Page 5 - Space

Trump seeks $1 billion for private-sector-led human missions to Mars

The White House's 2026 budget proposal, calls for allocating more than $1 billion for Mars exploration, including a new Nasa initiative called the Commercial Mars Payload Services programme

SpaceX launches another Starship rocket, but it tumbles out of control

After back-to-back explosions, SpaceX launched its mega rocket Starship again on Tuesday evening in hopes of making it through the entire test flight and releasing a series of mock satellites. The 123-metre rocket blasted off on its ninth demo from Starbase, SpaceX's launch site at the southern tip of Texas. Plans called for the spacecraft to target a splashdown halfway around the world in the Indian Ocean, after popping out eight objects meant to resemble SpaceX's Starlink internet satellites. It was the first time one of CEO Elon Musk's Starships -- intended for moon and Mars travel -- flew with a recycled booster that aimed for the Gulf of Mexico. There were no plans to catch the booster with giant chopsticks back at the launch pad unlike earlier tests. The previous two Starships never made it past the Caribbean. The demos earlier this year ended just minutes after liftoff, raining wreckage into the ocean. No injuries or serious damage were reported, although airline travel wa

Sonic boom marks SpaceX Dragon's return to earth after ISS cargo mission

SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft carried nearly 6,700 pounds of supplies for a scientific experiment, which is designed for low gravity

No more rockets? Space elevator may soon carry astronauts to the Moon

A revolutionary study suggests a lunar space elevator built with current materials, potentially transforming the future of human space travel

Isro's 101st mission fails as PSLV-C61 suffers third-stage anomaly

Isro was unable to complete the launch of its Earth observation satellite EOS-09 aboard PSLV-C61 on Sunday due to an anomaly in the third stage of the four-stage rocket, investigation is underway

India to conduct first biological experiments aboard ISS: Jitendra Singh

India is set to conduct its first-ever biological experiments aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to study the sustainability of human life in space, Science and Technology Jitendra Singh said on Thursday. An important initiative under the BioE3, these unique experiments, spearheaded by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in collaboration with the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), will be carried out as part of the upcoming International Space Station (ISS) mission AXIOM-4, with Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla as a crew member. Singh said the first experiment at the ISS will examine the impact of microgravity and space radiation on the growth of edible microalgae, a nutrient-rich potential food source for long-duration space missions. This project is a joint initiative of ISRO, NASA, and DBT and aims to analyse key growth parameters and changes in transcriptomes, proteomes, and metabolomes of different algal species in space, as compared to ...

Ax-4 delayed, India's Shubhanshu Shukla to now travel to ISS on June 8

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla's upcoming mission aboard SpaceX's Dragon marks a milestone for India, coming nearly 40 years after Rakesh Sharma's 1984 mission on Russia's Soyuz spacecraft

Earth's 'twin' planet was more active than we thought - Nasa reveals

NASA researchers discovered new evidence of tectonic activity on Earth's twin planet, Venus, by re-examining decades-old radar data. This gives us fresh insight into evolution of planets

US firm Vast keen to use Indian rockets for rides to planned space station

US-based company Vast, planning to launch the world's first commercial space station next year, has evinced interest in using Indian rockets to transport crew members to its orbital laboratory. Vast CEO Max Hoat met the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) leadership team on the sidelines of the Global Space Exploration Conference here to discuss possible collaborations in the area of space technology. The space-habitation company is in the race to build a space station that will be the successor to the International Space Station, which will be retired by 2031. The California-based company plans to launch Haven-1, a single-module space station, on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in May 2026. "Right now, we are on track with our launch for May 2026," Hoat told PTI in an interview. Vast plans to conduct a series of tests on the space station, before flying astronauts to the orbital laboratory by July next year. The first module of Haven-2, a much larger space station, is expected to

'Indian rockets carry more than payloads': PM Modi on space exploration

PM Modi addressed the Global Conference on Space Exploration 2025 and stated that by 2035, India will have its own 'Bharatiya Antariksha Station'

Space made me feel decades younger, says 70-year-old NASA astronaut

NASA's oldest full-time astronaut, Don Pettit, returned to Earth aboard a Russian Soyuz capsule after spending 220 days on the International Space Station

