Lucy and asteroid Dinkinesh Earlier, Lucy snapped asteroid Dinkinesh and its tiny moon in November 2023. The discovery was historic as the moon, named Selam, was found to comprise two smaller objects that were touching each other. This is known as a contact binary and was the first such instance where it was found to be orbiting an asteroid. Also Read: Meteoroid impact on Mars produces seismic signals, quakes go deeper than expected What are Trojan asteroids? The first Trojan asteroid Lucy would reach is Eurybates, about 64 kilometres across. The aim of the Eurybates flyby is to understand why the Trojan asteroids are moving together in front of Jupiter. These asteroids are believed to be remnants of the same primordial material that led to the creation of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. However, they are all different in composition and might have drifted from various parts of the solar system.

70 million kilometres away, Lucy targets asteroid Donaldjohanson

Scientists have been for years trying to find alien life in the vast expanse of the universe. Several probes have been launched that are still drifting in space and dozens of high-end telescopes aim to learn the possibility of life on another planet. While we are still waiting to learn if someone else is out there or not, astronomers have now cancelled out certain bodies where life can never exist so no time needs to be wasted in exploring such exoplanets.
Sulfur has emerged as the key in this case, with scientists saying that its existence on a planet is a clear indication that it is uninhabited. So, such a body can instantly be struck off the list of potential candidates where life might exist.&nbsp;
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/nasa-bumps-up-probability-of-city-killer-asteroid-2024-yr4-slamming-into-our-planet-earth-in-8-years-8735944" rel="dofollow">NASA bumps up probability of 'city killer' asteroid 2024-YR4 slamming into our planet Earth in 8 years</a>
<h2>Searching for life through biosignatures</h2>
Right now, the way to know about the existence of life on another planet is through the presence of biosignatures, the atmospheric gases produced by life, on a planet. The problem is that it is not possible for high-end equipment, such as the James Webb Space Telescope, to identify biosignatures on nearby planets. The Habitable Worlds Observatory, which will soon be up and running, would be able to scan only a few potentially habitable exoplanets.&nbsp;
<h2>Looking for water vapour</h2>
Instead of searching for biosignatures, scientists are focussing on a planet's ability to host life. Looking for the presence of water vapour in its atmosphere is one such way. If a planet has a lot of water vapour, the chances of it being able to host life are high.
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But this method also has a hindrance. Some planets, like Earth and Venus, appear to be similar when looked at from great distances. However, we know that they are not the same. Venus has a thick atmosphere, with temperatures reaching over 800 degrees Fahrenheit (427 degrees Celsius) and a hostile environment.
<h2>Clue for alien life lies in one gas</h2>
In this quest, a new preprint paper suggests looking for sulfur dioxide. Earth is warm and wet where rains wash away sulfur dioxide from the atmosphere. So the presence of this gas becomes a good indication of life when looking outwards. However, a small twist in the tale here is that even Venus has very little sulfur in its upper atmosphere. This is because ultraviolet radiation from the sun leads to reactions that convert sulfur dioxide to hydrogen sulfide. It moves downwards into the lower atmosphere, where it can't be detected.
When looking for life elsewhere, red dwarfs offer a solution to the above glitch. They emit very little ultraviolet radiation and a dry, uninhabitable planet around a red dwarf would hence have a lot of sulfur dioxide in its upper atmosphere. Red dwarfs are present in abundance not only in our galaxy but also in our nearest neighbours, Proxima Centauri and &nbsp;TRAPPIST-1. Many of them host planets as well. This makes the sulfur equation a practical way to strike out candidates when looking for otherworldly life.&nbsp;
It cannot tell where life exists, but it can tell where life doesn't exist. A planet revolving around a red dwarf and containing lots of sulfur can immediately be ignored as a potential candidate for hosting life.&nbsp;

Science & Tech News - Space News - Alien life might exist somewhere in the universe, but we still don't know for sure. However, there is one way to know where it might not exist.

