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Topic: Space

The experiment saw the engine blast out a blue-and-orange flame 10-15 metres (30-50 feet) horizontally out of an open hangar door for around 10 seconds in the rural northern town of Taiki. (Representative image) (JAXA) Space 

New Space Chapter: Heading to the Moo-n in an Udder-ly Unique Way!

Sanjay Patil,

A start-up in Japan’s space industry has embarked on an innovative venture by conducting a test on a prototype rocket engine that utilizes fuel derived solely from cow dung, potentially marking a significant development. The experiment took place in the rural town of Taiki, where the engine emitted a blue-and-orange flame horizontally for approximately 10 seconds, covering a distance of 10-15 meters (30-50 feet) through an open hangar door. According to Interstellar Technologies CEO Takahiro Inagawa, the liquid “biomethane” needed was made entirely from cow manure from two local dairy…

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NASA and ISRO collaborate to train two Indian astronauts - one set to fly to the ISS in 2024. (Pexels) Space 

ISRO Astronauts to Receive NASA Training for 2024 ISS Mission to Advance Indian Space Exploration

Adarsh V.K, ,

NASA has taken a major step towards global cooperation in space exploration by revealing its participation in the training of two Indian astronauts. One of them is set to travel to the International Space Station (ISS) for a week-long mission in late 2024. This announcement was made by NASA Administrator Bill Nelson during his current tour of various cities in India, where he is working to strengthen the collaborative endeavors between NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), engaging with political leaders and officials. A joint effort towards the…

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Astronomers have made history by discovering the first-ever planet-forming disk outside the Milky Way Galaxy. (AFP) Space 

Unprecedented Discovery! ALMA Telescope Spots First-Ever Planet-Forming Disk Beyond the Milky Way!

Adarsh V.K

Astronomers have made a groundbreaking discovery by spotting a swirling disk of material, similar to those found around young stars in our Milky Way Galaxy, feeding a young star in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a nearby galaxy located 160,000 light-years away. Using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), a massive Earth-based astronomical project with 66 antennas in Northern Chile, a team of researchers led by Anna McLeod from Durham University observed the system known as HH 1177 within a huge gas cloud. This is the first confirmed detection of an…

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Indian Himalayan Chandra Telescope captures stunning image of Comet P12/Pons-Brooks, a celestial marvel with an atmosphere having a diameter of 350,000 km. (@IIABengaluru) Space 

Glimpse the Devil Comet’s Splendour with the Indian Himalayan Chandra Telescope!

Adarsh V.K

Astronomers at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) have captured an awe-inspiring image of Comet P12/Pons-Brooks, also known as Devil Comet, using the Himalayan Chandra Telescope (HCT) at the Indian Astronomical Observatory in Hanle, Ladakh. This celestial object, often called the ‘Devil Comet’ or compared to the iconic ‘Millennium Falcon’ due to its unique appearance, was first discovered in 1812 and completes an orbit around the Sun every 71 years. Recent observations have shown an increase in its activity, with multiple gas and dust outbursts that have significantly increased its…

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Jupiter is the biggest planet in the solar system. Now, know if we have identified the biggest planet in the universe. (NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS) Space 

Unbelievable! Scientists Unveil the Largest Planet in the Universe – You Won’t Believe It!

Nitin Misra,

In our solar system, Jupiter is widely recognized as the largest planet based on its size and mass. However, there are numerous other planets that surpass Jupiter in size. Regrettably, at present, we cannot definitively determine which planet holds the title of being the largest. In fact, there are multiple contenders for this distinction. The lack of certainty arises from the ambiguity surrounding their sizes and the criteria used to define a planet. Take a look at the insights shared by Thayne Currie, an associate professor of physics and astronomy…

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The ESA's Gaia mission continues to illuminate the cosmos with its latest data release, providing valuable insights into globular clusters, gravitational lenses, asteroid orbits, and variable stars. (pixabay) Space 

Unlock the Universe: Gaia Observatory Mission Reveals Astronomical Discoveries!

Adriana Marais,

According to Universe Today, the European Space Agency’s Gaia mission has released a new data release that is considered a significant contribution to the field of astronomy. Gaia’s main objective is to precisely measure the positions, motions, and distances of more than a billion stars, as well as study exoplanets. NASA states that Gaia will accurately detect and measure the movement of each star in its orbit around the galaxy’s center. Although Gaia may not produce visually stunning images like the Hubble Space Telescope or the James Webb Space Telescope,…

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China's Xuntian space telescope launch delay shifts global cosmology dynamics. (Representative image) (AP) Space 

Rev Up the Space Race: China Delays Launch of Xuntian Telescope

Nitin Misra, ,

China has made an unexpected decision to postpone the launch of its eagerly awaited Xuntian Space Telescope, altering the global race to uncover the enigmas of the universe. Initially planned for takeoff from the Wenchang Space Launch Center in southern China before the year’s end, Xuntian’s launch has been rescheduled for mid-2025. This delay now places it in direct rivalry with the European Space Agency’s Euclid and NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. Zhan Hu, a project scientist for the Xuntian Space Telescope System, revealed that the delay was necessary…

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Stretching over 13 million light years, the Cosmic Vine is a colossal structure that houses a minimum of 20 massive galaxies. (Representative image) (NASA/Robert Gendler) Space 

Unveiling the Incredible 13-Million Light Year ‘Cosmic Vine’!

