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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY - December 2018

Dec 2018

Aug 05, 2025

ISRO Prepares for BlueBird Satellite Launch with U.S. Collaboration

According to ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan, the 6,500 kg BlueBird satellite is expected to arrive in India by September 2025, with the launch scheduled within three to four months.
Just days after the successful launch of the NISAR Earth Observation Satellite, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is gearing up for its next Indo-U.S. collaboration. The mission involves launching the Block 2 BlueBird communications satellite, developed by U.S.-based AST SpaceMobile, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, using ISRO's most powerful launch vehicle, the LVM3 (formerly GSLV-Mk III).

Aug 04, 2025

ISRO Launches HOPE Station in Ladakh to Simulate Life on Moon and Mars

The cold desert of Ladakh sometimes also referred to as the 'moonscape' is now home to a facility that will mimic living conditions of humans as if they were on Moon or Mars. In a significant moment for India's human spaceflight ambitions, Dr. V. Narayanan, Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), inaugurated the Himalayan Outpost for Planetary Exploration (HOPE) analogue mission setup in Ladakh. The facility, located at an altitude of 4.3 kilometres above sea level, is designed to simulate Mars-like conditions and will serve as a test-bed for future crewed missions to the Moon and beyond.
The HOPE station, inaugurated by ISRO chairman Dr. V. Narayanan, will be used to test systems for future space missions. The project is led by ISRO's Human Space Flight Centre, along with support from an industry partner and top research institutions.

Aug 03, 2025

SpaceX Launches Joint Astronaut Crew to ISS in NASA's Crew-11 Mission

An international crew of four astronauts launched toward the International Space Station from Florida aboard a SpaceX rocket, embarking on a routine NASA mission that could be the first of many to last a couple months longer than usual.
The four-person crew, two NASA astronauts, a Russian cosmonaut and Japanese astronaut, reached the ISS on Saturday.
The mission, called Crew-11, includes NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Michael Fincke, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov and Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui.

Aug 02, 2025

National Cybersecurity Exercise 2025 Concludes

The Bharat National Cybersecurity Exercise 2025, organised jointly by the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) and Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU), concluded successfully as a landmark event in India's cybersecurity landscape, bringing together over 600 participants including cybersecurity professionals, policymakers, defense personnel, academicians, and industry leaders. This year's exercise incorporated a dedicated focus on Industrial Control Systems (ICS) security and AI-driven cyber threats such as adversarial attacks and deepfake manipulation, alongside core modules covering Security Operations Centres (SOC), API security, Reverse Engineering Malware Analysis (REMA), and Digital Forensics and Incident Response (DFIR).

ISRO Plans Four Major Satellite Launches This Year

Following the successful launch of the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has announced plans for four major satellite missions later this year.
These upcoming satellites are expected to support critical sectors such as agriculture, weather forecasting, climate monitoring, secure communications, navigation services and oceanography.
According to ISRO officials, Oceansat-3A is slated for launch within this financial year. It will support marine resource management, phytoplankton biodiversity mapping and algal bloom detection.
The NVS-03 navigation satellite will enhance indigenous, regional space-based navigation services. Also on the schedule is TDS-01, a technology demonstration satellite aimed at testing key innovations, including electric propulsion systems.
Another key mission, GSAT-7R, will be launched to serve maritime operations and military communication needs.

Aug 01, 2025

Elon Musk's Starlink Gets Satellite Internet Permit in India

Elon Musk-led Starlink received a licence to launch satellite service in India, and a framework for spectrum allocation is also in place for a smooth rollout, Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said.
Along with Starlink, Bharti Group-backed Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio SES are also awaiting spectrum allocation to roll out their satcom services.

Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre Gets New Director

Dr. A. Rajarajan was appointed as the new Director of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in Thiruvananthapuram, effective August 1, 2025. He succeeded S. Unnikrishnan Nair. With nearly four decades of experience in India's space sector, Rajarajan is recognised as a composites expert and a pioneering force behind the launch of Vikram-S, India's first privately built rocket.
A. Rajarajan, prior to this appointment, served as the Director of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR (SDSC SHAR), Sriharikota, one of ISRO's most crucial facilities for launch operations.

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