Scientists have been for years trying to find alien life in the vast expanse of the universe. Several probes have been launched that are still drifting in space and dozens of high-end telescopes aim to learn the possibility of life on another planet. While we are still waiting to learn if someone else is out there or not, astronomers have now cancelled out certain bodies where life can never exist so no time needs to be wasted in exploring such exoplanets. Sulfur has emerged as the key in this case, with scientists saying that its existence on a planet is a clear indication that it is uninhabited. So, such a body can instantly be struck off the list of potential candidates where life might exist. Also Read: NASA bumps up probability of 'city killer' asteroid 2024-YR4 slamming into our planet Earth in 8 years Searching for life through biosignatures Right now, the way to know about the existence of life on another planet is through the presence of biosignatures, the atmospheric gases produced by life, on a planet. The problem is that it is not possible for high-end equipment, such as the James Webb Space Telescope, to identify biosignatures on nearby planets. The Habitable Worlds Observatory, which will soon be up and running, would be able to scan only a few potentially habitable exoplanets. Looking for water vapour Instead of searching for biosignatures, scientists are focussing on a planet's ability to host life. Looking for the presence of water vapour in its atmosphere is one such way. If a planet has a lot of water vapour, the chances of it being able to host life are high. Also Read: 'Cloudgazing on Mars': NASA's Curiosity rover captures colourful clouds on Mars But this method also has a hindrance. Some planets, like Earth and Venus, appear to be similar when looked at from great distances. However, we know that they are not the same. Venus has a thick atmosphere, with temperatures reaching over 800 degrees Fahrenheit (427 degrees Celsius) and a hostile environment. Clue for alien life lies in one gas In this quest, a new preprint paper suggests looking for sulfur dioxide. Earth is warm and wet where rains wash away sulfur dioxide from the atmosphere. So the presence of this gas becomes a good indication of life when looking outwards. However, a small twist in the tale here is that even Venus has very little sulfur in its upper atmosphere. This is because ultraviolet radiation from the sun leads to reactions that convert sulfur dioxide to hydrogen sulfide. It moves downwards into the lower atmosphere, where it can't be detected. When looking for life elsewhere, red dwarfs offer a solution to the above glitch. They emit very little ultraviolet radiation and a dry, uninhabitable planet around a red dwarf would hence have a lot of sulfur dioxide in its upper atmosphere. Red dwarfs are present in abundance not only in our galaxy but also in our nearest neighbours, Proxima Centauri and TRAPPIST-1. Many of them host planets as well. This makes the sulfur equation a practical way to strike out candidates when looking for otherworldly life. It cannot tell where life exists, but it can tell where life doesn't exist. A planet revolving around a red dwarf and containing lots of sulfur can immediately be ignored as a potential candidate for hosting life.

Aliens cannot live on a planet where this one element is present, scientists say

Astronomers have identified the nearest known Einstein ring, a rare gravitational lensing phenomenon where light from a distant galaxy is bent by the gravitational field of a closer galaxy. Initially thought to be a single galaxy, the object was first observed more than a century ago but has now been confirmed as a gravitational lens.
Such galactic lenses were predicted by Albert Einstein in 1936 as part of his general theory of relativity. At the time, he believed they would be too difficult to observe. However, with modern telescopes, such phenomena can now be detected. &ldquo;It was there all along, but we had no idea,&rdquo; said Thomas Collett from the University of Portsmouth, UK.
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The Einstein ring was discovered when Collett and his team studied NGC 6505, an oval-shaped galaxy located around 600 million light-years from Earth. The galaxy, first documented in 1884, was found to be bending the light from a second galaxy approximately 6 billion light-years away.
<img src="https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/10103031/SEI_239324054.jpg?width=1600" alt="My alt text" style="width: 1350px;">
The discovery was made using data from the European Space Agency&rsquo;s Euclid telescope, which is surveying billions of galaxies across a third of the night sky. Team member Bruno Altieri noticed the Einstein ring while validating early test data. &ldquo;There was this abundantly obvious Einstein ring. There are not many things in the universe that can produce a ring like this,&rdquo; Collett said.
The ring appears exceptionally bright compared to other known Einstein rings. Its relative proximity to Earth and the imaging capabilities of Euclid make it easier to distinguish the four images of the distant galaxy. The faint orange glow surrounding the ring represents the lensing galaxy.
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<h2>Theory of Relativity&nbsp;</h2>
This discovery provides an opportunity to test Einstein&rsquo;s theory of general relativity. Researchers can measure the mass of the lensing galaxy in two ways&mdash;by analysing how the light bends and by observing the velocity of its stars. Einstein&rsquo;s theory predicts these values should be the same, so any discrepancy could indicate a need to modify existing gravitational models.
When the team calculated the mass of the lensing galaxy, they found it to be slightly higher than expected based on the estimated number of stars it contains. This discrepancy may be due to dark matter clustering at the galaxy&rsquo;s centre, according to Fr&eacute;d&eacute;ric Dux from the European Southern Observatory. However, further observations of similar lenses will be required to confirm this hypothesis.
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SCIENCE & TECH: Such galactic lenses were predicted by Albert Einstein in 1936 as part of his general theory of relativity. Initially thought to be a single galaxy, the object was first observed more than a century ago.

