Overview of ISRO's START 2025 Program: ISRO Chairman S Somanath delivered a keynote speech at the launch of the Space Science and Technology Awareness Training (START 2025) program, emphasizing the role of space science beyond the excitement of becoming astronomers. He explained that space science involves rigorous and time-consuming work that requires years of persistent effort and expertise. He shared that this year’s program will involve 20,000 students from more than 560

NASA has announced delays to its Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the Moon. The first crewed lunar mission, Artemis 2, will now take place in April 2026, pushed back from its original launch window in September 2025. The second mission, Artemis 3, which seeks to land astronauts on the Moon for the first time in over 50 years, has been rescheduled from late 2026 to mid-2027. The delays, revealed on December 5, are attributed to technical issues discovered during the Ar

NASA's Dawn spacecraft, which orbited asteroid Vesta in 2012, captured images of enigmatic gullies on the asteroid's surface, prompting scientists to investigate their origins. A recent study published in the Planetary Science Journal explores the possibility that these gullies were formed by brief liquid flows involving briny water. Researchers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) simulated conditions similar to Vesta's surface using the Dirty Under-vacuum Simul

Space One, a Tokyo-based space startup, faced another setback in its mission to develop Japan's domestic space industry when its second rocket launch was aborted minutes after liftoff. The Kairos No. 2 rocket, designed to carry small satellites into orbit, launched from Spaceport Kii in the Wakayama prefecture on Wednesday. The rocket's trajectory became unstable shortly after takeoff, leading to a termination of the flight about 10 minutes in. The mission, which carried five satellit

NASA has announced that astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, who have been stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) since June, will remain in space at least until late March 2025. Originally, they were meant to spend just eight days aboard the ISS, but due to issues with Boeing's Starliner spacecraft's propulsion system, their mission was altered. After Starliner faced difficulties, NASA decided to send the astronauts back with the Crew-9 mission, which arrived in S

At Chennai Airport, an Air India cabin crew member was arrested for helping a passenger smuggle 1.7 kg of gold. The incident occurred when the flight from Dubai landed on Sunday. Customs officials intercepted the passenger and the crew member after the passenger admitted to handing over the gold during the flight. Upon searching the crew member, officials found the gold concealed in the undergarments, l

The rapid increase in satellites and space junk is threatening the future of Low Earth Orbit (LEO), the most accessible region of space. Experts and industry insiders have raised alarms, stating that without international cooperation and data sharing, LEO could soon become overcrowded and unsafe. According to the United Nations, more than 14,000 satellites, along with over 120 million pieces of debris, are already in orbit, with many more expected in the coming years. This growing congestion

Traffic in parts of Delhi and Noida has been significantly affected as farmers march toward the Parliament complex on Monday to demand key changes in land acquisition policies. The farmers, representing at least 20 districts, will be gathering at 12 pm to press for five major demands related to land compensation, employment for landless farmers, and proper settlement of acquired areas. Reports show long traffic queues at the Chilla border and Delhi-Noida direct flyover, with heavy s

Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Pawan Kalyan, who is also overseeing the Panchayat Raj and Forestry Departments, has raised concerns over the whereabouts of two luxury BMW cars that were seized during a sandalwood trafficking bust. The vehicles were confiscated during the TDP government's tenure (2014-2019) following a major sandalwood smuggling operation. After their seizure, the high-end BMW cars were allocated to officers within the Forestry Department—one to the Special

In a significant operation in Alluri Sitarama Raju district, the local police successfully identified and destroyed five acres of illegal ganja cultivation in Degalarayi village, located in the G Madugula mandal. The operation was carried out with the help of advanced drone technology, a cutting-edge tool now being increasingly utilized by law enforcement in Andhra Pradesh. The use of drones allowed the police to detect the illegal crop cultivation in the thick forested area of the

A powerful solar flare, classified as an X2.3 flare, disrupted radio communications over parts of the Atlantic Ocean, South America, and Africa on November 6, 2024. The event, which took place at 8:40 am ET, caused a shortwave radio blackout, highlighting the significant impact solar flares can have on global communications. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), which constantly monitors solar activity, captured images of the flare. Solar flares are intense bursts of energy

For astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS), the beauty of sunrise and sunset is not a once-a-day event; instead, they experience this breathtaking spectacle up to 16 times in a single Earth day. NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, currently on the ISS, knows this phenomenon well. During a 2013 event at the University of Gujarat, she reflected on her unique experience of witnessing 16 sunrises and sunsets while orbiting the Earth in a fast-moving shuttle. Due to delays i

In a significant advancement for China's space ambitions, three astronauts launched aboard the Shenzhou-19 mission to the Tiangong space station early Wednesday. The mission, which aims to conduct experiments and contribute to China's goal of establishing a lunar base by 2030, features Wang Haoze, the nation's only female spaceflight engineer and the third woman to partake in a Chinese crewed mission. The launch occurred at 4:27 AM local time from the Jiuquan Satellite L

The countdown has officially begun for NASA's Europa Clipper mission, now scheduled to launch on Monday after a delay caused by Hurricane Milton, which impacted Florida last week. The storm resulted in damage to parts of NASA's Kennedy Space Center, but preparations have resumed for this ambitious mission. The Europa Clipper spacecraft will embark on an extraordinary journey, traveling 1.8 billion miles (2.9 billion km) to reach Jupiter, with an anticipated arrival in April

Elon Musk's latest generation of Starlink satellites is raising significant concerns among Dutch scientists, who argue that the rapid expansion of these satellites is severely interfering with astronomical research. Researchers at the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON) have reported that thousands of Starlink satellites are "blinding" radio telescopes, complicating the collection of clean data essential for understanding the universe. While Starlink sat

Rescue of Indian Nationals: Forty-five Indian citizens who were illegally inducted into the Russian army and forced to fight in the Ukraine conflict have been rescued and discharged from military service, according to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. The rescue operation was part of ongoing efforts to address the plight of Indian nationals who had been misled into joining the Russian military. The Ministry also reported that fifty more Indi

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi have unveiled a novel method for monitoring the health of ageing bridges in real time, leveraging traffic data to enhance structural safety. This innovative approach addresses the challenges posed by repeated cyclic loads such as traffic, wind, and environmental conditions, which can weaken bridge integrity over time and lead to potential failures. The method employs digital modelling to identify weak spots on bridges, al

Recent Disruptions in Space Missions: The recent delays in space missions have highlighted a recurring issue with helium leaks. Boeing's Starliner spacecraft had to return uncrewed to Earth after issues with its propulsion system, including problematic helium leaks. Similarly, SpaceX's Polaris Dawn mission faced delays due to helium issues with ground equipment. These disruptions underscore the critical role helium plays in space technology and the chall

Chandrayaan-3: What to Know About India's Moon Landing Mission Continuing Lunar Exploration:     India's space agency, ISRO, is gearing up for another lunar exploration mission with Chandrayaan-3, building upon the success of its predecessors. Focused on Lander and Rover:     Chandrayaan-3 is primarily centered on a lander and rover, aiming to achieve