Archive For May, 2019

India space debris may have doubled after Mission Shakti

NASA warns of risk to International Space Station The amount of Indian space debris may have almost doubled in the aftermath of the Mission Shakti anti-satellite strike but this is still significantly less than the existing space debris generated by China, Russia and the United States. Data from SPACE-TRACK.org, a public access repository maintained by […]

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A-SAT space debris means no harm to ISS or anyone

Using an interceptor ballistic missile without an explosive warhead and targeting a satellite at low earth orbit of less than 300 Km, ensured that space debris caused by India’s March 27 anti-satellite (A-SAT) experiment, named Mission Shakti, may not be as harmful as it is being made out to be. The debris causing ‘serious danger’ […]

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STARTING MAY, ISRO TO LAUNCH A STRING OF ‘DEFENCE’ SATELLITES

Between now and early 2020, the space above India looks set to see an unprecedented rush of satellites meant solely or mainly for the country’s military. Starting May, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) plans to send up at least eight earth observation (EO) satellites of varied hues and at the rate of almost one […]

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Lander glitch benches Chandrayaan-2

Vikram, the lander on India’s ambitious mission that envisages a probe on the Moon, suffered minor damage in two of its four legs during a test late February, putting Chandrayaan-2 on the bench until May. Finding a suitable launch window could see the mission take off only in the second half of the year. A […]

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India’s leap in the space

It remains to be seen whether political will sustains subsequent steps crucial to consolidate this momentum. Prior to the televised 10-minute address in Hindi shortly after noon on March 27 by Indian Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi, few had expected that he would be announcing the beginning of a new space age for India. Mr Modi […]

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After PSLV-C45 success, ISRO eyes next PSLV for RISAT launch

After the successful launch of PSLV-C45, ISRO centres in Kerala are focused on the next PSLV mission in May for launch of RISAT-2BR 1, a Radar Imaging Satellite for strategic surveillance and then Chandrayaan- 2 moon mission. “It is satisfying, that this PSLV-C45 mission successfully placed the electronic intelligence satellite EMISAT and 28 commercial satellites […]

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World’s largest plane successfully completes maiden flight

Achieving a maximum speed of 189 miles (302.4 km) per hour, the plane flew for 2.5 hours over the Mojave Desert at altitudes up to 17,000 feet. The world’s largest aircraft, developed by aerospace venture Stratolaunch, completed its first flight test. With a dual fuselage design and wingspan greater than the length of an American […]

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Should the Indian Navy worry about China’s new warship?

China’s massive naval parade at Qingdao on April 23 2019 to mark the 70th anniversary of the creation of the People’s Liberation Army Navy turned out to be an anti-climax as smog played spoilsport. However, one ship among the 32 PLAN vessels on display triggered plenty of curiosity as its silhouette emerged through the smog—the […]

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Cabinet approves Continuation of Phase 4 of GSLV

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the ongoing Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) continuation programme Phase-4 consisting of five GSLV flights during the period 2021-2024. The GSLV Programme – Phase 4 will enable the launch of 2 tonne class of satellites for Geo-imaging, Navigation, Data Relay Communication and Space Sciences.  The […]

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3 Indian teams from Mumbai, Punjab & Ghaziabad win awards at NASA Rover Challenge

Three Indian student teams won awards in NASA’s annual Human Exploration Rover Challenge at the US Space and Rocket Centre in Huntsville, Alabama. The team from KIET Group of Institutions in Ghaziabad won the “AIAA Neil Armstrong Best Design Award” in the college/university division, NASA said in a statement late.  The Mukesh Patel School of […]

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