Category: Tech

The UAE is taking a significant step towards smart mobility by planning air corridors for air taxis and freight drones. This effort intends to promote sustainable travel, improve urban connectedness, and minimise traffic congestion.

During the World Government Summit, the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) indicated that the mapping process and regulatory framework would be completed over the next 20 months. According to Saif Al Suwaidi, director general of the GCAA, these corridors are critical for seamlessly integrating autonomous aerial vehicles into the country’s transportation system.

Joby Aviation has been selected to operate vertical take-off and landing taxis in Dubai, transporting passengers between Dubai International Airport and major areas such as Palm Jumeirah. Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi has teamed with Archer Aviation to run electric air taxis that connect the airport to downtown. The service might launch early this year, with a full rollout projected in 2026.

The UAE’s aviation lines will connect major airports to notable places. To ensure safe operations, the GCAA has collaborated with the Advanced Technology Research Council and its subsidiaries, such as the Technology Innovation Institute and Aspire. Their partnership will use AI-powered technology to develop safety regulations, optimise routes, and improve airspace management.

India has considerably increased the budget for its Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission to $2.32 billion, which includes the construction and operation of a national space station. Union Minister Jitendra Singh told parliament on Thursday that the country now expects to launch two crewed and six uncrewed missions by 2028.

Gaganyaan is India’s first human spaceflight endeavour. The mission’s goal is to launch a habitable space capsule into a 400-kilometer orbit and return safely to the Indian Ocean by splashdown.

Gaganyaan was originally budgeted at $1.1 billion and scheduled to have only one crewed and two uncrewed flights. However, delays owing to COVID-19, and additional safety precautions have resulted in a revised plan. Singh highlighted a global lack of space-grade electronic components, more test flights, astronaut safety checks, and design changes to manage spacecraft weight as primary causes for delays. Despite these hurdles, India is moving forward.

The nation aims to have the Bharatiya Antariksh Station operational by 2035 and conduct an Indian crewed mission to the Moon by 2040.

Notably, one of the Gaganyaan astronauts, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, is scheduled to fly to the International Space Station with Axiom’s Crew Dragon mission.

Astronomers discovered “Quipu,” the universe’s largest known structure. It spans 1.3 billion light-years and is 13,000 times larger than the Milky Way. This result calls into question prevailing ideas of cosmic structure.

Quipu, named after an ancient Incan measurement system, was discovered using galaxy cluster analysis. The paper, which is available on ArXiv, has yet to be peer evaluated. Previously, the Hercules-Corona Borealis Great Wall held the record of 10 billion light-years, albeit its existence is still questioned. Unlike Hercules-Corona, Quipu is plainly visible in sky maps.

Along with Quipu, scientists uncovered four other superstructures, which collectively include 45% of galaxy clusters, 30% of galaxies, and 25% of observable matter. These formations have an impact on cosmic dynamics, specifically the Local Group’s motion in relation to the Cosmic Microwave Background.

Despite its enormous size, Quipu is not permanent. Scientists anticipate that gravitational forces will eventually split it into smaller formations. This result shows that cosmic structures are continually changing.

Quipu research has the potential to improve cosmological models and our understanding of galaxy formation. Researchers emphasise the importance of more observations to confirm its impact on the universe.

The UK government has committed a $25 million investment to boost satellite launch capabilities, with the goal of establishing Britain as a prominent player in the space sector. The funding, announced by Science, Innovation, and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle at the 17th European Space Conference in Brussels, would support the development of UK-manufactured rockets and attract global investment.

Orbex, the sole UK-owned launch services company, is developing small and medium-sized rockets. Its first launches will take place from the SaxaVord Spaceport in Shetland. The government’s contribution will help Orbex accelerate the development of its Prime rocket, a 19-meter, two-stage vehicle optimised for compact satellite installations. The first launch is anticipated by the end of 2025.

Peter Kyle pointed out that Britain’s experience, world-class facilities, and geography place it at the forefront of the European space competition. He emphasised that this investment will generate high-skilled jobs and encourage future space experts.

Orbex CEO Phillip Chambers welcomed the funding, describing it as a “critical step” for the company’s future. He discussed ideas for a larger rocket to compete in the European Launcher Challenge.

So far, EIFO of Denmark, Octopus Ventures, and private investor Sohaib Abbasi have contributed £23 million to the project.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched its 100th rocket from Sriharikota’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), marking a historic milestone. On Wednesday, the navigation satellite NVS-02 was deployed atop the GSLV-F15 launch vehicle, marking a historic occasion.

The 17th mission of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) blasted off from the second launch pad at 6:23 a.m. Nineteen minutes later, the domestic cryogenic-stage rocket delivered the 2,250 kg NVS-02 satellite to its planned Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).

This is ISRO’s first mission of 2025, and the first under the leadership of new chairman Dr. V. Narayanan. Narayanan expressed his joy following the successful launch, describing it as a key milestone in India’s space adventure.

The NVS-02 satellite is part of the Navigation using Indian Constellations (NavIC) program. It will improve navigational capabilities by offering accurate location, velocity, and timing services. It also includes India’s second indigenous atomic clock, which is a significant step forward for the ‘Make in India’ effort.

Since 1979, ISRO has launched 99 rockets, with PSLV leading the way. Future plans include extending SDSC and launching small satellites from the Kulasekarapattinam spaceport. ISRO’s continuing breakthroughs increase India’s influence in global space exploration.

