China's new space tech could help Astronauts survive on the moon without resupply missions
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Researchers in China say they have discovered a new way to make the Moon more livable. The team was able to extract water from lunar soil and use it to convert carbon dioxide (CO₂) into oxygen and chemicals that can be used as fuel. The findings were published in the Cell Press journal Joule.Lu Wang from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, called the results 'magical' and said the one-step process could make future Moon missions more efficient and less expensive.Sending water to the Moon is incredibly costly. According to the study, it costs around US$83,000 (about A$126,000) to ship just one gallon of water into space. Each astronaut needs about four gallons per day. That makes long-term Moon missions hard to sustain.The new technology will solve this problem by using the Moon's own soil and sunlight to produce essential resources.The scientists created a system that uses sunlight to heat lunar soil and release water. This water is then used to break down CO₂, the gas astronauts exhale, into carbon monoxide and hydrogen. These gases can then be used to make fuel and oxygen.This process uses a technique called photothermal catalysis, which turns sunlight into heat to drive chemical reactions.While the lab results are promising, real-world use on the Moon will be much harder. The Moon's surface experiences extreme temperatures, strong radiation, and low gravity, which could affect how well the system works outside the lab.Also, lunar soil is not the same everywhere, and the amount of CO₂ that astronauts produce may not be enough to meet all needs for fuel and oxygen.The researchers say more work is needed to improve the technology's performance and to make it practical for space missions.For years, space agencies have talked about building a base on the Moon to support missions deeper into space. This breakthrough could bring that goal one step closer. But before humans can live and work on the Moon, scientists will need to overcome several technical and environmental challenges.
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The Print
2 hours ago
- The Print
Lift the veil, abandon Soviet-era approach. Indian science community wants ISRO to up its PR game
'A kid growing in India learns about NASA (US-based National Aeronautics and Space Administration) before it does ISRO because NASA puts so much effort into taking its work to its citizens and the public, from the smallest of things to the biggest,' 'Gareeb Scientist' said in a post on Tuesday. Since then, at least 11,000 people have viewed it. He is part of a digital war. The aim is to awaken the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) from its 55-year-old slumber by demanding better public outreach and engagement by the space agency around its space missions and technology development. New Delhi: A science communicator and space enthusiast on social media under the pseudonym 'Gareeb Scientist' sat determined behind his keyboard Tuesday. As soon as the clock struck one, he hit enter on a flurry of posts on X, with the hashtag, 'ISROfixyourPR'. The Indian science community is currently waging a war against the veil around ISRO-supported operations, fighting with memes, personal anecdotes and a carefully crafted list of its work, which has remained hidden from public discourse. Many Indian social media accounts, which dedicatedly post space updates from ISRO, said the campaign started with the aim to highlight the lack of PR from the space agency. The issue also extended to big-ticket missions, such as the recent partnership between ISRO and US-based Axiom Space to jointly send Indian Air Force group captain Shubhanshu Shukla to the International Space Station (ISS). Experts said that the visibility of ISRO missions had improved over the last decade. However, they added, the burden of information dissemination remained limited to media houses and independent science communicators, who often obtained information outside of official statements. Radha Krishna Kavuluru, a space technology expert and former ISRO scientist, said ISRO, in the coming years, would conduct some inspiring missions that could inspire an entire generation of future space scientists. Kavuluru said that maximum public engagement would ensure that the public had an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of ISRO while they witnessed the indigenous scientific advancements. 'Keeping everything behind walls is a tradition of the Soviets. I am sure we are well past that age. Time to inspire and talk the walk,' Kavuluru told ThePrint. Also Read: ISRO commercial arm invites private players to build LVM3 rocket that delivered Chandrayaan mission Silence around recent missions On 25 June, IAF group captain Shubhanshu Shukla kicked off his journey to the ISS as a member of the US-run Axiom-4 mission. He became the first Indian to set foot on the ISS, and after Rakesh Sharma, the second Indian to travel to space. However, the buzz around the mission was limited to newspaper front pages and TV screens. The official social media pages of ISRO stayed content with reposting updates from the Union Minister of Science and Technology, Jitendra Singh. Between the 1 June Axiom-4 launch and its 15 July return to Earth, ISRO made 24 posts on its X