Astronomers have identified the nearest known Einstein ring, a rare gravitational lensing phenomenon where light from a distant galaxy is bent by the gravitational field of a closer galaxy. Initially thought to be a single galaxy, the object was first observed more than a century ago but has now been confirmed as a gravitational lens. Such galactic lenses were predicted by Albert Einstein in 1936 as part of his general theory of relativity. At the time, he believed they would be too difficult to observe. However, with modern telescopes, such phenomena can now be detected. “It was there all along, but we had no idea,” said Thomas Collett from the University of Portsmouth, UK. Also read: ‘Cinematic voyage of space’: Why Interstellar in IMAX is a must-watch The Einstein ring was discovered when Collett and his team studied NGC 6505, an oval-shaped galaxy located around 600 million light-years from Earth. The galaxy, first documented in 1884, was found to be bending the light from a second galaxy approximately 6 billion light-years away. The discovery was made using data from the European Space Agency’s Euclid telescope, which is surveying billions of galaxies across a third of the night sky. Team member Bruno Altieri noticed the Einstein ring while validating early test data. “There was this abundantly obvious Einstein ring. There are not many things in the universe that can produce a ring like this,” Collett said. The ring appears exceptionally bright compared to other known Einstein rings. Its relative proximity to Earth and the imaging capabilities of Euclid make it easier to distinguish the four images of the distant galaxy. The faint orange glow surrounding the ring represents the lensing galaxy. Also read: 'Runs on radiation': This tiny cosmic object will travel through interstellar space at astonishing speeds Theory of Relativity This discovery provides an opportunity to test Einstein’s theory of general relativity. Researchers can measure the mass of the lensing galaxy in two ways—by analysing how the light bends and by observing the velocity of its stars. Einstein’s theory predicts these values should be the same, so any discrepancy could indicate a need to modify existing gravitational models. When the team calculated the mass of the lensing galaxy, they found it to be slightly higher than expected based on the estimated number of stars it contains. This discrepancy may be due to dark matter clustering at the galaxy’s centre, according to Frédéric Dux from the European Southern Observatory. However, further observations of similar lenses will be required to confirm this hypothesis.

Inside an oval shaped galaxy, European astronomers detect nearest Einstein ring using Euclid telescope

NASA has revised its plans for the return of astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore from the International Space Station (ISS), now considering March 19, 2025 as their new departure date. This update moves their return forward by approximately two weeks from the previously scheduled early April timeline, according to a report by Daily Mail.
The decision is linked to adjustments in the schedule for SpaceX&rsquo;s Crew-10 mission. Originally set for launch in February, the Crew-10 mission was delayed due to a technical issue with the new Dragon capsule intended for the flight. As a result, the launch was postponed to March, which in turn delayed Williams and Wilmore&rsquo;s return.
Williams and Wilmore are expected to travel back to Earth aboard the Crew-9 capsule, which has been docked at the ISS since 29 September 2024. However, NASA protocol requires Crew-9 to remain at the station until Crew-10 arrives to ensure a structured transition. This procedure allows for a handover period in which the outgoing crew briefs the incoming team, maintaining continuity of operations aboard the ISS.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/web-stories/science-technology/an-asteroid-is-coming-humans-could-face-dinosaur-type-extinction-level-event-if-8697342">'An asteroid is coming': Humans could face dinosaur type extinction level event if...</a>
<h2 class="p1">NASA's Preparations</h2>
To facilitate an earlier launch, NASA has opted to switch the Dragon capsule originally assigned to Crew-10. This change is expected to clear the way for Crew-10&rsquo;s revised launch schedule, thereby enabling Crew-9, along with Williams and Wilmore, to return to Earth sooner than initially planned.
Williams and Wilmore&rsquo;s return had already been postponed multiple times due to technical concerns with Boeing&rsquo;s Starliner spacecraft. The pair launched aboard Starliner on 5 June 2024 as part of its first crewed mission under the Starliner Crew Flight Test. However, propulsion system issues and helium leaks detected during the mission led to repeated delays in their journey back to Earth.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/web-stories/science-technology/cant-remember-how-to-walk-why-nasas-sunita-williams-is-losing-basic-human-movements-in-space-8682779">'Can't remember how to walk': Why NASA's Sunita Williams is losing basic human movements in space</a>
In a separate development, former US President Donald Trump recently commented on the astronauts&rsquo; extended stay aboard the ISS. He claimed that Williams and Wilmore were &ldquo;stranded&rdquo; in space and called on Elon Musk&rsquo;s SpaceX to intervene. Despite Trump&rsquo;s remarks, NASA has confirmed that the astronauts are not stranded and that plans for their return in March are proceeding as scheduled.

