NASA announced its newest class of astronaut candidates, the first in the agency's history to include more women than men. The 2025 group comprises six women and four men selected from a highly competitive pool of applications. The class include engineers, scientists, and military veterans, demonstrating NASA's continued emphasis on various skill sets for future missions. Among the candidates are two former SpaceX employees, including Anna Menon, who made history in 2024 as part of the Polaris Dawn mission, which included the first commercial spacewalk. Menon is the first NASA astronaut ca
India's Gaganyaan program will reach a critical milestone in December 2025 when Vyommitra, an AI-powered half-humanoid robot, takes off on an uncrewed test flight. ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan said that this mission will play a role in preparing for India's first human spaceflight, which is likely scheduled for 2026. Vyommitra will simulate essential human functions during the flight, providing data on temperature, pressure, humidity, and carbon dioxide levels within the crew module. Vyommitra, a female half-humanoid, is capable of communicating with ground control, monitoring environmental
ISRO Chairman V Narayanan recently said that India now has one of the most advanced cameras orbiting the Moon. Speaking at the Blueprint Discourse in New Delhi, he described the Chandrayaan-3 mission's achievement as a defining moment in India's space exploration effort. According to him, the mission not only showcased India's technological prowess but also instilled confidence in the country's scientific community. Narayanan emphasised that the camera onboard Chandrayaan-3 collects high-resolution photographs of the lunar surface, providing significant information about the Moon's topogra
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will dedicate Dhordo, a remote village in Gujarat's Kutch district, as India's newest solar village. The official announcement will be made during the Samudra Se Samriddhi function in Bhavnagar. Dhordo, which has previously been recognised as the Best Tourism Village by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), is now set to become a paradigm for clean energy transformation. The village has been completely solarised under the PM Surya Ghar scheme, which encourages rural homes to use solar power. All residential connections in Dhordo now use solar e
Dubai has launched battery-swapping stations for electric bikes at 36 locations, which marks a big step forward in its sustainable transport strategy. The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), in collaboration with Terra Tech Ltd, created this program to encourage the use of electric bikes and help the city's carbon reduction goals. The stations are strategically located around Dubai and are intended to help delivery operators easily exchange depleted batteries for fully charged ones. This will reduce downtime, increase operational efficiency, and encourage the shift away from fuel-powered
Abu Dhabi has approved its first self-driving delivery vehicle, a significant step in the emirate's ambition for smart mobility and sustainable logistics. This week, the Smart and Autonomous Systems Council approved the first licence plate for an autonomous delivery vehicle, opening the way for a pilot launch. Developed by Autogo, a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi-based K2, the AI-powered vehicle will work with EMX, the logistics arm of Emirates Post and 7X. The vehicle is designed to navigate city streets independently, utilising advanced smart mobility and artificial intelligence to deliver pack
According to data released by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, India's solar power sector has reached a significant milestone, with cumulative installed capacity exceeding 123.13 GW. The expansion demonstrates the country's consistent progress towards becoming a global leader in sustainable energy. Ground-mounted solar projects account for 93.90 GW of the total capacity and continue to be the backbone of India's solar strategy. Rooftop solar systems have generated 20.85 GW, demonstrating the growing role of families and small companies in providing renewable energy. Hybrid install
India unveiled the UPI-UPU Integration project at the 28th Universal Postal Congress in Dubai, marking a significant step towards transforming global remittances and increasing financial inclusion. Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Union Minister for Communications and Development of the North Eastern Region, launched the program, describing it as a step towards making cross-border transactions faster, more secure, and affordable. The project was created through a partnership between the Department of Posts, NPCI International Payments Limited, and the Universal Postal Union. It connects India's Un
According to Mercom data, India installed 3.8 GW of solar open access capacity in the first half of 2025, slightly lower than the 3.9 GW added in the same period in 2024. The second quarter of 2025 alone contributed 2.7 GW, helping offset a slower first quarter affected by connectivity approval delays and limited transmission infrastructure. According to Mercom's report, developers rushed to complete projects before the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers was reimplemented, which resulted in unusually high installations in H1 2024. Developers gained traction in Q2 of 2025, partly com
Saudi Arabia has one of the world's lowest battery storage costs, with the Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) awarding contracts for two large-scale battery energy storage systems totalling 4.9 GWh. The projects, which cost between USD 73 and USD 75 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), represent a significant shift in global energy storage economics, particularly outside China. The contracts were granted to the Chinese manufacturer HiTHIUM and the Saudi EPC contractor Alfanar Projects. The northern provinces of Tabuk and Hail hold each project, which has a 500 MW capacity and four hours of storage. Toget