ISRO's PSLV Orbital Experimental Module-3 (POEM-3) successfully re-entered Earth's atmosphere on January 1, 2024, leaving no orbital debris. The final PSLV stage, converted into POEM-3, was deorbited from 650 km to 350 km altitude, facilitating rapid re-entry. Within a month, POEM-3 completed its mission with nine experimental payloads, six of which were NGE deliveries via IN-SPACe. The upper stage decayed naturally, impacting the North Pacific on March 21, 2024. Startups, academic institutions, and NGEs use POEM as an affordable platform for space experiments for a range of tests, such
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is all set to launch the Europa Clipper Mission to Jupiter's moon, Europa, this October, aiming to uncover its mysteries. Extraterrestrial life may exist on Europa because its icy crust hides a huge ocean that is larger than all of Earth's oceans put together. NASA engraved a message on the spacecraft in 103 languages, including Hindi, that represented the word "water" in visual waveforms together with the American Sign Language symbol for it, symbolising Earth's link with Europa. The goal of the Europa Clipper project is to promote
The European Parliament has granted final approval to the EU's Artificial Intelligence Act, marking a significant milestone in global AI regulation. Passed after five years of deliberation, the Act aims to steer AI development towards a human-centric approach, ensuring human control over the technology for societal progress and economic growth. The law classifies AI applications according to risk levels, imposing more stringent regulations on high-risk applications, including vital infrastructure and medical devices. Companies must adhere to voluntary standards and codes of conduct, while
India successfully conducted the inaugural test flight of its indigenous Agni 5 missile, featuring Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology. On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the success of the mission. Expressing pride in the achievement, he praised the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) scientists for their contribution to "Mission Divyastra." This technological breakthrough, according to sources, allows a single missile to drop many warheads in different places. The project director is a woman, which is noteworthy as it highl
The Indian government plans to invest 103 billion rupees ($1.25 billion) in AI projects, including computing infrastructure, large language models, and startup funding. The government aims to develop AI applications for the public sector, anticipating India's AI market to reach $17 billion by 2027, with a growth rate of 25%–35% annually from 2024 to 2027. According to junior minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the investment will boost computing infrastructure and support AI startups, fostering India's AI ecosystem. Though India's AI market is still in its early stages, with projections of $1
India's defence ministry recently inked contracts worth $2.36 billion to acquire nuclear-capable BrahMos missiles for the navy, alongside a ship-borne missile system costing $1.3 billion. These purchases, part of the Make-in-India initiative, include aero-engines for MiG-29s, close-in weapon systems, High-Power Radar, and Shipborne Brahmos systems. The BrahMos serves as the navy's primary weapon for maritime strike operations, boasting precision and supersonic speeds for hitting land or sea targets. The procurement aims to meet combat and training requirements. The total value of the five
Japan's SLIM moon probe has defied expectations by surviving the frigid lunar night and re-establishing communication with Earth, over a month after its historic touchdown on the moon's surface. The Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) achieved its pinpoint landing last month, marking Japan as the fifth nation to land a probe on the moon. Initially, SLIM faced power depletion due to a tipped-over position, rendering its solar panels ineffective. However, a shift in the angle of the sun brought the panels back to life, marking an important achievement considering SLIM's initial lack o
On February 22, a significant milestone was achieved in lunar exploration as Odysseus, the first private spacecraft from Intuitive Machines in Houston, Texas, successfully landed on the Moon. This marks the United States' first lunar landing since 1972. Despite initial challenges with laser rangefinders, Odysseus managed to land at 6:23 p.m. Houston time, sending a signal back to mission control amid cheers of success. Odysseus, launched on February 15 from Cape Canaveral, Florida, utilised innovative methane-based rocket fuel, which is more efficient and environmentally friendly. In addit
India's ISRO is gearing up to send a helicopter to Mars alongside a lander, marking a continuation of its space exploration efforts after the Mangalyaan Mars Orbiter Mission concluded in 2022. The mission aims to have a lander touchdown on the red planet, deploying both a rover and a drone similar to NASA's Ingenuity quadcopter, which recently completed an unprecedented three-year mission comprising 72 flights. While ISRO's drone programme is still in its conceptual stage, it envisions flights reaching heights of up to 100 metres in Mars' thin atmosphere. The drone will carry payloads s
On Thursday, a private US company launched a lunar lander, sponsored by NASA, following a recent failed attempt by a rival. SpaceX's Falcon rocket, carrying Intuitive Machines' lunar lander, took off from NASA's Kennedy Space Centre and aims to land on the moon next week. For its latest lunar experiments, NASA is paying Intuitive Machines $118 million. The lander from Intuitive Machines is named after Odysseus from Homer, signifying the historic journey that lies ahead. A variety of organisations, including Columbia Sportswear and sculptor Jeff Koons, have contributed experiments and paylo