Originally set for launch in February, the Crew-10 mission was delayed due to a technical issue with the new Dragon capsule intended for the flight. 

NASA has revised its plans for the return of astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore from the International Space Station (ISS), now considering March 19, 2025 as their new departure date. This update moves their return forward by approximately two weeks from the previously scheduled early April timeline, according to a report by Daily Mail. The decision is linked to adjustments in the schedule for SpaceX’s Crew-10 mission. Originally set for launch in February, the Crew-10 mission was delayed due to a technical issue with the new Dragon capsule intended for the flight. As a result, the launch was postponed to March, which in turn delayed Williams and Wilmore’s return. Williams and Wilmore are expected to travel back to Earth aboard the Crew-9 capsule, which has been docked at the ISS since 29 September 2024. However, NASA protocol requires Crew-9 to remain at the station until Crew-10 arrives to ensure a structured transition. This procedure allows for a handover period in which the outgoing crew briefs the incoming team, maintaining continuity of operations aboard the ISS. Also read: 'An asteroid is coming': Humans could face dinosaur type extinction level event if... NASA's Preparations To facilitate an earlier launch, NASA has opted to switch the Dragon capsule originally assigned to Crew-10. This change is expected to clear the way for Crew-10’s revised launch schedule, thereby enabling Crew-9, along with Williams and Wilmore, to return to Earth sooner than initially planned. Williams and Wilmore’s return had already been postponed multiple times due to technical concerns with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. The pair launched aboard Starliner on 5 June 2024 as part of its first crewed mission under the Starliner Crew Flight Test. However, propulsion system issues and helium leaks detected during the mission led to repeated delays in their journey back to Earth. Also read: 'Can't remember how to walk': Why NASA's Sunita Williams is losing basic human movements in space In a separate development, former US President Donald Trump recently commented on the astronauts’ extended stay aboard the ISS. He claimed that Williams and Wilmore were “stranded” in space and called on Elon Musk’s SpaceX to intervene. Despite Trump’s remarks, NASA has confirmed that the astronauts are not stranded and that plans for their return in March are proceeding as scheduled.

NASA confirms March 19 as return date for Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore

Scientists are worried about an asteroid impact that might happen in the year 2032. This one is not a regular space rock and poses an extremely high risk to Earth. The revelation was made by the European Space Agency (ESA) which said that it is closely monitoring Asteroid 2024 YR4 which is about the size of a football pitch. The space agency stated that it has a one in 83 chance of a direct hit and has the potential to cause "severe damage to a local region".
This latest development has alarmed everyone and the matter will come up for discussion at a meeting of the Space Mission Planning Advisory Group, chaired by the ESA, in Vienna in the first week of February. Scientists are already thinking of ways to prevent a catastrophic impact.
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What has everyone even more alarmed is the fact that such an impact only happens once every few thousand years.
The asteroid measures 100 metres by 40 metres and is currently around 27 million miles away from the planet. Right now, it is moving farther away from us. However, the asteroid is due to return later and that is when it will come dangerously close to Earth.
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Experts say that it will cross the Earth's orbit on December 22, 2032, but will most likely miss us by a few thousand miles. However, they are not taking any chances as this is an extremely rare occurrence.
The Space Mission group's Vienna meeting will assess the asteroid and the extent of threat it might pose. If an impact is confirmed, then the observations will be made known to the United Nations.
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The ESA said that if the asteroid is found to pose a danger to the planet, a "spacecraft-based response to the potential hazard" will be initiated.
<h2>Watching the dangerous asteroid</h2>
Asteroid 2024 YR4 is a near-Earth object and was first spotted by a telescope in Chile. Since the beginning of January, astronomers have been keeping a close watch on it to learn more about how big it is and its movement.
The biggest challenge right now is to monitor the asteroid. As per current observations, it is moving away from Earth and within the next few months, will become invisible. This would make it hard to watch it and gather more data. Astronomers plan on using extremely powerful telescopes to gather as much data as possible about the rock.&nbsp;
Nearly three years later, in 2028, the asteroid will again return to view.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/centaur-an-icy-body-in-space-is-shooting-multiple-jets-of-hot-gas-whats-going-on-764764" rel="dofollow">Centaur, an icy body in space, is shooting multiple jets of hot gas</a>
Scientists will then have only about four years before the scary encounter in the year 2032.
<h2>DART Mission</h2>
Experts have been preparing for such a scenario for some years now. NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission on Sep 26, 2022, smashed a spacecraft into an asteroid named Dimorphos as an experiment to understand how prepared we were if an asteroid were to pose a threat to Earth. This impact changed the course and shape of the asteroid. Scientists would now be hoping to emulate the incident in the next few years to avoid a potential disaster seven years from now.

Asteroid and Science & Tech Trending News | Near-Earth Asteroid 2024 YR4 has sent alarm bells ringing as scientists say it can hit Earth in the next seven years. 

Scientists are worried about an asteroid impact that might happen in the year 2032. This one is not a regular space rock and poses an extremely high risk to Earth. The revelation was made by the European Space Agency (ESA) which said that it is closely monitoring Asteroid 2024 YR4 which is about the size of a football pitch. The space agency stated that it has a one in 83 chance of a direct hit and has the potential to cause "severe damage to a local region". This latest development has alarmed everyone and the matter will come up for discussion at a meeting of the Space Mission Planning Advisory Group, chaired by the ESA, in Vienna in the first week of February. Scientists are already thinking of ways to prevent a catastrophic impact. Also Read: Earth's temporary ‘mini moon’ may have been a piece of actual moon What has everyone even more alarmed is the fact that such an impact only happens once every few thousand years. The asteroid measures 100 metres by 40 metres and is currently around 27 million miles away from the planet. Right now, it is moving farther away from us. However, the asteroid is due to return later and that is when it will come dangerously close to Earth. Also Read: Asteroid that hit US had a surprising effect on Earth, study finds Experts say that it will cross the Earth's orbit on December 22, 2032, but will most likely miss us by a few thousand miles. However, they are not taking any chances as this is an extremely rare occurrence. The Space Mission group's Vienna meeting will assess the asteroid and the extent of threat it might pose. If an impact is confirmed, then the observations will be made known to the United Nations. Also Read: Scientists discover life on samples of asteroid Ryugu The ESA said that if the asteroid is found to pose a danger to the planet, a "spacecraft-based response to the potential hazard" will be initiated. Watching the dangerous asteroid Asteroid 2024 YR4 is a near-Earth object and was first spotted by a telescope in Chile. Since the beginning of January, astronomers have been keeping a close watch on it to learn more about how big it is and its movement. The biggest challenge right now is to monitor the asteroid. As per current observations, it is moving away from Earth and within the next few months, will become invisible. This would make it hard to watch it and gather more data. Astronomers plan on using extremely powerful telescopes to gather as much data as possible about the rock. Nearly three years later, in 2028, the asteroid will again return to view. Also Read: Centaur, an icy body in space, is shooting multiple jets of hot gas Scientists will then have only about four years before the scary encounter in the year 2032. DART Mission Experts have been preparing for such a scenario for some years now. NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission on Sep 26, 2022, smashed a spacecraft into an asteroid named Dimorphos as an experiment to understand how prepared we were if an asteroid were to pose a threat to Earth. This impact changed the course and shape of the asteroid. Scientists would now be hoping to emulate the incident in the next few years to avoid a potential disaster seven years from now.

Asteroid to hit Earth in 2032? Scientists warn of space rock that can cause 'severe damage'

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched their GSLV-F15 carrying the NVS-02 at Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, marking ISRO's 100th rocket mission.

Indian Space Research Organisation accomplishes milestone 100th rocket launch

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