Febin Mathew

Traversing the immense Milky Way Galaxy presents an overwhelming obstacle due to its vastness. Despite our solar system being minuscule in comparison, it is still overshadowed by the immense galaxy clusters observed by advanced telescopes like the Hubble Space Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope. Recently, scientists have made a remarkable discovery: the awe-inspiring “Cosmic Vine,” an extraordinarily large entity. Spanning an astonishing 13 million light-years across, the Cosmic Vine is a vast structure of at least 20 massive galaxies. Looking at this massive scale, the structure was found…

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NASA's DSOC experiment achieves a groundbreaking laser communication milestone, paving the way for future Mars missions and deep space exploration. (NASA/Ben Smegelsky) Space 

NASA’s Laser Shines Bright: Record-Breaking Deep Space Communication!

Sanjay Patil,

NASA’s revolutionary Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) experiment has made history by achieving its first successful transmission of data using laser technology over an incredible distance of nearly 10 million miles (16 million km). This remarkable accomplishment, which is approximately 40 times greater than the distance between the Moon and Earth, represents a significant breakthrough in deep space communication technology. DSOC sets a new standard Part of the recently launched Psyche spacecraft, the DSOC experiment used a near-infrared laser loaded with test data to communicate with the Hale telescope at…

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NASA's James Webb Telescope unveils the secrets of Wasp-107b, a distant "sand rain" planet with scorching temperatures and exotic atmospheres. (Representative image) (NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Webb ERO Production Team) News 

Discovering a ‘Sand Rain’ Giant Planet: 200 Light Years Away!

Adarsh V.K

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has made a groundbreaking discovery about Wasp-107b, a planet situated 200 light years away in the Virgo constellation. This remarkable celestial body, known as the ‘candy floss’ planet due to its substantial yet lightweight composition, exhibits a range of unique characteristics such as sand precipitation, extreme heat, and winds carrying the scent of sulphur dioxide. The “Candy Floss” planet Wasp-107b, discovered in 2017 by intermittent flashes of light from its host star, has become the focus of astronomers’ attention. Recent observations by the James Webb…

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James Webb Space Telescope reveals a cosmic water delivery system that may well have brought the same to earth too. (AP) Space 

Unveiling the Universe’s Incredible Water Delivery System: The James Webb Space Telescope!

Sanjay Patil

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has made a remarkable revelation, uncovering a cosmic process where ice-coated pebbles transport water to developing planets near young stars. This revolutionary finding questions conventional notions about the source of Earth’s water and provides insight into the interconnected nature of various regions within the solar system, spanning from its outermost reaches to its core. JWST’s unparalleled vision penetrated the dust and gas surrounding the four young stars, revealing the dense gas formations of protoplanetary discs that surround the rising stars. Remarkably, the telescope detected…

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AST SpaceMobile is aiming to launch satellites for its direct-to-smartphone broadband internet service. (AST SpaceMobile) Space 

Experience the Future of Internet: AST SpaceMobile Prepares for Liftoff!

Nitin Misra,

AST SpaceMobile, a satellite design and manufacturing company based in Texas, is preparing to launch a set of five satellites that will initiate its smartphone-accessible cellular broadband internet service. The company has recently made some adjustments to its deployment strategy in order to enhance satellite coverage. Despite these changes, the launch timeline for the first quarter of 2024 is expected to remain unaffected. According to a Space News report, AST SpaceMobile will pay $5 million more to SpaceX to implement these latest changes before deployment. SpaceX will carry its BlueBird…

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The micro rover is being developed for the HAKUTO-R Mission 2 by iSpace. (iSpace) Space 

iSpace Unveils Micro Rover for Epic Hakuto-R Mission 2!

Adarsh V.K,

iSpace, a private lunar robotic exploration company, has revealed the final design of its new micro rover for the upcoming Hakuto-R Mission 2. Despite failing to achieve a soft landing on the Moon, a milestone accomplished by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) earlier this year, iSpace remains determined and has plans for a second mission to attempt a lunar soft landing, along with deploying a rover. Learn more about iSpace’s latest lunar rover presentation. iSpace hot quad bike At a press conference, iSpace founder and CEO Takeshi Hakamada revealed…

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Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck unveils bold vision for private Venus mission, defying convention in planetary exploration. (AP) Space 

Exploring the Unknown: Rocket Lab Launches Mission to Venus in Search of Life!

