Space

Did Altman eye a SpaceX rival? What we know about the Stoke Space talks

Sam Altman explored investing in rocket maker Stoke Space, a move that would have placed him in direct competition with Elon Musk's SpaceX, but the talks stalled

Boeing's Starliner won't carry crew on next flight amid safety concerns

Boeing and NASA have agreed to keep astronauts off the company's next Starliner flight and instead perform a trial run with cargo to prove its safety. Monday's announcement comes eight months after the first and only Starliner crew returned to Earth aboard SpaceX after a prolonged mission. Although NASA test pilots Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams managed to dock Starliner to the International Space Station in 2024, the capsule had so many problems that NASA ordered it to come back empty, leaving the astronauts stuck there for more than nine months. Engineers have since been poring over the thruster and other issues that plagued the Starliner capsule. Its next cargo run to the space station will occur no earlier than April, pending additional tests and certification. Boeing said in a statement that it remains committed to the Starliner program with safety the highest priority. NASA is also slashing the planned number of Starliner flights, from six to four. If the cargo mission goes

Spacetech startup Grahaa gets approval to launch nanosatellite from Brazil

Bengaluru-based company moves to validate its systems ahead of a larger satellite constellation rollout

SpaceTech startup ULOOK raises ₹19 crore from growX, InfoEdge Ventures

The funding will accelerate ULOOK's mission to build indigenous capability in radio-frequency intelligence, marking a decisive step toward strengthening India's technological sovereignty in space

China's Shenzhou 21 docks with space station in 3.5 hrs, sets speed record

China announced Saturday that its Shenzhou 21 spaceship docked with China's space station with its latest three rotation crew at a record speed after its successful launch. The entire docking process lasted around 3.5 hours three hours shorter than the previous missions, according to China Manned Space Agency. The Shenzhou 21 spaceship took off as planned at 11:44 pm local time Friday from the Jiuquan launch centre in northwestern China. The three astronauts on Shenzhou 21 will enter the Tianhe core module of the space station. The crew includes pilot and mission commander Zhang Lu, who also was on the Shenzhou 15 mission to the space station two years ago. The other two are flying for the first time. Wu Fei, 32, an engineer, is the country's youngest astronaut to join a spaceflight. Zhang Hongzhang is a payload specialist who was a researcher focusing on new energy and new materials before becoming an astronaut. Zhang said the team would turn the space station into a utopia by d

China on track to land astronauts on moon by 2030, ahead of space mission

China said Thursday it's on track to land astronauts on the moon by 2030 as it introduced the next crew of astronauts who will head to its space station as part of the country's ambitious plans to be a leader in space exploration. Currently, each programme of the research and development work of putting a person on the moon is progressing smoothly, said Zhang Jingbo, spokesman for the China Manned Space Programme, citing the Long March 10 rocket, moon landing suits and exploration vehicle, as fruitful efforts of that work. Our fixed goal of China landing a person on the moon by 2030 is firm." China is also preparing to send up its latest rotation of astronauts who make up part of the ongoing mission to complete the Tiangong space station, part of its broader space exploration plans. Each team stays inside the station for six months, conducting research. The latest crew joining others on the station will be made up of Zhang Lu, Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang. They will take off from the

Remembering Dr APJ Abdul Kalam: Humble beginnings to Rashtrapati Bhavan

Dr APJ Abdul Kalam embodied the belief that true leadership is service. His work continues to shape India's defence, space, and education frontiers, from missile advancements to Chandrayaan-3's lunar

In space, nationality fades; humanity comes first: Shubhanshu Shukla

IAF Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who became the first Indian to reach the International Space Station (ISS), said on Friday that when one leaves the planet to be in space, Earth becomes their identity. Shukla, who was in Goa, said that nationality doesn't matter in space, as humanity takes precedence. Describing his experience at the ISS, he said that looking out from the station felt like being in an office with the best view possible. It was just too fascinating, he said, virtually addressing students from schools affiliated to the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations, as part of a session titled Igniting Minds, Exploring Frontiers: The Convergence of Space, Education, and Industry'. During the interactive session, he said people may have different identities in this world, but they blur when one is in space. When you are a kid and going to school, our home and parents become our identity. When we go to college, the college becomes our identity. When you le

