Latest news with #ISRO
The Hindu
an hour ago
- Science
- The Hindu
Axiom-4 trip to the ISS will provide valuable inputs for Gaganyaan mission: ISRO
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has said that the Axiom-4 (Ax-04) mission which Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is part of will provide valuable inputs for India's upcoming Gaganyaan mission. 'The Ax-04 mission will provide valuable inputs for ISRO's upcoming Gaganyaan mission. It offers hands-on experience in the nuances of international crew integration, medical and psychological preparation, real-time health telemetry, experiment execution, and crew–ground coordination,' ISRO said. It added that these insights will directly influence mission planning, safety validation, and astronaut readiness for India's first indigenous human spaceflight mission. 'This is one small step in orbit, but a giant leap in India's pursuit of human spaceflight and scientific discovery,' it added. ISRO said that preparations are also in progress for abort missions of the Gaganyaan mission and the first uncrewed test flight is targeted for the fourth quarter of 2025. It added that the first crewed flight of the Gaganyaan mission is expected by the first quarter of 2027. The space agency also said that as a tribute to India's rich cultural heritage, Group Captain Shukla is carrying a selection of the finest of Indian handicrafts to the International Space Station (ISS). 'These symbolic items, designed by students of the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, reflect the diversity, craftsmanship, and timeless beauty of India's traditional art forms, carefully curated to represent different regions and materials. These pieces serve as cultural ambassadors in space. Their journey aboard the ISS not only celebrates India's artistic legacy but also honours the generations of artisans who continue to keep these traditions alive,' the space agency said.
The Hindu
4 hours ago
- Science
- The Hindu
Axiom-4 will provide valuable inputs for Gaganyaan mission: ISRO
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has said that the Axiom-4 (Ax-04) mission which Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is part of will provide valuable inputs for India's upcoming Gaganyaan mission. 'The Ax-04 mission will provide valuable inputs for ISRO's upcoming Gaganyaan mission. It offers hands-on experience in the nuances of international crew integration, medical and psychological preparation, real-time health telemetry, experiment execution, and crew–ground coordination,' ISRO said. It added that these insights will directly influence mission planning, safety validation, and astronaut readiness for India's first indigenous human spaceflight mission. 'This is one small step in orbit, but a giant leap in India's pursuit of human spaceflight and scientific discovery,' it added. ISRO said that preparations are also in progress for abort missions of the Gaganyaan mission and the first uncrewed test flight is targeted for the fourth quarter of 2025. It added that the first crewed flight of the Gaganyaan mission is expected by the first quarter of 2027. The space agency also said that as a tribute to India's rich cultural heritage, Group Captain Shukla is carrying a selection of the finest of Indian handicrafts to the International Space Station (ISS). 'These symbolic items, designed by students of the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, reflect the diversity, craftsmanship, and timeless beauty of India's traditional art forms, carefully curated to represent different regions and materials. These pieces serve as cultural ambassadors in space. Their journey aboard the ISS not only celebrates India's artistic legacy but also honours the generations of artisans who continue to keep these traditions alive,' the space agency said.
Hindustan Times
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
R Madhavan on Rocketry: The Nambi Effect completing three years of its release: We wanted to change Google's algorithm..
Three years ago, Rocketry: The Nambi Effect blasted its way into Indian cinema, with reviews praising the way the biopic was made. It also garnered attention for the portrayal of aerospace scientist Nambi Narayanan by actor R Madhavan. R Madhavan As the film completed a year of it's release yesterday on July 1, Madhavan was ecstatic and reminisced the making, 'When I started writing the story of Rocketry in 2016 and 17, whenever I Googled Nambi Narayanan, it used to spit out the ISRO spy case or the Maldivian woman affair or something negative about Nambi sir. And while writing the script, I told Vijay, my producer, that, 'you know what, we should make a movie that will change the algorithm on Google to spit out more the right facts about Nambi Sir'. Basically I wanted to change the algorithm about how sir was being perceived by Google- and we have managed to do that. It's been three years since then, can't believe how the time flew.' It was therefore a deeply personal project for Madhavan, who also turned director with Rocketry. He produced the film too. His decision to take creative and narrative ownership has redefined his legacy. It brought the overdue recognition to Nambi Narayanan's immense contributions to India's space program. Released in multiple languages and celebrated globally, the film struck a chord for its sincerity, emotional depth, and purpose. Its impact was acknowledged when Rocketry was honoured with the National Award for Best Feature Film at the 69th National Film Awards. Currently, Madhavan is gearing up for the release of his film Aap Jaia Koi. He also played a pivotal role in the recent Kesari Chapter 2, which fetched him appreciation.
