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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY - October 2016

Oct 2016

Aug 15, 2023

Russia Launches its Lunar Lander after almost 5 Decades

Russia launched its first moon-landing spacecraft in 47 years in a bid to be the first nation to make a soft landing on the lunar south pole, a region believed to hold coveted pockets of water ice.
The Russian lunar mission, the first since 1976, is racing against India, which launched its Chandrayaan-3 lunar lander last month, and more broadly with the United States and China, both of which have advanced lunar exploration programs targeting the lunar south pole.
A Soyuz 2.1 rocket carrying the Luna-25 craft blasted off from the Vostochny cosmodrome, east of Moscow.
The lander is expected to touch down on the moon on August 21, Russia's space chief Yuri Borisov told state television, though the space agency previously pegged August 23 as the landing date.

Aug 14, 2023

Centre Approves Establishment of New Spaceport in Kulasekarapattinam for Launching SSLVs

The Centre approved the establishment of a new spaceport in Kulasekarapattinam, Tamil Nadu, for carrying out the launches of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicles (SSLV) developed by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
The Indian Space Policy 2023 has the provision for utilisation of a spaceport for carrying out launch activities by Non-Government Entities (NGEs), subject to technical feasibility and range safety constraints.
The Policy has been approved and released into public domain. The Policy opens up the sector for enhanced participation of NGEs across the entire value chain of the space economy, while clearly delineating the roles of various stakeholders like IN-SPACe, ISRO, NewSpace India Limited and Department of Space.

Aug 13, 2023

Launch of Indian Web Browser Development Challenge (IWBDC)

Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) launched the Indian Web Browser Development Challenge (IWBDC) on 9th August 2023 in Launch Programme organized at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. Smt. Sunita Verma, Scientist G & Group Coordinator (R&D in Electronics & Information Technology), Shri Arvind Kumar, Controller of Certifying Authorities, MeitY and Dr. S. D. Sudarshan, Executive Director C-DAC, Bangalore jointly launched the browser development challenge. The challenge brochure was also unfolded by the dignitaries on the dais.
The Indian Web Browser Development Challenge is spearheaded by MeitY, CCA and C-DAC Bangalore.
The IWBDC is an Open Challenge Competition that seeks to inspire and empower technology enthusiasts, innovators, and developers from all corners of the country to create an indigenous web browser with its own trust store with an inbuilt CCA India root certificate, cutting edge functionalities and enhanced security & data privacy protection features.
Proposed browser would also focus on accessibility and user friendliness, ensuring built-in support for individuals with diverse abilities. Moreover, the browser envisions the ability to digitally sign documents using a crypto token, bolstering secure transactions and digital interactions.

Aug 08, 2023

Russia to Launch First Moon Lander Since 1976 in Race with Indian Spacecraft

Russia will launch its first lunar landing spacecraft in 47 years in a race with India to the south pole of the moon, a potential source of water to support a future human presence there.
The launch from the Vostochny cosmodrome, 3,450 miles (5,550 km) east of Moscow, will take place four weeks after India sent up its Chandrayaan-3 lunar lander, due to touch down at the pole on Aug. 23.
Rough terrain makes a landing there difficult, but the south pole is a prized destination because scientists believe it may hold significant quantities of ice that could be used to extract fuel and oxygen, as well as for drinking water.
Roscosmos said that the two missions would not get in each other's way because they have different landing areas planned.
Chandrayaan-3 is due to run experiments for two weeks, while Luna-25 will work on the moon for a year.

ISRO Transfers Satellite Bus Technology to Bengaluru-based Private Firm

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) transferred its cutting-edge IMS-1 Satellite Bus Technology to Alpha Design Technologies Pvt. Ltd. This transfer was facilitated by NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), ISRO's commercial arm, in a bid to further enable the private space sector into pushing development.
The IMS-1 satellite bus, a product of the U R Rao Satellite Centre, is a versatile and efficient small satellite platform designed to provide low-cost access to space.
The bus serves as a dedicated vehicle for various payloads, enabling Earth imaging, ocean and atmospheric studies, microwave remote sensing, and space science missions while ensuring a quick turnaround time for satellite launches.
Weighing about 100 kg, the IMS-1 bus accommodates a 30 kg payload. Its solar arrays generate 330 W power with a raw bus voltage of 30-42 V.
The development of this technology marks the beginning of ISRO-developed satellite-bus technologies being transferred to private industries. By doing so, ISRO aims to bolster India's industrial growth in the space sector and foster technological self-reliance. This opens up new avenues for private players to contribute to space research and exploration, aligning with India's plans to expand its presence in the global space market.

Aug 07, 2023

Moon Mission is all set for Lunar Orbit Injection Today.

The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft has made significant progress, covering approximately two-thirds of the distance to the Moon since its launch on July 14, reported ISRO.
During the past three weeks, ISRO has executed a series of strategic moves, progressively increasing the spacecraft's distance from Earth.
Notably, on August 1, a crucial slingshot manoeuvre was successfully employed to propel the craft from Earth's orbit towards the Moon.

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