account about the Axiom-4 mission, including 19 reposts of posts by the science minister, the Prime Minister's Office, or the Public Information Bureau. The remaining five posts on the ISRO X account informed about the multiple postponements of the launch and the technical faults that SpaceX's Falcon-9 rocket experienced. In the same period, NASA, through its various X handles, did a run-up to the launch with at least one post per day, while reposting engagement posts by Axiom Space and SpaceX. The US space agency, in partnership with Axiom Space, organised interaction sessions with the astronauts and released not only individual profile films for each but also infographics for the rocket launch and space capsule travel trajectory, among other actions. More recently, updates on missions, such as the demonstration of the advanced technology behind rendezvous, docking, and undocking of a spacecraft in space—SpaDeX—and the upcoming one-of-a-kind NASA-ISRO SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) Mission or NISAR, a joint Earth observation mission, have been few and far in between. On Monday, during the announcement of the NISAR launch date, ISRO's PR was limited to a post on X, as NASA held a formal press conference led by the team that will undertake the mission from the US space agency's end. The team members answered all media questions on all aspects of the mission. However, ISRO was not part of the press conference. Vikranth Jonna, a 22-year-old engineer with Hyderabad-based space tech startup Dhruva Space, listed the 'crazy cool' work ISRO has done for the mission. 'ISRO is currently building methalox engines, quantum communications, human spaceflight, reusable rockets, two landers to the Moon, a mission to Venus and a lander to Mars,' Jonna said. 'Give us more opportunities to appreciate our scientists and engineers. Show us your glory,' he added. ISRO refused to respond to ThePrint's request for a response to the ongoing social media campaign. A senior scientist confirmed to ThePrint that ISRO had 'gotten better' in its PR game but accepted that compared to its counterparts, such as NASA or European Space Agency (ESA), there is a long way to go. 'Of course, there is always room for improvement. But you need to acknowledge that the space sector in India has only started opening up, and some projects still need to operate with secrecy,' the scientist said. Also Read: Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka to serve as 'manufacturing hubs' for India's homegrown space dreams Global competition From photos of astronauts working on the ISS and open-source data from active satellites to an easy-to-understand space glossary, the space PR game of NASA and its laboratories is top-class. Apart from its active presence, all over social media, including Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and X, NASA has also been engaging with the general public through its programmes, such as the 'Get involved with NASA', where they invite members of the public to contribute their time and expertise to advancing research and solving problems, as well as potentially winning prizes as a result of their work. Its 'Citizen Science' project is open to the public all over the world and aims to collaborate with volunteers to promote discoveries. 'More than 450 NASA citizen scientists have been [so far] named as co-authors on refereed scientific publications,' the NASA website reads. Over the last few years, the ESA, China National Space Administration and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency have also caught on. The agencies realised the global space domain was not only about what happened inside the laboratories, but that a significant portion of their space programme success also depended on how they presented themselves. For instance, the Japanese agency has been organising open houses, town meetings and laboratory tours to help promote the work happening at those sites. Mobilising interest in space When his 16-year-old nephew asked Kavuluru where he could find the link to a documentary on the ISRO Astrosat and Aditya-L1 missions—something on the lines of NASA's 'Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey' and 'Apollo-11'—the former ISRO scientist was hit with a sensation of embarrassment. 'He wanted to study how ISRO does deep space missions. I had no response because no such documentaries exist … Why is this the case? When we have done such complex missions and are observing the Sun and the stars, shouldn't Indian students have the luxury to observe them too?' Kavuluru asked. While ISRO missions remain under the shadows of mystery, the movie, as well as the OTT industry, has so far been cashing in on the public appetite for India's space success story. The Indian audiences have accepted 'Mission Mangal', 'Rocket Boys', 'Rocketry—The Nambi Effect', and 'Mission over Mars' with rave reviews. Be it Akshay Kumar portraying space pioneer Rakesh Dhawan, or R. Madhavan acting as senior scientist Nambi Narayanan—they have happily lapped it all up, with a feeling of pride. Now, they need an opportunity to applaud their real heroes. (Edited by Madhurita Goswami) Also Read: Russian rocket takes off with US astronaut on board, Putin's envoy hails joint space effort
Time of India
11 hours ago
- Time of India
NASA-ISRO $1.5 billion joint satellite NISAR set for launch on July 30: What is its mission and why is ISRO spending so much on it
