The European Space Agency (ESA) successfully launched the Euclid space telescope. It was launched with the help of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. After reaching the orbit it sent a signal to mission control.
Euclid is a 1.2-meter-diameter telescope that will travel to L2, about 1 million miles away from Earth. The telescope will spend two months calibrating its instruments before commencing a six-year survey of one-third of the sky.
The Euclid mission's main goal is to investigate the dark side of the universe, focusing on dark matter and dark energy. For those who don't know, dark matter comprises 85 per cent of the universe's matter, however, it has never been directly observed, while dark energy is a mysterious force responsible for the universe's accelerating expansion.
Euclid aims to create a highly accurate 3D map of the universe by observing billions of galaxies up to 10 billion light-years away. It will reveal how dark energy has influenced the stretching and separation of matter over cosmic time.
Jul 01, 2023
Virgin Galactic Successfully Completes Its First Manned Mission to the Edge of Space
Virgin Galactic, the space venture established by British entrepreneur Richard Branson, achieved a significant milestone as it successfully completed its first manned mission to the edge of space. The inaugural commercial flight marked a momentous achievement for Virgin Galactic after two decades of dedicated efforts.
The mission featured two Italian Air Force personnel who were funded by the organisation. Colonel Walter Villadei, who is also slated for a future paid SpaceX mission to orbit, and Lieutenant Colonel Angelo Landolfi, a physician trained as a crew surgeon for Russian cosmonauts, were among the passengers.
Unlike its competitor Blue Origin, founded by Jeff Bezos, this particular mission had a research-oriented focus rather than catering to celebrities and affluent thrill-seekers.
Jun 26, 2023
IIT Kanpur Successfully Conducts Test Flight for Cloud Seeding
Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur successfully conducted a test flight for cloud seeding.
Cloud seeding involves the utilisation of various chemical agents such as silver iodide, dry ice, common salt, and other elements with the aim of enhancing the probability of rains.
The project was initiated a few years ago and is headed by the Computer Science and Engineering Department of IIT Kanpur.
The flight went up to an approximate height of 5,000 feet. It landed on the IIT Kanpur lab airstrip after successfully completing the test ride.
The experiment was conducted with due approval from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
A Cessna aircraft was flown from the flight laboratory of IIT Kanpur with cloud seeding attachments procured from a manufacturer in the US. The modifications in the aircraft were approved by the manufacturers of the aircraft and the DGCA.
Jun 24, 2023
India, US to Launch Joint Mission to Space in 2024
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of US and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) agreed to launch a joint mission to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2024.
India also decided to join the Artemis Accords, which brings like-minded countries together on civil space exploration. The Artemis Accords are a set of principles, guidelines and best practices applicable for the safe exploration of the Moon and ultimately expand space exploration to Mars and beyond. It is a part of the US government's Artemis program, an American-led effort to take humans to the Moon by 2025. When India signs the Artemis Accord, it will join the signatory list, which includes the UK, US, Italy, Japan, UAE, Luxembourg, France, Romania, New Zealand, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Singapore, Ukraine and South Korea.
Jun 23, 2023
Skyroot Successfully Tests Raman-I Engine Designed to help Vikram-I Rocket
Skyroot Aerospace successfully conducted the flight qualification test of the Raman-I engine, intended for roll attitude control in the Vikram-I rocket.
The Raman-I engine underwent a test fire at the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
The Raman-I engine will be employed for roll attitude control, which helps in managing the rocket's rotation and orientation.
Skyroot Aerospace, a start-up based in Telangana, made history by becoming the first Indian private company to launch a rocket with Vikram-S. The indigenous Vikram-S was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, marking India's entry into commercial space exploration.