Sanjay Patil,

Rocket Lab, a private aerospace company, is revolutionizing planetary exploration by embarking on a groundbreaking mission. Unlike traditional government-led initiatives by NASA and other agencies, Rocket Lab is defying the belief that interplanetary exploration necessitates massive budgets and government support. Instead, they are set to launch the first-ever private mission to investigate Venus for signs of microbial life, marking a paradigm shift in this field. CEO Peter Beck sees a departure from the norm, stating, “A private company is going to another planet for tens of millions of dollars to…

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Know all about Tenacity, the Dream Chaser spaceplane that is designed to resupply the ISS. (Sierra Space) Space 

NASA’s Final Countdown: Dream Chaser Spaceplane Ready to Resupply the ISS!

Adriana Marais,

The field of commercial space technology is still relatively new. In the past, government-funded space agencies like NASA, ROSCOSMOS, JAXA, and ISRO were solely responsible for space exploration and technology development, using their findings to benefit their respective nations. It wasn’t until the emergence of Elon Musk’s SpaceX, Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, and Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic that space technology started being seen as an entrepreneurial opportunity. However, even in 2023, there is still much untapped potential in this field. A prime example is Sierra Space’s Tenacity, the company’s first…

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Know all about KMI, the space tech startup, which is working to remove space debris. (KMI) Space 

Space Junk Pays Off: Company Lands $5 Million Contract!

Jim Hendler,

The accumulation of space debris in low Earth orbits is posing a growing threat, with defunct human-made objects such as satellites, rocket fragments, and other waste cluttering the Earth’s orbit. This space junk has become a major obstacle for space agencies and organizations seeking to launch spacecraft and place vital satellites in these orbits. However, while some see this as a problem, others view it as an opportunity. Kall Morris Inc. (KMI), a space tech startup, is actively working to address this issue by removing space debris. Recently, the company…

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Know all about the ghostly cosmic hand spotted by the X-ray telescopes of NASA. (NASA/CXC/Stanford Univ./R. Romani et al. (Chandra); NASA/MSFC (IXPE); Infared: NASA/JPL-Caltech/DECaPS; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/J. Schmidt)) Space 

Striking Celestial Hand Captured by NASA Chandra and IXPE Telescopes

Adriana Marais,

Space is a realm full of enigmas, and despite our continuous efforts to unravel them, the discovery of something new never fails to evoke a sense of wonder. This is one of the driving factors behind the substantial investments made by space agencies like NASA in space exploration. In the year 2021, NASA successfully launched the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE), a space observatory equipped with three identical telescopes specifically designed to measure the polarization of cosmic X-rays. Collaborating with the NASA Chandra telescope, it has recently stumbled upon a…

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Know all about the ghostly cosmic hand spotted by the X-ray telescopes of NASA. (NASA/CXC/Stanford Univ./R. Romani et al. (Chandra); NASA/MSFC (IXPE); Infared: NASA/JPL-Caltech/DECaPS; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/J. Schmidt)) Space 

Spectacular Celestial Hand Captured by NASA Chandra and IXPE Telescopes

Febin Mathew,

Space is a realm full of enigmas, and despite our continuous efforts to unravel them, the discovery of something new never fails to evoke a sense of wonder. This is one of the driving factors behind the substantial investments made by space agencies like NASA in space exploration. In the year 2021, NASA successfully launched the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE), a space observatory equipped with three identical telescopes specifically designed to measure the polarization of cosmic X-rays. Collaborating with the NASA Chandra telescope, it has recently stumbled upon a…

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In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, astronaut Jing Haipeng waves as he is carried out of the re-entry capsule of the Shenzhou-14 manned space mission after it landed successfully at the Dongfeng landing site in northern China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2023. (AP) Space 

Chinese Astronauts Land Back on Earth After Successful Trip

Sanjay Patil,

According to state media, three Chinese astronauts have successfully returned to Earth on Tuesday following a five-month stay in orbit at the country’s space station. Jing Haipeng, Zhu Yangzhu and Gui Haichao hit China’s Dongfeng landing site at 8:11 a.m. (0011 GMT), according to state broadcaster CCTV. Footage showed their reentry capsule parachuting into the rugged Gobi desert, raising a cloud of orange dust as it hit the ground. “On-site medical monitoring and insurance personnel confirmed that the astronauts… are in good health,” CCTV said. “The flight mission of the…

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Scientists have confirmed the existence of infrared auroras on Uranus. (Pixabay) Space 

Uranus’ Infrared Auroras Detected for the First Time

Nitin Misra

After almost twenty years of research, scientists have made a significant discovery by confirming the existence of breathtaking infrared auroras in the northern areas of Uranus. This finding not only improves our understanding of auroras on Uranus but also provides a glimpse into the possible reasons behind the unusually high temperature of this distant gas giant. Uranus, like its planetary siblings, is significantly hotter than theoretical models predict, especially given its enormous distance from the Sun. Astrophysicist Emma Thomas of the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom hypothesizes that…

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