The countdown has begun for the launch of NISAR, a groundbreaking Earth observation satellite jointly developed by NASA and ISRO. Slated for liftoff on July 30, 2025, at 5:40 PM IST from Sriharikota, the satellite represents a landmark in Indo-US space collaboration. Weighing 2,392 kg and carrying a price tag of $1.5 billion, NISAR is the most expensive Earth observation mission ever launched. Using a first-of-its-kind dual-frequency radar system, the satellite aims to deliver detailed, high-resolution imagery of the Earth's surface every 12 days. It is designed to support scientists, disaster response teams, and policymakers worldwide. What is the mission of the NISAR NISAR, which stands for NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar, will orbit Earth in a sun-synchronous orbit, capturing global surface data consistently under identical lighting conditions. Its primary goals include: Monitoring ecosystem changes and measuring forest biomass Tracking earthquakes, landslides, and volcanic deformation Studying glacier retreat and polar ice movement Measuring soil moisture and detecting groundwater variations Generating 3D surface maps of land and ice with high precision The satellite's L-band radar from NASA and S-band radar from ISRO allow it to see through cloud cover, vegetation, and darkness, enabling round-the-clock, all-weather observations. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy Resmed AirSense 11 with flat 20% off ResMed Buy Now Undo Why does NISAR cost $1.5 billion? NISAR's hefty cost stems from its technological sophistication. It carries a 12-meter deployable mesh antenna, one of the largest in Earth observation history. The satellite integrates two advanced radar systems, requiring complex hardware and software integration without mutual interference. It offers centimeter-level precision, capable of detecting subtle ground shifts and environmental changes. NASA provided the L-band radar, GPS, solid-state recorder, and antenna. ISRO developed the S-band radar, satellite bus, and launch systems, and will launch NISAR using the GSLV-F16 rocket. Why is ISRO investing over INR 788 crore? India's contribution of INR 788 crore is a strategic investment with far-reaching benefits. Disaster response: Rapid detection of earthquakes, floods, and landslides could help save lives and infrastructure. Agriculture and water management: Accurate data on soil moisture and crop health can inform drought mitigation and boost food security. Climate monitoring: Continuous tracking of forests, glaciers, and wetlands enhances climate resilience. Technological advancement: Developing and operating dual-band radar technology strengthens ISRO's future missions. Global data access: All NISAR data will be freely available worldwide, enhancing India's standing in global Earth science. The bigger picture: A symbol of international collaboration NISAR exemplifies the success of long-term technical cooperation between NASA and ISRO. It showcases a trusted partnership in cutting-edge space technology. It positions India as a global leader in Earth observation. It opens doors for future joint missions and high-tech space ventures. NISAR is more than just a satellite. It is a symbol of scientific ambition, global cooperation, and a step forward in understanding our rapidly changing planet. With unmatched capabilities and broad practical applications, it is expected to deliver insights that far exceed its financial cost. As India takes the lead in launching the mission, the world watches closely, anticipating a transformative leap in Earth science and climate preparedness.
United News of India
a day ago
- United News of India
ISRO-NASA joint satellite mission NISAR launch on July 30
Chennai, July 21 (UNI) The Indian Space Agency today evening announced that NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR), the first joint satellite mission of ISRO and US-based NASA, will be launched on July 30 at 1740 hrs from the spaceport of Sriharikota. The NISAR satellite will be launched by ISRO's GSLV-F16 from the Second Launch Pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC SHAR), Sriharikota. The GSLV-F16 will inject the NISAR satellite into a 743 km Sun-synchronous orbit with an inclination of 98.40 deg. NISAR, weighing 2392 kg, is a unique earth observation satellite and the first satellite to observe the earth with a dual frequency Synthetic Aperture Radar (NASA's L-band and ISRO's S-band) both using NASA's 12m unfurlable mesh reflector antenna, integrated to ISRO's modified I3K satellite bus. NISAR will observe earth with a swath of 242 km and high spatial resolution, using SweepSAR technology for the first time. The satellite will scan the entire globe and provide all weather, day and night data at 12-day interval and enable a wide range of applications. NISAR can detect even small changes in the Earth's surface such as ground deformation, ice sheet movement and vegetation dynamics. Further applications include sea ice classification, ship detection, shoreline monitoring, storm characterization, changes in soil moisture, mapping & monitoring of surface water resources and disaster response. The NISAR launch is the result of strong technical cooperation between ISRO & NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory technical teams for more than a decade. MORE UNI GV 1745
