Category: Tech

Scientists at JILA, a joint NIST institute, have presented the world’s first nuclear clock, a significant advancement in timekeeping precision. Unlike atomic clocks, which rely on electrons, this clock uses signals from an atom’s nucleus. The findings in Nature get us closer to achieving remarkable timekeeping accuracy.

Unlike quartz wristwatches, which use crystal oscillations to determine time, atomic clocks employ laser light to transfer electrons between energy levels, resulting in higher precision. Nuclear clocks, on the other hand, go a step further by exploiting energy changes in the nucleus, making them less vulnerable to electromagnetic interference and thus quieter.

Thorium, the substance that powers the prototype, uses only ultraviolet light to produce these energy jumps, making it easier to operate than other elements. “Thorium can now be used as a timekeeper for ultra-high-precision measurements,” says scientist Thorsten Schumm of TU Wien. Although not as accurate as atomic clocks, the nuclear clock is projected to outperform conventional timekeeping systems soon.

Another team introduced an atomic clock in July that can only lose one second every 30 billion years. For context, Earth is around 5 billion years old. The future of timekeeping has entered a new age, with promising advances in precision measurements critical for applications such as satellite navigation.

According to CEO Takaya Taguchi, the Japanese startup Helical Fusion plans to launch the world’s first steady-state nuclear fusion reactor by 2034, with commercial operations beginning in the 2040s. Despite 70 years of global research, developing a commercially feasible fusion reactor that powers the sun remains a challenge.

Helical Fusion intends to develop a pilot reactor utilising the helical approach, which is a magnetic process capable of producing 50-100 megawatts. If successful, Japan, a major energy importer, might transition to energy production and export, considerably increasing its energy security.

With the aim of constructing a commercial reactor by 2040, Taguchi and two researchers from Japan’s National Institute for Fusion Science (NIFS) founded Helical Fusion in 2021. They intend to run the prototype reactor for several years beginning in 2034.

Japan has already spent over 400 billion yen ($2.8 billion) on fusion research at NIFS, which houses one of the world’s largest experimental fusion facilities. This facility has achieved 100 million degrees Celsius and plasma lifetimes of over 3,000 seconds.

However, considerable obstacles remain, including collecting 1 trillion yen for the pilot reactor, developing high-temperature superconductivity technology for coils, and setting safety requirements to obtain local building permission.

On Tuesday, Bengaluru-based Flying Wedge Defence and Aerospace (FWDA) proudly announced the successful inaugural flight of India’s first domestic unmanned bomber, the FWD 200B. According to FWDA Founder and CEO Suhas Tejaskanda, this cutting-edge Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) is capable of flying at altitudes of up to 15,000 feet and is outfitted with advanced optical payloads for surveillance as well as missile-like weapons for precision air strikes and bombing operations.

“The FWD 200B’s aerodynamics, airframe, propulsion systems, control systems, and electronics are entirely developed and manufactured in India at our cutting-edge facility in Electronic City, Bengaluru,” Tejaskanda told me. The aircraft has a wingspan of five meters, a length of 3.5 meters, a maximum takeoff weight of 102 kilogrammes, and a payload capacity of 30 kilogrammes.

It can cruise at 152 km/h and reach a top speed of 250 km/h. The aircraft only needs 300 meters of runway, allowing it to operate from shorter airstrips. The FWD 200B has an excellent endurance of seven hours and a range of 800 km, allowing for longer missions without the need for frequent refuelling or landing.

Bayanat AI PLC and Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat) have successfully launched the UAE’s first Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite in partnership with ICEYE. On August 16, 2024, SpaceX launched the satellite aboard Transporter 11 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. It has established communication and started early activities.

The SAR satellite represents a key milestone in the UAE’s Earth Observation capabilities, allowing for high-resolution, continuous monitoring in all weather situations, day or night. ICEYE’s technology outperforms other SAR systems in terms of image resolution and geographical coverage. This achievement contributes to the UAE’s National Space Strategy 2030 and demonstrates the country’s developing capabilities in satellite data collection and processing.

Hasan Al Hosani, Bayanat’s Managing Director, emphasised the satellite’s importance in enhancing Earth observation capabilities and strengthening its position in AI-powered geospatial analytics. Ali Al Hashemi, Group CEO of Yahsat, emphasised the collaborative work with Bayanat and ICEYE, which is consistent with the projected merger to establish Space42.

The satellite launch is part of a larger effort to build a SAR satellite constellation, which will improve the UAE’s ability to deliver near-real-time geospatial insights needed for emergency management, marine surveillance, and other key applications.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) plans to deploy the Unified Lending Interface (ULI), a platform designed to facilitate seamless credit flow, particularly for small and rural borrowers. RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das announced ULI during the RBI@90 Global Conference, describing it as a game-changer for India’s digital infrastructure, complementing the Unified Payments Interface.

ULI will facilitate the frictionless and consent-based sharing of digital information, like land records, between multiple data providers and lenders. This program is projected to dramatically reduce the time necessary for credit appraisal by simplifying the procedure, particularly in the agricultural and MSME sectors. The platform’s standardised APIs and ‘plug and play’ architecture facilitate the integration of various data sources, resulting in faster credit availability without excessive paperwork.

Following the success of a pilot project in two states, the RBI intends to implement ULI nationwide. Das emphasised that, much as UPI altered digital payments, ULI is ready to revolutionise lending in India. The RBI is also exploring using UPI and ULI to facilitate cross-border transactions and remittances while resolving technological and governance challenges to assure global interoperability.

