Page 11 - Isro

Space science is complex, time consuming: Isro chairman S Somanath

ISRO chairman S Somanath on Thursday said space science is not just about the excitement of becoming astronomers, but it also involves complex and time-consuming science, an expertise that can only be built persistently over the years. Somanath, who is also Secretary, Department of Space, was delivering a keynote speech at the virtual launch of the third edition of ISRO's Space Science and Technology Awareness Training (START 2025) programme. This year, 20,000 students from over 560 institutions have registered for the START programme that will be held from January 9 to 29, added Somanath. Although the mysteries of the universe quite naturally become the primary focus of attention, Somanath said space science is more about crunching numbers and cracking heads over formulae, to, say, optimally design sensors or build satellites and rockets. So, in the START programme, we will be talking about all of these. We will be talking about our exciting space missions. But we'll also tell you

Isro to carry out ambitious space docking experiment on Thursday morning

ISRO will carryout its ambitious space docking experiment using two satellites on orbit, on January 9. The event was scheduled on January 7 but postponed to Thursday morning. If the ISRO succeeds in its mission, India will become the fourth country in the world to have space docking technology. ISRO had launched the two satellites -- SDX01 (Chaser) and SDX02 (Target) -- as part of the mission on December 30 with the help of PSLV C60 rocket from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. The two small spacecraft weighing about 220 kg each were injected into a 475-km circular orbit as intended. According to ISRO, SpaDeX mission is a cost-effective technology demonstrator mission for the demonstration of in-space docking using these two small spacecraft. This technology is essential for India's space ambitions such as Indian on Moon, sample return from the Moon, the building and operation of Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS), etc. The Space Docking Experiment (SPADEX) is a pivotal .

Meet V Narayanan, the new ISRO chief: Career highlights, key missions & more

Rocket scientist V Narayanan, will take over as the new Chairman of the ISRO on January 14. Watch the video to know about his early life, his key contributions and his vision for the space economy.

Isro has major missions ahead, says newly appointed chairman Narayanan

Eminent rocket scientist and the newly appointed chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) V Narayanan on Wednesday said that the space agency is going through a successful phase and Chandrayaan-4 and Gaganyaan are among the prominent missions ahead. Expressing happiness about his new stint as the Secretary, Department of Space and as the chairman of the ISRO, Narayanan said he considers it as a great luck to be part of such a great organisation led by great leaders. "It is such a great organisation. Several great leaders have led it (in the past). I consider it as a great luck to be part of it," he told reporters here. While replying to a question, Narayanan said the information about his new appointment was first passed on to him by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). "The PM is deciding everything. The PMO has contacted. The current chairman S Somanath sir also called and said about the new appointment," he said. When asked about the upcoming projects of ISRO, th

V Narayanan: Lesser known facts about IIT alumnus to be next Isro chief

On January 14, 2025, Dr. V Narayanan, a renowned scientist at the Indian Space Research Organization (Isro), will take over as chairman, replacing his predecessor S. Somanath

V Narayanan is new Isro chairman, space secy; to take charge on Jan 14

Narayanan, a Distinguished Scientist (APEX Grade), is an expert in rocket and spacecraft propulsion systems

V Narayanan appointed as new chairman of Isro, to take office on Jan 14

According to an official order from the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, Narayanan has been appointed to serve in these roles for the next two years, until further notice

Cowpea seedlings onboard Isro's POEM-4 sprout first leaves in space

Cowpea seedlings onboard PSLV-C60 POEM-4 module sprout their first leaves in space, signifying a milestone in space-based plant research, ISRO said on Monday. According to India's national space agency, the Compact Research Module for Orbital Plant Studies (CROPS), developed by the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), is an automated platform designed to cultivate and sustain plant life in the microgravity environment of space. One of its recent experiments involved growing cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) seeds within a controlled, closed environment equipped with active thermal management, said ISRO. The system monitored various parameters, including oxygen and carbon dioxide levels, relative humidity, temperature, and soil moisture, while capturing images to track plant growth, added ISRO. According to the space agency, this setup successfully supported the germination and development of cowpea plants up to the two-leaf stage in space. "This accomplishment not only demonstrates ISRO'

Isro delays SpaDeX docking to Jan 9 for validation by ground simulations

ISRO on Monday said the docking experiment of SpaDeX satellites scheduled for January 7 is now postponed to January 9. The Bengaluru-based space agency said the docking process requires further validation through ground simulations based on an abort scenario identified on Monday. "The SpaDeX Docking scheduled on (January) 7th is now postponed to 9th. The docking process requires further validation through ground simulations based on an abort scenario identified today," ISRO said in a post on 'X'. ISRO had successfully launched the ambitious Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) mission on December 30. The PSLV C60 rocket carrying two small satellites, SDX01 (Chaser) and SDX02 (Target), along with 24 payloads, had lifted off from the first launchpad of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, and about 15 minutes after liftoff, the two small spacecraft weighing about 220 kg each were launched into a 475-km circular orbit as intended. According to ISRO, SpaDeX mission is a ...

