
World Asteroid Day: Raising awareness about asteroid
World Asteroid Day is observed every year on June 30 to raise awareness about asteroids and the potential hazards they pose to Earth. The primary goal of World Asteroid Day is to educate the public about asteroids, space science, and the importance of planetary defense. Through public events, documentaries, expert talks, and outreach initiatives, the day seeks to inform people about the role of asteroids in our solar system and how scientists monitor their paths.
Asteroids are remnants from the early formation of the solar system. While most orbit safely between Mars and Jupiter, some, known as Near-Earth Objects (NEOs), come close to the planet. Even relatively small asteroids can cause significant damage if they impact Earth, making early detection and monitoring crucial.
Space agencies like NASA, ESA, and ISRO actively track thousands of these objects and develop strategies to deflect any that may pose a threat. Missions such as NASA's DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) demonstrate our growing capability to prevent future collisions. World Asteroid Day also inspires young minds to explore careers in astronomy, space science, and planetary defense. It highlights the importance of international collaboration and continued investment in space research to ensure global safety.

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Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
A mission for a tech-forward future
In India, when we think of flagship missions in science and technology, names like the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) or Digital India come to mind. But over the past six years, another equally ambitious initiative has been quietly laying the foundation for India's future in deep-tech innovation. The National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS), launched by the department of science and technology in 2018, has emerged as one of the most transformative efforts in building the nation's cyber-physical infrastructure and capabilities. In a world where technology is the new geopolitical currency, India cannot afford to be a mere consumer. (Getty Images/iStockphoto) This progress has been possible due to the progressive policies and sustained support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government over the past 11 years, especially in fostering research, innovation, and deep-tech entrepreneurship in the country. NM-ICPS is not a typical government programme. It did not stop at policy or paperwork. It has built a working ecosystem from scratch. At the heart of NM-ICPS are 25 Technology Innovation Hubs located in some of the country's top academic and R&D institutions. Each of these hubs is focused on a frontier technology area — artificial intelligence, robotics, IoT, quantum tech, cybersecurity, autonomous systems, blockchain, and more. But what sets them apart is not just their focus. It is the integration of research, entrepreneurship, product development, and skills training that makes this mission both unique and scalable. Over 1700 technology products and solutions have been developed under this mission so far. These are not just prototypes sitting on lab shelves. Many are being actively deployed in sectors like healthcare, agriculture, energy, defence, and logistics. Several are aligned with India's national priorities such as food security, public safety, and inclusive digital access. Importantly, these are homegrown technologies—designed in India, for India. Innovation alone, however, is not enough unless it reaches people and markets. That is where the NM-ICPS architecture has shown foresight. More than 900 startups have been supported by the hubs, across domains like drone tech, quantum communication, digital forensics, speech analytics and AI/ML-based diagnostics. These are deep-tech ventures, often started by young graduates and researchers, which would have struggled to find the right support in a conventional system. The mission has also facilitated over 150 international collaborations, opening up new avenues for cross-border technology partnerships. Skill development has been another major pillar. Over 1.6 lakh individuals have been trained through TIH-led programmes in CPS-related domains. These include students, researchers, industry professionals, and even school teachers in some cases. Building a future-ready workforce is essential if India is to stay competitive in these technologies. One of the most significant initiatives last year was the launch of BharatGen, a multilingual, multimodal large language model initiative being developed at IIT Bombay. Unlike generic models that lack context or cultural sensitivity, BharatGen aims to develop foundational AI models grounded in Indian languages, social nuances, and local data ecosystems. This could become a game-changer for inclusive digital public infrastructure and India's AI ambitions. The mission also underwent an independent Third-Party Evaluation recently. Most government schemes shy away from such scrutiny. But NM-ICPS welcomed it. The evaluation team not only affirmed the impact and relevance of the mission but also recommended enhancements in institutional frameworks for faster translation and scale. The assessment also led to the selection of four Technology Innovation Hubs for upgradation into full-fledged Technology Translation Research Parks (TTRPs). These TTRPs — at IIT Indore (digital health), IISc Bangalore (robotics & AI), IIT Kanpur (cybersecurity), and IIT Dhanbad (mining tech) — will serve as national anchors for turning lab innovations into scalable commercial solutions. The selection was based on rigorous performance benchmarks, including translational outcomes, industry linkages, and revenue generation, and the upgradation will empower them with enhanced funding and infrastructure to lead national-level deep-tech innovation efforts. This is a significant leap. India has often struggled to move from lab to market, particularly in hardware-centric and deep-tech areas. These new TTRPs will bridge that gap by integrating research, validation, piloting, standards, and industry partnerships under one roof. Too often, we compare ourselves with Silicon Valley or Tel Aviv and lament the lack of deep-tech innovation in India. But missions such as NM-ICPS show that when the vision is right, when institutions are trusted and when academia is empowered, we can build ecosystems that deliver not just research papers but real impact. This journey is still evolving. More needs to be done to sustain and expand the gains. We need stronger linkages with user ministries, better market access for start-ups, more industry co-investment, and a policy environment that encourages risk-taking. But the foundation has been laid. The institutional architecture is working. The innovations are real. The startups are scaling. And the talent pipeline is growing. In a world where technology is the new geopolitical currency, India cannot afford to be a mere consumer. We need to shape the rules, build the tools, and train the minds that will define this century's technological landscape. The NM-ICPS mission is a bold step in that direction. It deserves greater visibility, deeper support, and sustained momentum. Because in the end, it is not just about creating technology. It is about creating national capacity, confidence, and conviction in our own potential. V Ramgopal Rao is vice-chancellor, BITS Pilani group of institutions, and former director, IIT Delhi. He chairs the Scientific Advisory Committee of NM-ICPS. The views expressed are personal.