India leading most cost-effective, successful space programme in world: PM

Noting that India has become a global space power, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the country is leading the most cost-effective but successful space programme in the entire world and is going to scale new heights in the future. Many youth are attaining new milestones in the field of space startups, Modi said, adding 10 years ago, there was only one company, but today there are more than 325 space startups working in the country. In his monthly radio broadcast 'Mann Ki Baat', he also paid tributes to former ISRO chief K Kasturirangan, who passed away last week. "Two days ago we lost the country's great scientist Dr. K. Kasturirangan ji. Whenever I met Kasturirangan ji, we discussed topics like the talent of Indian youth, modern education, Space-Science. His contribution in lending newer heights to science, education and India's space programme shall always be remembered. ISRO attained a new identity under his leadership," he said. The space programmes that moved forwar

IN-SPACe invites private companies to develop satellite-bus platforms

As part of this initiative, IN-SPACe will support the realisation of satellite bus platforms through a two-phase approach

Isro takes lead role of 'International Charter Space and Major Disasters'

India, through ISRO, once again demonstrated its initiative in space-based disaster management by assuming the lead role of the "International Charter Space and Major Disasters" for six months from April 2025, the space agency said on Saturday. The lead role tenure started with the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC)/ISRO organising the 53rd meeting of the Charter in Hyderabad during April 14-17, it said. According to ISRO, it witnessed the participation of major global space agencies (with 22 foreign delegates attending in person) engaged in space-based disaster management activities. "India is signatory to the Charter which celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2025, with ISRO being a founder member. The Charter functions as a collaborative framework involving 17 member organisations, who voluntarily provide Earth observation data and value-added products for managing disasters occurring globally," the space agency said in a statement. ISRO Chairman V Narayanan addressed the board

India to add 100-150 satellites to enhance safety, security in 3 yrs: Isro

India would add another 100-150 satellites to cover the entire country over the next three years as part of enhancing border security and coastal surveillance, ISRO Chairman V Narayanan said here on Wednesday. Currently, India operates about 55 satellites and for a country which has a vast border and 7,500 km of shoreline, it is not sufficient, he said. Narayanan, also the Secretary, Department of Space, said it was for these reasons Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced reforms in the Space Sector which allows participation of private players in building rockets and satellites. "We need a lot of satellites to protect our borders. We have 55 satellites working and it is not sufficient to monitor the border and coastal areas. For that we need more satellites. Through Space Sector reforms we can bring in private players to build satellites and we can handhold them. In three years, we will be adding another 100-150 satellites. With all those satellites we can monitor the country ..

Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla set for space travel next month: Jitendra Singh

Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla is set to travel to the International Space Station next month as part of an Axiom-4 mission, four decades after Rakesh Sharma's iconic spaceflight onboard Russia's Soyuz spacecraft, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said on Friday. Singh made the remarks after reviewing the work of the Department of Space and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) here. "Group Captain Shukla's journey is more than just a flight it's a signal that India is stepping boldly into a new era of space exploration," Singh said. ISRO Chairman V Narayanan made a presentation on various upcoming space missions. ISRO is set to launch the NISAR satellite developed jointly with NASA in June on board the GSLV-Mark 2 rocket, Singh said, adding that in July the space agency will put in orbit BlueBird Block-2 satellites of US-based AST SpaceMobile Inc. using the heavy-lift LVM-3 rocket. Singh said Group Captain Shukla's mission, scheduled for May, marks a milestone in India

Webb telescope finds strongest clue yet of life beyond our solar system

Scientists detect a potential biosignature gas in the atmosphere of exoplanet K2-18b-one that, on Earth, is only produced by living organisms like phytoplankton

Indian envoy lauds space policy, says changes will boost growth trajectory

Ambassador Ray said that India is a responsible participant and also responsibly observes all rules, such as avoiding and mitigating debris

Soyuz rocket launches US-Russian crew of 3 to International Space Station

NASA astronaut Jonny Kim and two Russian crewmates launched successfully to the International Space Station on Tuesday on board a Russian spacecraft. A Soyuz booster rocket lifted off as scheduled from the Russia-leased Baikonur launch facility in Kazakhstan to put the Soyuz MS-27 carrying the trio in orbit. They are set to dock at the station just over three hours later. Kim and Russia's Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky are scheduled to spend about eight months at the space outpost. NASA said Kim will conduct scientific investigations and technology demonstrations to help prepare the crew for future space missions and provide benefits to people on Earth. A native of Los Angeles, Kim is a US Navy lieutenant commander and dual-designated naval aviator and flight surgeon. Kim, Ryzhikov and Zubritsky will join NASA astronauts Don Pettit, Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's astronaut Takuya Onishi and Russian cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin, Ivan Vagner

Indian military space doctrine expected in 2-3 months: CDS Gen Anil Chauhan

CDS calls for building a 'space culture' rooted in doctrine, strategy, and original thought