India achieved a significant milestone in its space adventure with the launch of RHUMI-1, the country’s first reusable hybrid rocket. RHUMI-1, developed by Tamil Nadu startup Space Zone India in partnership with Martin Group, was launched from Chennai’s Thiruvidandhai. It carried a payload of three CubeSats and 50 PICO satellites designed to collect data on global warming and climate change.

The rocket, which is built for a suborbital trajectory and launched from a mobile launcher, has an innovative hybrid propulsion system that combines liquid and solid fuels to increase efficiency and lower costs. A generic fuel fuels the rocket’s hybrid motor and features an electrically triggered parachute deployer, making it completely pyrotechnic-free, which improves safety.

Anand Megalingam, creator of Space Zone, led the mission, which was mentored by Dr. Mylswamy Annadurai, former Director of the ISRO Satellite Centre. This launch demonstrates the growing importance of private firms in India’s space sector. Space Zone India focuses on cheap, long-term solutions for the space sector, emphasising education and outreach by providing training in aerodynamic concepts, satellite, drone, and rocket technology.

In 2023, Space Zone India launched the ‘Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Students Satellite Launch mission, which involved over 2,500 students in a hands-on satellite project.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh announced that India’s Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) will be operational by 2035. Currently, in the conceptualisation phase, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is developing the overall architecture and module configuration for the space station, which will be launched in stages.

Once the feasibility studies are completed, ISRO will submit a proposal to the government for permission and funding. In the meantime, ISRO is developing a roadmap for future Moon missions, such as robotic exploration and lunar sample return missions. 

As part of the Gaganyaan Programme, ISRO intends to send two to three humans into low-Earth orbit for up to three days. The first crewed mission will launch from an Orbital Module on a human-rated Launch Vehicle Mark III (LVM3). This module, which includes a Crew Module and a Service Module, will be outfitted with life support systems to ensure a safe return to Earth.

Prior to this, ISRO will carry out two unmanned missions, an integrated airdrop test, a pad abort test, and test vehicle flights to guarantee mission safety. Four Indian Air Force test pilots have been chosen as astronaut-designates and are currently receiving mission-specific training.

Friday marked a major accomplishment for the UAE space program as the country’s first synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite was successfully launched into low Earth orbit (LEO). Bayanat, a developer of AI-driven geospatial solutions, owns the Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat) that launched the satellite. We are already beginning the initial actions after successfully establishing connectivity with the satellite.

Bayanat, Yahsat, and ICEYE collaborated on the launch, which significantly enhanced the region’s ability to monitor Earth. Using active sensing to highlight the Earth’s surface, SAR technology outperforms standard optical imaging technologies and enables high-resolution imaging in any weather or light condition.

Launched in 2023, the satellite is a component of the United Arab Emirates’ Earth Observation Space Programme, which seeks to improve the nation’s ability to do remote sensing using satellites. Beginning with the SAR satellite, an anticipated constellation will provide continuous high-definition monitoring, allowing for near-real-time photography of ground conditions throughout the MENA area and beyond.

Smart mobility, marine monitoring, and disaster management can all benefit from the precise geospatial data made available by Bayanat and Yahsat thanks to this strategic effort.

ISRO is scheduled to launch the third developmental mission of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) on August 16 at 9:19 a.m. from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. SSLV-D3/EOS-08 will test the small satellite launch vehicle and send the EOS-08 Earth observation satellite into orbit.

If successful, the SSLV will finish development as ISRO’s small-lift launch vehicle, capable of transporting payloads weighing up to 500 kg into Low Earth orbit. This milestone will enable Indian industry to use this rocket for future missions, according to NewSpace India Limited.

The mission’s objectives include demonstrating the SSLV’s consistent flight performance and launching the EOS-08 satellite and SR-0 DEMOSAT into a 475 km circular orbit.

The EOS-08 satellite weighs 175.5 kg and has a one-year mission life. It carries three main payloads: an Electro-Optical Infrared Payload for satellite-based surveillance and disaster monitoring, a Global Navigation Satellite System-Reflectometry Payload for ocean surface and soil moisture analysis, and a SiC UV Dosimeter for UV radiation monitoring.

The SSLV’s first flight in August 2022 failed, while the second flight in February 2023 was successful. This mission allows ISRO to achieve a hat-trick of accomplishments in 2024, following the successful PSLV and GSLV flights earlier this year.

Buddhist nations, Nepal and China have teamed up to use heavy-lift drones to clean trash from Mount Everest’s slopes. Experienced Sherpas will operate the drones that Da Jiang Innovations, China’s largest drone manufacturer, is providing. This project seeks to lessen the risk to Sherpas, who have traditionally collected trash on foot in dangerous environments.

The local municipality of Khumbu Pasang Lhamu, which includes Everest, and the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC) have signed an agreement of understanding to employ drones for cleanup. Following a successful test in April, the drones are scheduled to be commercially deployed in the Everest region.

The SPCC is critical to keeping Everest clean, requiring climbers to return with a specific quantity of waste to reclaim a $4,000 deposit. As global warming uncovers waste and dead trapped beneath snow and ice, the risk of pollution rises, making drone operations even more important.

Drones are expected to transport 30 kg of material from Camp I, with the capability falling to 18 kg at greater altitudes. While there are fears about employment losses, the major purpose is to prevent additional deaths in the dangerous Khumbu Icefall, where around 50 Sherpas have died since 1953. Sherpas will continue to be involved in operations at higher altitudes.