Latest news with #Chandrayaan-4
India.com
a day ago
- Science
- India.com
ISRO-NASA Earth Observation Satellite Set For July 30th Launch, Says ISRO Chief
The Earth Observation Satellite jointly developed by ISRO and NASA will be launched into space on July 30 aboard India's GSLV-F16 rocket, ISRO Chairman Dr. V Narayanan announced today. Speaking to reporters at the Chennai International Airport, Dr. Narayanan said that the satellite will be placed in orbit at an altitude of 740 km and is equipped with state-of-the-art radar imaging technology. 'This advanced satellite can capture images of Earth 24 hours a day, even during cloud cover and rain. It will play a crucial role in detecting landslides, supporting disaster management, and monitoring climate change. Its benefits will extend not only to India and the United States but to the global community as a whole,' he said. Providing updates on other key missions, the ISRO Chairman said the Aditya-L1 solar satellite, launched earlier with a 1.5 kg payload, has begun transmitting solar research data. Scientists are currently analyzing this information for deeper insights into solar activity. On the much-anticipated Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission, Dr. Narayanan said that three uncrewed test missions are planned before astronauts are sent into space. 'The first vehicle is being readied at Sriharikota and will be launched this December with a humanoid payload. If that succeeds, two more missions will follow next year. The first manned mission is scheduled for March 2027, as announced by the Prime Minister,' he said. Dr. Narayanan also shared progress on India's upcoming lunar missions. He expressed confidence that Chandrayaan-4, designed to land on the Moon and bring back soil samples, will be a success. 'This mission will mark a significant step for ISRO in lunar exploration,' he said. He added that Chandrayaan-5, a joint mission with Japan, is expected to operate for 100 days on the Moon. ISRO currently manages 55 satellites and is working to reorganize them into three categories over the next four years. Dr. Narayanan emphasised that ISRO's research is national in scope and not tailored to individual states. 'Our focus is on what the people of the country need, irrespective of the region,' he said.
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Science
- The Hindu
India's space journey: Interactive timeline and infographics
Looking ahead Going forward, India has ambitious space goals to achieve. First up we have Gaganyaan, ISRO's first human spaceflight mission, in 2027, which plans to launch three crew members to an orbit of 400 km for a three-day mission and bring them back safely to earth, by landing in Indian sea waters. ISRO has plans for setting up its own space station, Bharatiya Antariksh Station, in low Earth orbit (around 400-450km above the Earth) by 2035. There is also a plan to send an Indian to moon in 2040 as part of Chandrayaan -4.
News18
04-07-2025
- Science
- News18
Not Just Spaceflight, Meaningful Science On ISS Matters Most: ISRO Chief On AX-4
Last Updated: ISRO Chairman said that while the spaceflight will boost Shukla's confidence, it is the scientific research he will carry out in microgravity that holds immense significance With Indian pilot Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla currently aboard the International Space Station, ISRO Chairman Dr V Narayanan said that while the spaceflight will certainly boost Shukla's confidence and experience, it is the scientific research he will carry out in microgravity that holds immense significance. The Axiom Mission-4, which lifted off from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida on Wednesday noon, marks ISRO's first-ever private spaceflight collaboration, with a total investment of Rs 550 crore. The 14-day mission, spearheaded by Axiom Space and NASA, has a four-member crew – one each from the US, India, Hungary and Poland – and marks the first visit of an Indian to the ISS. 'We sent Gaganyaan-astronaut designate Shukla to the ISS. Since the mission is led by another country, and given their expertise, we're confident that he will return safely. The journey was just a little more than an aircraft travel. But the key question is: what is the scientific output?" he said, while addressing scientists during a virtual event on Thursday. ISRO had shortlisted as many as seven experiments for Group Captain Shukla to conduct in microgravity during his 14-day mission. 'While the AX-4 will certainly boost Shukla's confidence and experience, the real value lies in the seven scientific payloads. The experiments focus on how the muscle system behaves in microgravity, how seeds respond when exposed to such an environment, and how their yield characteristics change when grown back on Earth. These are truly interesting areas of study," he emphasised. The noted rocket scientist had remained stationed in the US until the technical issues delaying AX-4 were resolved, with the SpaceX Falcon 9 finally lifting off on 25 June. The national space agency is also preparing for Chandrayaan-4, which plans to collect and bring back lunar samples. While the proposal has been approved by the Cabinet, work is underway to build the necessary infrastructure for the crucial mission. Earlier this year, ISRO also demonstrated in-space docking and undocking – a crucial capability for Chandrayaan-4, which will require two separate lift-offs. 'Everyone in India knows that Chandrayaan-3 soft-landed on the Moon, but how many of them know that it also helped in discovering minerals, and collected crucial data on the electronic cloud, seismic activity, and thermal profile of lunar soil? This knowledge needs to reach the village level. So, when we undertake Chandrayaan-4, the priority is not just bringing back a 300 kg lunar sample, but doing extensive experiments with it," he said. Highlighting ISRO's major mission targets through 2040 – including the setting up of the Bhartiya Antariksh Station and a crewed mission to the Moon – the space agency chief urged scientists to focus more on developing robust and meaningful science experiments. 'This is not the India of 40 years ago. As space scientists, we must be able to justify the crores of rupees spent on our missions and on sending astronauts to space," Dr V Narayanan continued. 'Why are we setting up a space station? Until we conduct useful, meaningful research, we cannot justify it. A lot of science needs to happen – each experiment must be meticulously planned." The ISRO chief on Thursday announced the space agency's flagship event – the 23rd National Science Symposium – to be organised at NESAC, Shillong, in February 2026. First Published: July 04, 2025, 08:44 IST
New Indian Express
27-06-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Andhra Pradesh government to come up with Space Policy 4.0 soon
VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has directed officials to draft the Andhra Pradesh Space Policy 4.0, aiming to put the State on top in the space sector, while attracting Rs 25,000 crore investments. The space policy is expected to create 5,000 direct and 30,000 indirect jobs, fostering economic growth and innovation. During a review meeting at his Undavalli camp office on Thursday, Naidu approved the establishment of Space Cities in Lepakshi and Tirupati, aligning with strategic goals for 2025-35. The policy will lay emphasis on collaboration with educational institutions to engage students in the space sector, and encourage the creation of common infrastructure under the plug-and-play model. Naidu also instructed the officials to form a technical committee to support this initiative, and invite leading communication firms to invest in the State. Lepakshi Space City, spanning 500 acres, will focus on design, development, R&D, space startups, and innovation ecosystems. New policy to offer capital subsidies up to 45% based on investment size Meanwhile, Tirupati Space City will prioritise manufacturing, launch logistics, satellite and payload assembly, and avionics production. The strategic location of the two cities — near Bengaluru for Lepakshi and Sriharikota-Chennai for Tirupati — enhance connectivity and growth potential. He also emphasised improving road connectivity from Tirupati to Sriharikota to support logistics. To attract investors, the policy will propose capital subsidies ranging from 25% to 45% based on investment size, for micro (Rs 1–Rs 2.5 crore), small (Rs 2.5–25 crore), medium (Rs 25–125 crore), large (Rs 125–500 crore), and mega (above Rs 500 crore) units. Special incentives are planned for women, BC, SC, ST, minority, and differently-abled entrepreneurs to promote inclusivity. Former ISRO Chairman S Somanath, joining via video conference, highlighted the global space sector's potential, noting that companies like Starlink, SpaceX, and Blue Origin are driving innovation. He emphasised that the future lies in space technology, with India aiming to capture a larger share of the global space economy, currently at 2%. The Centre's Space Vision 2047 includes ambitious projects like Chandrayaan-4, Venus Orbiter Mission, Mars Lander Mission, and human spaceflight, targeting a human landing on the moon by 2040. The Space Policy 4.0 aligns with these national goals, integrating technologies in electronics, aerospace, defence, and drones. By fostering innovation, offering attractive incentives, and building world-class infrastructure, the State aims to become a global hub for space technology.
Indian Express
21-06-2025
- Science
- Indian Express
ISRO readies SpaDeX-2 mission to dock satellites in elliptical orbit
After successfully bringing together two satellites in space, scientists at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) are drawing up plans for a second SpaDeX mission — this time to dock two satellites in an elliptical orbit. The ability to join two satellites in space, known as docking, is critical for India's upcoming Chandrayaan-4 mission and the proposed Bharatiya Antariksh Station, the country's planned space station. In the first SpaDeX mission, two 220-kg satellites were launched into a 470-km circular orbit. With a small relative velocity introduced between them, the satellites were allowed to drift apart before being progressively brought closer. On January 16, they successfully docked. The experiment also demonstrated power sharing between the satellites and their ability to receive commands as a single composite unit. With this, India became only the fourth country, after the US, Russia, and China, to demonstrate in-space docking capabilities. However, the feat was carried out in a relatively easier circular orbit. 'Docking in a circular orbit is much easier than docking in an elliptical orbit. This is because the trajectory and velocity of the satellites remain constant in a circular orbit, whereas they keep changing on an elliptical orbit. What this essentially means is that calculations done for one point will not be relevant after a few minutes,' said a scientist in the know of the matter. 'This is, however, what the SpaDeX 2 experiment will attempt.' This capability is likely to play a vital role in future missions, such as Chandrayaan-4, where multiple modules may be launched separately, and docking and undocking will be required in both Earth and lunar orbits. For moon missions, ISRO typically launches spacecraft into an elliptical Earth orbit, gradually raising the apogee (farthest point) through engine burns at perigee (closest point) to use minimal fuel. This process sets up a slingshot trajectory toward the Moon, making docking in elliptical orbits a practical requirement for complex missions. The first docking operation took a considerable amount of time, as the agency approached it with extreme caution. 'This was the first time ISRO was attempting docking and undocking, so everything had to be meticulously planned and tested. In fact, several of the sensors being used were developed for this mission itself and had to be calibrated to readings in space. Once that was done, the readings were used to conduct several simulations on Earth before the actual docking was attempted. And, even then, the satellites were brought closer very slowly. With all the knowledge gathered during the first docking, the second became easier. It was quicker, without the satellites needing to stop and go as many times as the first time,' the scientist said. During the initial attempt, the SpaDeX satellites were brought progressively closer, halting at designated checkpoints – 5 km, 1.5 km, 500 m, 225 m, 15 m, and 3 m – before finally docking. In the second attempt, post-separation, the process was smoother and faster, with fewer halts en route to redocking. Anonna Dutt is a Principal Correspondent who writes primarily on health at the Indian Express. She reports on myriad topics ranging from the growing burden of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension to the problems with pervasive infectious conditions. She reported on the government's management of the Covid-19 pandemic and closely followed the vaccination programme. Her stories have resulted in the city government investing in high-end tests for the poor and acknowledging errors in their official reports. Dutt also takes a keen interest in the country's space programme and has written on key missions like Chandrayaan 2 and 3, Aditya L1, and Gaganyaan. She was among the first batch of eleven media fellows with RBM Partnership to End Malaria. She was also selected to participate in the short-term programme on early childhood reporting at Columbia University's Dart Centre. Dutt has a Bachelor's Degree from the Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune and a PG Diploma from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. She started her reporting career with the Hindustan Times. When not at work, she tries to appease the Duolingo owl with her French skills and sometimes takes to the dance floor. ... Read More
