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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY - December 2018

Dec 2018

Sep 04, 2023

ISRO Launches India's First Solar Mission Aditya-L1

India's first solar observatory mission, Aditya-L1, was launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), in its 59th flight with the Aditya-L1 onboard, took off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
Following the launch, Aditya-L1 will stay in orbit around Earth for 16 days, during which it will undergo five manoeuvres to gain the necessary velocity for its long journey towards the sun.
Aditya-L1 will stay approximately 1.5 million km away from earth, directed towards the sun, which is about 1% of the earth-sun distance.
Aditya-L1 has a mission life of five years during which its payloads are expected to provide the most crucial information to understand the problem of coronal heating; coronal mass ejection; pre-flare and flare activities and their characteristics; dynamics of space weather; and propagation of particles and fields.
The following are the seven payloads onboard Aditya-L1: Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC); Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT); Solar Low Energy X-ray Spectrometer (SoLEXS); High Energy L1 Orbiting X-ray Spectrometer (HEL1OS); Aditya Solar wind Particle Experiment (ASPEX); Plasma Analyser Package For Aditya (PAPA); and Advanced Tri-axial High Resolution Digital Magnetometers.

Sep 02, 2023

NASA to Test End-to-end Laser Communication in Space

NASA is advancing towards a pivotal test of end-to-end laser communication in the realm of space. This cutting-edge communication system is poised to outperform conventional methodologies currently utilised aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The implementation of advanced technologies, including an integrated Low Earth Orbit User Modem and Amplifier Terminal named LCDR, is slated for this year's launch.
This strategic move underlines NASA's dedicated endeavours to augment the capabilities of space communications.

Sep 01, 2023

UAE's G42 Launches Jais, An Open-source Arabic Language AI Model

A group of engineers, researchers and a Silicon Valley-based chip company have collaborated to release advanced Arabic language software that can power generative AI applications.
The new large language model called 'Jais' contains 13 billion parameters made from a big batch of data combining Arabic and English, a portion of which is from computer code. The group, which included academics and engineers embarked, on the project in part because they said there are few large language models that are bilingual.
The new language model was created with the help of supercomputers produced by the Silicon Valley-based Cerebras Systems, which designs dinner plate-sized chips that compete with Nvidia's powerful AI hardware. Nvidia's chips are in short supply, which has driven companies around the world to seek alternatives.
Named after the highest peak in the United Arab Emirates, Jais is a collaboration between Cerebras, Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence and a subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi-based tech conglomerate G42 called Inception, which focuses on AI.

Aug 31, 2023

Chandrayaan-3 rover Confirms the Presence of Sulphur in Lunar Surface

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said that the Pragyan rover's Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscope confirmed the presence of sulphur in the lunar surface near the south pole, through the first-ever in-situ measurements. Pragyan is a lunar rover that forms part of Chandrayaan-3, the lunar mission developed by ISRO.

ISRO-developed Device for Fishers' Safety Successfully Tested

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) achieved a significant milestone by successfully testing its innovative device named 'Nabhmitra'. This device, developed at ISRO's Space Applications Centre in Ahmedabad, aims to enhance the safety of fishermen during their sea expeditions. The successful testing took place at Neendakara, where the device was installed on a fishing vessel, and its capabilities were assessed in the presence of both scientists and officials from the Fisheries department.
Nabhmitra operates on the basis of advanced satellite communication technology, allowing seamless two-way messaging between fishing boats and maritime authorities stationed at sea. This breakthrough technology greatly improves the communication channels and safety measures available to fishermen during their voyages.

Aug 29, 2023

NASA, SpaceX Sends Four Astronauts from Four Countries to ISS

Four astronauts from four countries, including the US, Denmark, Japan, and Russia, launched aboard a SpaceX rocket towards the International Space Station (ISS) from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This was the first US take-off in which all the astronauts atop the spacecraft belonged to a different country, until now, NASA had always included two or three of its own on its SpaceX flights.
Known as Crew-7, the mission includes NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Andreas Mogensen, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov.

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