General Awareness

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY - September 2022

Sep 2022

Dec 24, 2025

Baahubali rocket carries BlueBird 6 satellite into orbit

India’s LVM3-M6 rocket, nicknamed Baahubali, lifted off from Sriharikota carrying BlueBird 6, a next-generation communications satellite from AST SpaceMobile. The mission aims to enable broadband access directly from space to standard smartphones, without special ground equipment. The launch underscores India’s growing capabilities in space technology and satellite communications and could impact rural connectivity and digital inclusion. The programme involves collaboration with US-based AST SpaceMobile, and the mission demonstrates ongoing expansion of India’s space program and international partnerships in space commerce and technology.

LVM3-M6 launched from Sriharikota with BlueBird 6.
Baahubali mission aims to beam broadband to ordinary smartphones.
Satellite collaboration with AST SpaceMobile (US).
Advances India’s space and telecommunications capabilities.
Implications for rural connectivity and digital inclusion.

IIT Madras Pravartak, ENAC launch aviation safety course

IIT Madras Pravartak Technologies Foundation and France’s ENAC launched a joint Aviation Safety Management (ASM) course, supported by Airbus. The two-year programme targets aviation professionals across airlines, airports, and related agencies. The upcoming batch, beginning February 2026, will admit up to 30 participants with applications open until January 31, 2026. The course covers safety performance, risk management, and organisational safety culture, combining ENAC’s expertise with IIT Madras’ research and industry links. This international collaboration aims to strengthen aviation safety education across India and the region.

ASM programme launched by IITM Pravartak and ENAC (France).
Two-year course; applications open until Jan 31, 2026.
Intake capped at 30 participants; starts February 2026.
Supported by Airbus; focuses on safety management and risk.
Aims to bolster aviation safety education regionally.

Dec 23, 2025

Japan Takes Final Step to Restart World’s Largest Nuclear Power Plant

Japan moved toward restarting the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant, the world’s largest, after a regional vote. This marks a key moment in Japan’s post-Fukushima energy strategy, aiming to reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels. Kashiwazaki-Kariwa had been among reactors shut down since 2011, with 14 of 33 reactors now back in operation nationwide. Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) will operate the plant, which is intended to bolster domestic energy security and provide a lower-emission power source for Japan’s grid amid ongoing energy transition and climate goals.

Kashiwazaki-Kariwa restart moves forward after regional vote.
Aims to reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels; lower emissions.
14 of 33 reactors currently operational in Japan.

Dec 22, 2025

Michaela Benthaus Becomes First Wheelchair User in Space

A German paraplegic engineer, Michaela Benthaus, became the first wheelchair user to travel to space. She joined five other passengers on a Blue Origin flight from west Texas. Benthaus, who was severely injured in a mountain bike accident seven years earlier, joined with Hans Koenigsmann, a former SpaceX executive who helped organize the mission and sponsor Benthaus’s trip. The historic flight highlighted inclusive space exploration and demonstrated how adaptive technologies enable people with disabilities to participate in high-profile science missions.

Benthaus first wheelchair user in space
Blue Origin flight from West Texas
Hans Koenigsmann helped organize and sponsor
Demonstrates inclusive space exploration

Starbucks Names Anand Varadarajan as Chief Technology Officer

Starbucks has named Anand Varadarajan, an Indian-origin technology executive, as its next Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer. Varadarajan will assume the role on January 19 and join Starbucks' Executive Leadership Team, reporting directly to Chief Executive Officer Brian Niccol. He succeeds Deb Hall Lefevre, who retired in September. A nearly two-decade veteran of Amazon, Varadarajan most recently led technology and supply chain for Amazon’s Worldwide Grocery Stores. Earlier stints include software engineering at Oracle and work with several startups. His appointment underscores the global reach of Indian-origin tech leaders in multinational firms. The move signals continued emphasis on digital platforms, data analytics, and customer experience.

Anand Varadarajan appointed EVP & CTO of Starbucks
Takes charge January 19; reports to CEO Brian Niccol
Succeeds Deb Hall Lefevre (retired Sept)
Former Amazon tech leader with ~19 years in the company
Prior roles include Oracle software engineer and startup work

James Webb Telescope Detects Lemon-Shaped Exoplanet PSR J2322-2650b

The James Webb Space Telescope has detected a lemon-shaped exoplanet, PSR J2322-2650b, located about 2,000 light-years from Earth. The planet orbits a millisecond pulsar and completes an orbit every 7.8 hours at nearly one million miles from its host. Its extreme environment challenges current models of planetary formation and survival, offering a rare glimpse into planetary diversity in distant systems.

JWST detects lemon-shaped exoplanet PSR J2322-2650b
Located ~2,000 light-years away
Orbits a millisecond pulsar
Orbit period = 7.8 hours

Dec 21, 2025

BlueBird Satellite Launch

Space PSU NewSpace India Limited (Nsil), which has a contract to put into orbit US' commercial satellite "BlueBird Block-2" or "BlueBird-6" through Isro's LVM-3, will implement the launch on December 24.
As per AST SpaceMobile, its next-generation BlueBird satellites are designed to deliver 24/7 high-speed cellular broadband to everyday smartphones worldwide.
"These advanced satellites feature nearly 2,400 square feet arrays, which will make them the largest commercial phased arrays ever deployed in low Earth orbit, surpassing the previous record held by our first-generation BlueBirds at 693 square feet," the firm said, describing the latest satellite.

Dec 19, 2025

NASA Space Apps Challenge 2025: Indian team wins Most Inspirational Award

An Indian team, Photonics Odyssey from Chennai, won NASA’s 2025 International Space Apps Challenge with a sovereign, phased‑array satellite internet concept aimed at expanding broadband in remote regions. The project envisions connecting over 700 million people currently without reliable internet and reduces ground dependency. NASA reported participation from over 1,14,000 people in 551 local events across 167 countries. The win showcases India’s talent in space and communications technology and could influence future public‑private partnerships in rural connectivity.

Winners: Photonics Odyssey (Chennai)
Project: phased‑array satellite internet for remote regions
India impact: aims to connect 700+ million people
NASA participation: 1,14,000+ people, 167 countries
Significance: strengthens India’s space and telecom innovation

Truecaller launches AI-powered voicemail with multilingual transcription

Truecaller launched an AI-powered voicemail feature for Android users in December 2025, offering instant transcription and robust spam protection. Voicemails are stored on the user’s device and categorized with smart filtering. The transcription supports 12 Indian languages, including Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Gujarati, Nepali, Punjabi, Sanskrit, and Urdu, with adjustable playback speed. The service aims to improve accessibility and message management for mobile users while preserving device privacy by keeping data locally.

AI-powered voicemail for Android
Instant transcription in 12 Indian languages
Voicemails stored on device; on-device processing
Smart call categorization and spam filtering
Playback speed adjustment feature

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