The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the participation of the private sector in the entire range of space activities, including planetary exploration missions, Union minister Jitendra Singh said. The newly-created Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) will provide a level playing field for private companies to use Indian space infrastructure, Singh, who is the minister of state in the Prime Minister's Office, said.
A satellite placed in the halo orbit around the first Lagrangian point (L1) of the Sun-Earth system has the major advantage of continuously viewing the Sun without any occultation/eclipses, the IIA said.
SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean off coast Florida.
China on Tuesday alleged that US billionaire Elon Musk-owned SpaceX's satellites had two 'close encounters' with its space station in orbit, and has complained to the United Nations about the incidents which endangered the safety of the Chinese astronauts.
China will launch its maiden mission to moon in November, a third major event in the Chinese space programme after the launch of a satellite and amanned space mission.
Luna-25 took off from the Vostochny launch facility in Russia's Far East, Russia-based TASS news agency reported.
L2: Empuraan is an ambitious sequel that is bigger, bolder and timid in equal measure, observes Arjun Menon.
Why has the shift from ICE to electric slowed down despite initial enthusiasm?
The Ministry of Tourism is inviting people from around the world to visit Prayagraj and experience the Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the largest religious gatherings on Earth. The event, which begins on January 13th and runs for 45 days, will feature an "Incredible India Pavilion" showcasing cultural heritage, luxury tent accommodations, and enhanced air connectivity. The ministry is also launching a major social media campaign to generate buzz about the event, encouraging people to share their experiences and moments from the Maha Kumbh.
US space agency National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has announced the launch date for the first test flight of a commercial spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS).
President Droupadi Murmu addressed both Houses of Parliament, highlighting the government's achievements in various sectors, including economic growth, social welfare, and infrastructure development. She emphasized the government's efforts to lift the economy out of "policy paralysis" and create a more inclusive society. Murmu also acknowledged the challenges posed by digital fraud and cybercrime and stressed the need for a social infrastructure revolution. The President's speech is considered a policy statement, outlining the government's vision and roadmap for the future.
Billionaires are not only eyeing a profit as they push mankind out into the stars.
It appears India will be among those nations consigned to being among the watchers and not participants of this crucial phase, observes Aakar Patel.
Four years after it broke many hearts, Indian Space Research Organisation's Chandrayaan is all set to soar towards the moon in its third expedition on Friday in an attempt to put the country in an elite club of nations that accomplished lunar missions with a soft landing.
Days after a coffee chain announced that it would send an espresso machine to the International Space Station so that astronauts could enjoy hot, freshly brewed coffee, Rediff.com looks back at the strangest, quirkiest items that man has sent into space.
Udaan, India's largest business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce company, has received approval from the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) for its internal corporate restructuring plan, according to sources. By consolidating into a single entity, the restructuring will enhance Udaan's agility and pave the way for various financing options, including the ability to pursue an initial public offering (IPO) in India by 2026, according to people familiar with the matter.
From The New York Times to BBC and The Guardian to The Washington Post, the historic event in India's space programme on Wednesday made headlines across the globe.
"Get involved, try to be a part of it" is the message of record-breaking Indian-American astronaut Sunita Williams to millions of Indians students and space enthusiasts.
PlanetSpace, a company led by Dr Chirinjeev Kathuria, won half the battle to get a contract from NASA, when it managed to bring space heavyweights Lockheed Martin and Alliant Techsystems as its partners. Bank of Montreal too is part of the venture. The mission is to build an unmanned spacecraft to deliver cargo to the International Space Station.
Once ISRO masters the technology to send humans into space, the next step will be experimenting with technologies allowing humans to live in space.
'Today, let us reaffirm our commitment to strive to realise Gandhiji's dreams. His watchwords, truth and nonviolence, will continue to remain relevant for the whole world. He also taught us that rights and duties are but the two sides of the coin - indeed, the true source of rights is duty. Today we recall his lessons in compassion too - compassion not only for our human neighbours but also for our other neighbours, namely, flora and fauna, rivers and mountains.'
Mainstream American newspapers, many of which had been sceptical of India's space mission and sometimes even made fun of it through cartoons, noted the great Indian achievement.
This is the first deal by an Indian startup after the sector was opened to private companies in 2020.
Thirty-four years after he traveled to space, Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma tells Rediff.com's Archana Masih that he looks forward to Gaganyan, India's first manned space mission in 2022.
'... that it once again shies away from renewing its commitment to strategic divestment,' points out A K Bhattacharya.
The US space agency also warned that the risk of debris colliding with the International Space Station has risen by 44 per cent since Mission Shakti.
Russia and China are 'seriously' considering a project to install a nuclear reactor on the Moon in the next decade, the official media in Moscow quoted the head of the Russian space corporation as saying.
The US astronaut reflected on the importance of international cooperation in space missions like these.
'Two nations would continue to pursue shared interests in space that includes collaboration on safety and security in space'
'Trump administration wanted a positive tone at this summit, but there was still some anxiety that there could be some awkward moments -- and there were not.'
The unmanned SpaceX capsule returned to earth on Monday after successfully delivering its first commercial payload to the International Space Station commanded by Indian-American astronaut Sunita Williams.
Indian-American astronaut Sunita Williams has taken over the command of the International Space Station, becoming the second woman in history to do so, even as a three-member crew of the Expedition 32 returned safely to earth, wrapping up a mission lasting more than four months.
The US space agency will be looking for complete systems -- launchers, spaceships, mission operations and ground support -- to ferry astronauts to the InternationalSpace Station by the middle of the decade, The Daily Telegraph online reported.
The multi-mission communication satellite, also known as PAKSAT MM1, was launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in China's southwestern province of Sichuan, China's state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
Here are list of some of the big ticket announcements.
India and the US on Friday said they have started talks to put in place a strategic framework for human space flight by year-end as they plan to send an Indian astronaut to the International Space Station in 2024.
Mission Shakti 'shows the development within India's military space programme, its desire to be seen as a global space power and its recognition of the potential dangers of China's counterspace programme.'
The statement mentioned that as part of its partnership with India, the US will continue to pursue shared interests in space, and scientific and technical cooperation, including collaboration on safety and security in space.
'We have reached 70 million monthly active users during this festival season, which is another great milestone for us.'
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