The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to launch its Earth Observation Satellite, EOS-08, using the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV)-D3. This mission represents the SSLV's third developmental flight and demonstrates ISRO's satellite technology and launch capability achievements. The EOS-08 mission seeks to create a microsatellite with advanced payload instruments and novel technology for future satellites. EOS-08 is built on the Microsat/IMS-1 bus and carries three critical payloads. The Electro-Optical Infrared Payload (EOIR) collects images in the Mid-Wave IR and Lo
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Indore has created unique shoes for Armed Forces personnel that generate power and track the wearer's position in real time. This innovation, which Professor I A Palani spearheaded, has the potential to enhance army safety, coordination, and effectiveness, according to IIT Indore director Professor Suhas Joshi. The first batch of 10 pairs has already been sent to the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The shoes use Tribo-Electric Nanogenerator (TENG) technology, which produces power with each stride. This electricity is stored in
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has announced that NASA would send Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla from the Indian Air Force to the International Space Station. This partnership is part of a Space Flight Agreement (SFA) signed by ISRO's Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC) and Axiom Space for the future Axiom-4 mission. Group Captain Shukla will be the primary mission pilot, with Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair serving as the backup. Both officers, known as "Gaganyaatris," will begin training in August. During the voyage, they will conduct scientific research and technol
A team of British academics from Alton University and international collaborators has broken the global record for data transmission, reaching rates 1.6 million times quicker than traditional household internet. Their discovery comprises a unique approach that uses existing fibre optic lines to achieve an astounding 402 terabits per second, which beats the previous record of 301 terabits per second by 25%. This novel technology employs standard fibre optic lines, avoiding the need for additional infrastructure. While this record-breaking speed is presently experimental, researchers hope it
NASA has successfully employed laser technology to stream 4K video footage from an aircraft to the International Space Station (ISS) and back. A team at NASA's Glenn Research Centre in Cleveland achieved the feat, representing a substantial advancement in space communication technology. Historically, NASA depended on radio waves to transfer information, but laser communications use infrared light, which allows data to be transmitted 10 to 100 times quicker. This development is part of a series of tests designed to provide live video feeds of astronauts on the Moon during the Artemis missio
MIT engineers have developed a revolutionary way of producing clean hydrogen fuel from used soda cans, seawater, and caffeine. When pure aluminium reacts with seawater, it naturally creates hydrogen gas, a clean fuel source. Caffeine enhances this reaction, speeding it up significantly. In a study published in Cell Reports Physical Science, researchers generated hydrogen by dropping prepared aluminium pellets into saltwater. The aluminium is treated with a gallium-indium alloy to remove its oxide layer, allowing it to react with saltwater and produce hydrogen. Surprisingly, the active comp
Scientists at the Texas Heart Institute (THI) have successfully implanted a titanium-constructed artificial heart. The technique was part of a preliminary feasibility study sponsored by the United States Food and Drug Administration. BiVACOR invented the heart, a biventricular rotary blood pump with a single moving element that uses a magnetically levitated rotor to replace both ventricles of a failing heart. The titanium heart has major advantages over earlier types because of its frictionless design, which reduces wear and tear and increases longevity. It works with a small rechargeab
Kawasaki has taken a huge step towards environmentally friendly transportation by publicly testing its first hydrogen-powered internal combustion engine (ICE) motorcycle at the Suzuka Circuit. The Kawasaki Ninja H2 SX features a modified 998 cc supercharged inline-four engine with direct hydrogen fuel injection. The bike has redesigned mounts for hydrogen fuel cylinders and a specific management system, and the side-mounted tanks are refuelled via valves. According to Kawasaki, this hydrogen-powered engine performs similarly to standard petrol engines, releasing just water vapour while
Researchers discovered phosphine and ammonia in Venus' atmosphere, which could indicate the presence of life. Venus, the second planet from the Sun, has a hostile environment with surface temperatures of around 450 degrees Celsius and an atmosphere primarily composed of carbon dioxide. A team led by Jane Greaves of Cardiff University discovered phosphine in Venus' upper atmosphere using the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope. This study, reported in Nature Astronomy, suggests that biological activity may exist in the acidic cloud deck, where temperatures hover around 75 degrees Celsius and p
A new artificial intelligence (AI) tool to improve farming methods in India has been unveiled by Google: the Agricultural Landscape Understanding (ALU) Research API. Google VP Jeanine Banks announced the Google I/O Connect event in Bengaluru. ALU Research API aims to increase agricultural output, facilitate access to financing, and broaden agricultural product markets. To investigate its potential applications, Google is teaming up with organisations such as Ninjacart, Skymet, Team-Up, IIT Bombay, and the Indian government. The ALU tool provides precise landscape insights at the farm le