The Indian Space Research Organisation’s Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) has successfully launched the Crew Module for the Gaganyaan project’s first uncrewed mission (G1). This is a significant milestone in India’s pursuit of human spaceflight. The module was delivered to the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on January 21, 2025, following the integration of its liquid propulsion system.

The Gaganyaan mission is India’s ambitious human spaceflight program, designed to demonstrate the ability to send astronauts into space. Before launching a crewed mission, ISRO intends to conduct several uncrewed test flights to ensure mission safety and reliability.

The Crew Module Propulsion System incorporated at LPSC includes a bi-propellant Reaction Control System. This technology offers precise three-axis control during the module’s descent and re-entry, including pitch, yaw, and roll. It operates when the service module separates, directing it until the parachutes are released. The system includes twelve thrusters, a pressurisation system, gas bottles, and fluid control components.

The Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) developed the Crew Module Uprighting System to maintain appropriate alignment during descent. The module will go through avionics assembly, electrical harnessing, and system checks at VSSC before fully integrating with the Orbital Module at the U R Rao Satellite Centre in Bengaluru.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi complimented ISRO on its breakthrough feat in successfully demonstrating space docking with the SpaDeX mission. In a tweet, he praised the crew, describing it as a “significant stepping stone for India’s ambitious space missions.”

Satellites SDX01 and SDX02 were successfully docked after being launched by the PSLV-C60 rocket on December 30, 2024. After perfect manoeuvres, they docked 475 kilometres above the Earth, making India the fourth country to master this complex technology, behind the United States, Russia, and China.

ISRO methodically planned the docking process, relocating the satellites from 15 meters to a close hold point of 3 meters before carrying it out. Once docked, the satellites began to work as one unit, demonstrating India’s advanced space exploration capabilities.

This milestone is essential for future missions such as Gaganyaan, which will launch Indian astronauts into space, and the Bharatiya Antariksh Station, India’s planned space station. Docking technology will be critical for in-orbit activities, including crew transfers and resupply missions.

The SpaDeX mission has received worldwide praise, cementing India’s reputation as an emerging star in space exploration.

The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) successfully launched MBZ-SAT, the region’s most advanced satellite, which is named after UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum witnessed the launch of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Tuesday at 11:09 p.m. UAE time.

MBZ-SAT, constructed entirely by Emirati engineers at MBRSC, weighs 750 kg and uses cutting-edge Earth observation technologies. It has a high-resolution imaging system, advanced electric jet propulsion, and a navigation system with one-meter accuracy. With picture precision doubled and generating capacity tenfold improved, MBZ-SAT enables rapid image distribution within two hours, which aids environmental monitoring, disaster assistance, and infrastructure management.

MBRSC’s Mission Control Centre oversaw the satellite, which was 90% constructed locally, with significant contributions from UAE firms. This project has strengthened the country’s space technology sector and empowered indigenous talent.

Talal Humaid Belhoul Al Falasi, Vice President of MBRSC, emphasised the UAE’s leadership in space exploration, while Hamad Obaid AlMansoori, Chairman of MBRSC, hailed the achievement as a watershed moment in promoting global space innovation.

On Wednesday, Japan’s ispace and the United States Firefly Aerospace successfully launched their moon landers aboard a SpaceX rocket from Florida, taking a huge step forward in global lunar exploration. Ispace’s Hakuto-R Mission 2 is a follow-up to its unsuccessful lunar landing in April 2023, which was caused by an altitude mistake. Firefly’s Blue Ghost is the third private lunar lander launched through NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program.

Ispace CEO Takeshi Hakamada emphasised the partnership between private firms, describing the dual launch as a “symbol of growing commercial missions to the moon.” Ispace’s Resilience lander contains six payloads totalling $16 million, including a Micro Rover designed to collect lunar materials. The lander is planned to settle in May-June 2025 after following an energy-efficient trajectory.

Firefly’s Blue Ghost, carrying ten payloads, is scheduled to reach the lunar surface in March 2025 and operate for one lunar day (approximately two weeks) before succumbing to the intense cold of the lunar night.

Private lunar enterprises such as these complement NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the moon by 2027. With China aiming for crewed moon missions by 2030, the lunar surface has become a hotspot for technological and geopolitical competition.

Pixxel, India’s first private satellite network in the developing space industry, will launch three of the country’s six hyperspectral imaging satellites from California on a SpaceX rocket. The next three are expected to be deployed in the second quarter, and the satellites will be positioned in a sun-synchronous orbit at a distance of roughly 550 km. The launch is scheduled for Tuesday at 10:45 a.m. from the Vandenberg Space Force Base.

Awais Ahmed launched Pixxel, a Google-backed business that intends to grow its fleet to 24 satellites in order to compete in the $19 billion satellite imaging industry by 2029. Its hyperspectral imaging technique, which records fine-grained information across light bands, is intended for use in mining, agriculture, defence, and environmental monitoring. Rio Tinto, BP, and the Indian Ministry of Agriculture are among the 65 clients the company has already acquired.

Even though India’s space industry only accounts for 2% of the worldwide market, Pixxel intends to take a sizable chunk of the expanding satellite imaging business. Pixxel hopes to compete with international firms like SpaceX and China’s state-sponsored satellite initiatives by providing high-resolution capabilities through its Firefly constellation. By March, full commercial capabilities are anticipated.