Chabahar centre 93% complete, ready for satellite launch: Iran minister

The Chabahar centre, dedicated to medium-heavy liquid-fueled launch vehicles, is Iran's national space launch site and one of several bases currently under construction

Chennai firm to launch world's first all-women lunar mission by 2027

Space Kidz India plans to send a symbolic lunar payload aboard Japan's iSpace mission in 2027, engaging girl students from 108 countries in design and training

Saturn's moon Enceladus found to have all ingredients needed for life

German scientists analysing Cassini data find complex organic molecules in Enceladus' plumes, raising hopes that its hidden ocean could support life beyond Earth

Space startup Agnikul unveils plans to build fully-resusable rockets

Space start-up Agnikul Cosmos announced on Monday that the rockets it plans to build will be fully reusable, allowing it to offer satellite-launch services at globally-competitive prices. The Chennai-based start-up made the announcement at the International Astronautical Congress in Sydney and asserted that it is aiming to ensure that no part of its rockets is fully expended or left behind. Agnikul carried out its maiden sub-orbital test flight of its 3D-printed rocket, Agnibaan SOrTeD, last year and plans to carry out its orbital launch soon. "We have consistently designed our vehicles to ensure that affordability and flexibility are never afterthoughts but are built in from day one," Srinath Ravichandran, co-founder and CEO of Agnikul Cosmos, said. "We are grateful to the critical support from IN-SPACe and ISRO. Their willingness to allow us to explore rocket-stage recovery and reuse has empowered us to attempt this feat both from a policy friendliness and tech support standpoint

Spacetech pioneer Agnikul Cosmos draws roadmap for fully-reusable rockets

Agnikul's in-house development facilities are one of the main driving forces of this new attempt, with every patent and system designed to support more affordable, customisable launch services

Nasa introduces new astronauts: 10 chosen from more than 8,000 applicants

NASA introduced its newest astronauts Monday, 10 scientists, engineers and test pilots chosen from more than 8,000 applicants to help explore the moon and possibly Mars. For the first time, there were more women than men in a NASA astronaut class. They included a geologist who worked on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover, a SpaceX engineer who flew on a billionaire-sponsored spaceflight that featured the world's first private spacewalk and a former SpaceX launch director. The group will undergo two years of training before becoming eligible for spaceflight. Acting Administrator Sean Duffy said one of them could become the first person to step on Mars. It is the 24th astronaut class for NASA since the original Mercury Seven made their debut in 1959. The previous class was in 2021. Only 370 people have been selected by NASA as astronauts, making it an extraordinarily small and elite group composed mostly of men. The latest additions revealed during a ceremony at NASA's Johnson Space Centre

Isro to send half-humanoid 'Vyommitra' into space this Dec: V Narayanan

V Narayanan said, 'By the first quarter of 2027, we aim to send our own 'Gaganyatri' to space and bring it back safely'

India, US begin new era of space cooperation with Moon and Mars missions

India and the US signalled the beginning of a new phase of space partnership at a special event hosted by the Embassy of India in Washington DC, with officials and astronauts highlighting how decades of cooperation are now paving the way for missions to the Moon and Mars. An event, titled India-USA Space Collaboration: The Frontiers of a Futuristic Partnership, was held at India House on Monday and celebrated recent milestones, including the joint NASAISRO NISAR satellite and the Axiom Mission-4, which carried Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla to the International Space Station. Ambassador of India to the United States, Vinay Kwatra, described the partnership as a dynamic platform for advancing scientific exploration, technology development and commercial cooperation. He said India's space programme has emerged as a global leader in cost-effective exploration, and joint efforts with the US could push the boundaries of human spaceflight in the decades ahead. Dr Karen St Germain, ..

Nasa Rover finds Mars rocks that may be signs of ancient microbial life

In a new paper published in Nature, researchers offer up different explanations for a group of Martian rocks that Perseverance uncovered and sampled in July 2024

Lunar Eclipse: India to witness 'Blood Moon' today; know time, precautions

A lunar eclipse occurs only during the full moon phase, when the Earth comes directly between the Sun and the Moon

Duffy vows Nasa will beat China to moon, says 'I'll be damned' if not

During the meeting, Duffy addressed testimony from Wednesday's Senate Commerce Committee hearing that highlighted concerns over Nasa's ability to return humans to the surface of the moon before China