Indian space industry's funding falls 55% to $59.1 mn in 2024, data shows

Globally, space companies raised about $28 billion over the last five years, while their Indian counterparts secured approximately $354 million in the same period, Tracxn data showed

Cowpea seeds sent to space germinated under microgravity conditions: Isro

ISRO on Saturday said the cowpea seeds it had sent to space onboard the PSLV-C60 POEM-4 platform have germinated under microgravity conditions within four days of the launch of the mission. The space agency sent eight cowpea seeds as part of the Compact Research Module for Orbital Plant Studies (CROPS) experiment conducted by the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) to study plant growth in microgravity conditions. "Life sprouts in space! VSSC's CROPS experiment onboard PSLV-C60 POEM-4 successfully sprouted cowpea seeds in 4 days. Leaves expected soon," ISRO said in a post on X. The PSLV-C60 mission placed two SpaDeX satellites in orbit on the night of December 30. The fourth stage of the rocket carrying the POEM-4 platform has been orbiting the earth with 24 onboard experiments at an altitude of 350 km since Tuesday. The CROPS experiment aims to understand how plants grow in the unique conditions of space, which is essential for future long-duration space missions. The experiment

News updates: US NSA Jake Sullivan set to visit India early next week

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Prep for Chandrayaan-4, Gaganyan to NISAR: What's in Isro's kitty for 2025

Apart from the SPADEX, Isro is focussing on multiple missions, ranging from the conventional satellite launches to unconventional space exploration programmes

Business Standard wishes all its readers a very happy new year

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ISRO’s SpaDeX mission: India to become 4th nation to achieve feat

India on December 30, launched its ambitious Space Docking mission. If successful, India will only be the fourth country to achieve this historic feat after US, Russia, and China.

Isro's SpaDeX satellites first to be built by industry on its own: Official

The launch of two satellites for the space docking experiment (SpaDeX) also marked a first for the industry, which built the two spacecraft on their own under guidance from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) engineers. The two satellites -- SDX01 (chaser) and SDX02 (target) -- each weighing 220 kg were integrated and tested by Ananth Technologies Limited (ATL), which has been associated with a number of ISRO projects for the past several years. "So far, large satellites have not been realised in the industry by themselves. This is the first time that the two satellites have been integrated and tested in the industry," said U R Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) Director M Shankaran after the two satellites were placed in a 476 km circular orbit by the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C60) on Monday night. Shankaran described the launch of the two satellites a trailblazer for the industry. "We hope that this is going to be the first of the several such satellites done by the

India achieves space docking with indigenous system: Jitendra Singh

Taking to X, Singh said, India has become the fourth country to join the select league of nations to achieve space docking, through its own indigenously developed Bharatiya Docking System

ISRO SpaDeX mission, farmer protest, Adani Enterprises, IND vs AUS & more

ISRO will launch its Space Docking Experiment mission at 10 PM tonight. This mission marks India’s first in-space docking technology demonstration using two small spacecraft.

ISRO to launch satellites to demonstrate docking, undocking of spacecraft

ISRO is set to launch two satellites on Monday night from the Sriharikota spaceport to demonstrate docking and undocking of spacecraft in orbit, which will make India the fourth country in the world to achieve the feat. The Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) warhorse rocket Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) will place the two satellites -- SDX01 and SDX02 -- in a 476-km circular orbit and attempt the Space Docking Experiment (SpaDEx) in the first week of January, the space agency officials said. "This mission will mark India's entry into the exclusive league of nations capable of mastering space docking," Union Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh said. The SpaDEx mission is expected to be a stepping stone for India's future endeavours in space exploration which include getting rocks and soil from the moon on Earth, the proposed Bharatiya Antariksha Station and landing an astronaut on the lunar surface. Only the US, Russia and China have mastered space dockin

India's growing space ambitions: List of Isro's major achievements in 2024

India's premier space agency Isro had an eventful 2024, a year marked with ambitious new launches and technology demonstrations. Here's a look at the highlights