satellite launch

In a groundbreaking move, China is set to embark on its most extended space quest yet, dispatching an astronaut to its newly established orbital station for an entire year.

India's space regulator is offering full technology transfer for the reliable PSLV rocket to private firms, aiming to boost commercial launches. This follows a similar move for the SSLV. Despite delays in the first industry-built PSLV and SSLV, the government seeks an industry-driven launch ecosystem, signaling a major shift from ISRO's production model.

Leaked records reveal Iran's Revolutionary Guards secretly acquired advanced Chinese satellite communication equipment via a UAE-based procurement network. The technology, crucial for Tehran's drone and missile programs, was shipped through Dubai, highlighting sophisticated methods to bypass Western sanctions and reach Iran's military apparatus.

Annie Easley began as a ‘human computer’, performing complex calculations by hand before electronic systems took over. She later became a programmer at NASA, contributing to propulsion and energy research. Her career reflects adaptability and a lasting impact on modern space exploration.

The FAA has classified Blue Origin's recent New Glenn launch as a "mishap" after the rocket's upper stage failed to deploy its satellite payload into the intended orbit. The agency has grounded the company, owned by Jeff Bezos, pending a detailed investigation to ensure public safety and prevent future occurrences.

Saudi Arabia has made a historic entry into NASA's Artemis program with the successful launch of its "Shams" satellite. This marks the first Arab nation's participation in the lunar mission, contributing vital space weather research. The initiative underscores the Kingdom's growing technological prowess and commitment to global space collaboration.

India is set to establish its third satellite launch centre in Gujarat, with a site identified near Gir Somnath district. This move, following consultations with IN-SPACe, aims to bolster the nation's growing space sector. Gujarat is also developing a space park and a private satellite manufacturing plant, positioning the state as a key hub.

Indian space company Agnikul Cosmos has successfully tested its 3D-printed booster engine, 'Agnite'. This single-piece Inconel engine, a meter long, can be fully printed within a week, significantly reducing production complexity and turnaround time. The successful in-house testing marks a crucial end-to-end cycle completion for their larger engines.

Despite its unsuccessful flight, North Korea's endeavor to launch a satellite on Thursday is in violation of UN Security Council resolutions, stated the US State Department and the White House. Additionally, Washington expressed its intention to engage in dialogue with Pyongyang without any preconditions.

Elon Musk announced Tesla's ambitious Terafab semiconductor project in Austin, Texas, a massive chip fabrication facility to be jointly operated with SpaceX and xAI. This "gigafactory, but way bigger" aims to produce Tesla's fifth-generation AI chip, AI5, to meet anticipated demand for robotics and autonomous driving, as current supplier output is deemed insufficient.

The heat waves of what is being touted as the deadliest wildfire to scorch California are being felt in distant Hyderabad. For, the scorcher has scuttled, albeit temporarily, a Hyderabadi’s efforts to put India’s first private satellite – ExseedSat-1 – into space. The satellite is going to be launched on November 19 by Elon Musk’s SpaceX.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) and its commercial arm Antrix are working on a model that aims to have industries build the proposed Small satellite launch Vehicles (SSLVs) from the very beginning, unlike the PSLV and GSLV platforms.

The Indian Space Research Organisation has planned three major rocket launches in the next three months, its chairman S Somanath said here on Wednesday. The rockets are Small satellite launch Vehicle (SSLV), Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM-3) and Polar satellite launch Vehicle (PSLV), the Isro chief said.

The space agency had earlier planned a launch of 83 satellites in the last week of January, of which 80 were foreign ones. But with the addition of 20 more foreign satellites, the launch was delayed by a week and will now take place in first week of February.

The chronology of Indian satellite launches.

India's first unmanned mission to the moon, Chandrayaan-I, has been successfully placed in its orbit. Following is the chronology of Indian satellite launches.

China is all set to launch its first manned space mission later this month as it moved the spacecraft and its carrier rocket, the Long-March-2 F, to the launch platform at the Jiuquan satellite launch Center in northwest China on Saturday.