News18
3 hours ago
- News18
'Looks Easy, But My Head Is...': Shubhanshu Shukla, Astronaut No. 634, On Reaching Space Station
Last Updated: NASA Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and the Axiom-4 crew docked at the ISS, marking India's return to human spaceflight. They will conduct over 60 experiments in 14 days. As the Axiom-4 crew created history after entering the International Space Station, astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla on Thursday described his experience, saying it looked easy standing on camera, but his head felt a little heavy. Shukla, who officially got a Space Station pin, becoming astronaut number 634, said the next two weeks will be exciting. During his welcome remarks, along with his Axiom-4 crewmates, Shukla said it was a privilege to be amongst the few who have had a chance to see the Earth from a vantage point. Shukla said that in the next 14 days, he and the other astronauts will conduct scientific experiments and interact with people on Earth. 'This is also a phase of India's space journey. I will keep talking to you. Let us make this journey exciting. I am carrying the Tiranga, and I am carrying all of you with me. The next 14 days will be exciting," he said. The Ax-4 crew, launched on a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft from NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, successfully docked at the ISS's Harmony module after a 28-hour journey. Shukla, as mission pilot, flew alongside mission commander Peggy Whitson (US), and mission specialists Sawosz Uznanski (Poland) and Tibor Kapu (Hungary). This achievement marks India's triumphant return to human spaceflight, 41 years after Rakesh Sharma's historic mission in 1984. In a message to the people of India, Shukla said, 'By your love and blessings, I have reached the Space Station. It looks easy standing here, but my head is a little heavy. However, it's all good now. It's the first phase, and now we will do a lot of science studies. Let's make this journey exciting, and I am carrying the Tiranga (tricolour) and I am carrying all of you with me." The Ax-4 team will spend approximately 14 days aboard the ISS, collaborating with the Expedition 73 crew and conducting more than 60 scientific experiments and educational outreach activities – the most ambitious research agenda of any Axiom mission to date. The crew's work will encompass projects such as cancer research, DNA repair, and advanced manufacturing, highlighting the increasing importance of commercial and international collaborations in space exploration. First Published: June 27, 2025, 08:51 IST


Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
NASA observes brightest black hole blasts since the Big Bang
NASA, along with the European Space Agency (ESA) and several ground-based observatories, has detected some of the most powerful space explosions ever recorded. These dramatic events happened when giant black holes tore apart massive stars. The explosions were so intense that they released more energy than 100 supernovae, which are already among the brightest events in space. These rare outbursts, known as " extreme nuclear transients ," revealed black holes that were previously hidden in distant galaxies. One such explosion, nicknamed 'Barbie,' was one of three spotted by astronomers. These powerful flashes of light lasted for months and are giving scientists new insight into how black holes behave and how they help shape the galaxies around them. They may even help us detect black holes that existed over 12 billion years ago, closer to the beginning of the universe. NASA captures black holes exposed by devouring stars Most black holes are invisible because they don't emit light unless they are actively feeding. However, when a star gets too close to a black hole, it gets pulled in and shredded apart. This violent process, called a tidal disruption event, causes the black hole to light up with a bright flash of energy across many wavelengths, including ultraviolet light, X-rays, and infrared. Using data from NASA's Swift Observatory, ESA's Gaia mission, WISE/NEOWISE, and many Earth-based telescopes, scientists captured these rare events. The black holes involved in these cases swallowed stars that were three to ten times bigger than our Sun. The energy from these events built up over more than 100 days and then slowly faded over the next 150 days. The 'Barbie' event was first noticed in 2020 by the Zwicky Transient Facility, a sky survey project in California. Two similar explosions were recorded by Gaia in 2016 and 2018. NASA's Swift telescope helped confirm that these were black holes tearing stars apart, and not just exploding stars or other kinds of space activity. The radiation from these events also lit up the dusty areas around the black holes, giving scientists a closer look at the environments where these giants live. A new way to discover ancient black holes These extreme nuclear transients are giving astronomers a new tool to find supermassive black holes that are otherwise invisible, especially in the early universe. Scientists believe that 90 percent of black holes from that time are inactive, meaning they don't consume anything and stay completely dark. But if one of those ancient black holes rips apart a star, it briefly becomes visible. As the universe expands, the light from these old explosions stretches into infrared light, which is harder to see with regular telescopes. Fortunately, NASA's upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, planned to launch by 2027, is designed to detect this kind of stretched infrared light. With its powerful sensors and wide view of the sky, it could spot these rare events from as far back as 12 billion years ago, when the universe was only about 10 percent as old as it is today. This research was supported by NASA's FINESST grant program and the Hubble Fellowship. According to lead author Jason Hinkle, these findings give astronomers a roadmap for finding more hidden black holes and understanding how they grow and influence the universe over billions of years.