Entrepreneur
10 hours ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
India Must Build Space Tech Muscle to Avoid New-Age Colonization: Former ISRO Chief AS Kiran
The country is now home to more than 100 space-tech startups, most of which were founded in the last 5 years. The global space technology startup stage experienced a slowdown, while the Indian counterparts enjoyed a healthy upward funding trend. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. India should start enabling its competence, both for survival and being one among the equals in the modern space race, to not get into another "colonization" situation, said AS Kiran Kumar, Former chairperson of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), speaking to Entrepreneur India. "Space is a new frontier, and human systems always look at any new capability to take advantage of that and dominate and impose themselves. So if you don't want to get imposed and get into another type of colonization, there is no option but to build your competence. And India has shown that it is capable of doing so. As these resources and your economic strength continue to increase, if you stay behind, you'll run into another kind of colonization," said Kumar. The country is now home to more than 100 space-tech startups, most of which were founded in the last 5 years. The global space technology startup stage experienced a slowdown, while the Indian counterparts enjoyed a healthy upward funding trend. A Tracxn report reveals that 2023 served as the year with the highest funds pouring in, totalling USD 126 Million, which is a 7 per cent increase from 2022, and a whopping 235 per cent increase compared to 2021. Early-stage startups attracted the majority of the available funds with USD 120 million. Seed-stage funding saw a growth of 24 per cent in 2023 with USD 5.3 Million, and in 2024 saw USD 2.29 Million invested in seed-stage rounds so far. "Startups in the space segment are very tough," Kumar said, emphasizing that transforming an idea into a viable revenue model in this field comes with immense technical and financial challenges. The space sector, he explained, has "very low tolerance for failure," making it historically the domain of nation-states. However, the environment is shifting. Governments are now "enabling private entities to participate by reducing the risk," said Kumar, adding that this support often includes consumption guarantees and service commitments that help private ventures gain a foothold. Startups today are increasingly shifting toward service-based models such as "launch as a service" and "satellite as a service," which allow companies to leverage existing infrastructure rather than build from scratch. "Earlier, the problem was if you have an idea... the entire process of building it, launching it, maintaining it is a huge infrastructure. Now those mechanisms are getting decoupled," he noted. Kumar also pointed out emerging opportunities in satellite waste management, or as he called it, "waste to wealth services," which could become a significant vertical as more satellites enter orbit. Speaking about new frontiers, the Indian startup ecosystem is brimming with potential, especially in deep tech and frontier technology. Rohan Choukkar, VP of Investments at Bharat Innovation Fund (BIF), said that India can lead in these sectors globally. "Deep tech and frontier tech don't exist in a vacuum. It comes from the existing technology, economic, and engineering base that a country has built over decades. For example, India has built real depth in chemistry. That plays out not just in pharma but in batteries, specialty chemicals, and materials innovation. We're seeing a lot of action in battery materials and novel chemical formulations, those that leverage the chemistry muscle India has built over generations," said Choukkar. Choukkar also added that there are semiconductors and electronics. "India has historically been a base for global semiconductor companies. Bangalore is full of large global players who have major engineering teams here. The talent that's come out of these companies is now going on to build next-generation solutions in semiconductors, defense electronics, and more."
The Wire
11 hours ago
- Science
- The Wire
Indian Teen Author and Scientist Writes Motivational Biography on Elon Musk
Vivaan Karulkar, Indian Teen Author and Scientist Vivaan Karulkar, an 18-year-old successful teen from New Bharat, has authored his third book titled 'Elon Musk: The Man Who Bends Reality.' Vivaan is recognized nationally and globally as an author and scientist, having written two acclaimed books on Sanatan Dharam that received praise from top dignitaries and spiritual leaders. At the age of 15, he got an In-Principle Patent on detecting NEOs (Near Earth Objects), is one of the youngest in the world to achieve this. • At the age of 16, he authored his first book: The Sanatan Dharam: True Source of All Science, which was launched on 22nd January,2024, at the Ayodhya Ram Mandir by Shri Champat Rai ji (General Secretary of the Temple Trust) by placing the book at the feet of Ram Lalla in the Garbh Gruh • At 17, he released his second book: The Sanatan Dharam: True Source of All Technology, launched on 15th November, 2024 by Param Pujya Sarsanghchalak Shri Mohan Bhagwat ji and ISRO Chairman Shri S. Somnath. Now, at just 18, unveiling his third book, a motivational biography on Elon Musk, whom Vivaan has been following passionately for the past 10 years. Vivaan has admired Musk since the age of 8 and has closely studied his journey, vision, and disruptive mindset. This book offers lesser-known insights and untold elements of Musk's life, achievements, and decisions — bringing forth a fresh and inspirational perspective that many readers haven't encountered before. Having its soft launch on 28th June, 2025 Elon Musk's birthday, as a token of gratitude to one of the greatest entrepreneurs and visionaries of our time. Vivaan hopes to personally gift a copy of the book to Mr. Musk as a mark of respect and admiration. (Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with NRDPL and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.).
