India on Wednesday successfully conducted the flight test of phase-II ballistic missile defence interceptor, AD-1 missile, off Odisha coast. The AD-1 interceptor missile is one of the two interceptor missiles of the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Phase 2 system. The second interceptor missile, AD-2, is still under development. The AD-1 is a long-range interceptor missile designed for both "low exo-atmospheric" and "endo-atmospheric" interception of long-range ballistic missiles and aircraft. It would be able to intercept ballistic
Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the C-295 transport aircraft manufacturing facility at Vadodara, Gujarat, on October 30, 2022. The facility will be set up by Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL) and Airbus Defence and Space. The C-295 will replace the Avro aircraft in service with IAF. The joint venture between Airbus and TASL will manufacture 40 C-295 military transport planes at the new facility as part of a Rs.22,000 crore deal to supply 56 aircraft. The other 16 planes will be supplied by Airbus from Spain. In addition to 40 aircraft, the facility at Vadodara wou
In a historic mission, Indian Space Research Organisations' heaviest rocket, LVM3-M2, on its very first commercial mission on Sunday, successfully placed 36 broadband communication satellites of a UK-based customer into the desired orbits, the space agency said. OneWeb Ltd is the UK-based customer of NewSpace India Ltd (NSIL), ISRO's commercial arm, and a global communication network powered from space, activating internet connectivity for governments and businesses. Bharti Enterprises is one of the key investors in OneWeb. With Sunday's success, ISRO put behind the divergence experienc
Saudi Arabian Airlines, Saudia has signed an agreement with German air taxi manufacturer Lilium to buy up to 100 of its aircraft for use on Saudia's domestic network, the state carrier's chief executive said on Wednesday. Saudia CEO Ibrahim Koshy said the planes would be "a premium service" that could carry four to six passengers, adding "it shows Saudia's commitment to sustainability because we're talking about 100% electric aircraft and we are the first airline in the MENA region that's introducing this as part of their network." He added that certification by Saudi regulators is expecte
India has given environmental approval for indigenously developed genetically modified (GM) mustard seeds, experts said on Thursday, making the start for commercial use of its first GM food crop. India is the world's largest importer of edible oils, on which it spends tens of billions of dollars a year. More than 70% of its demand is met by Argentina, Brazil, Indonesia, Malaysia, Russia, and Ukraine. "I can call it a landmark development," said Deepak Pental, a geneticist and former vice-chancellor of Delhi University, who, along with his team, developed the seeds in an endeavor spannin
After Mumbai, Bengaluru on Thursday became the second city in India to have a 90-meter aerial ladder platform system for Fire and Emergency Services, with Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai dedicating it to the city. Describing it as the "biggest strength" for the Department of Fire and Emergency Services, the Chief Minister said the 90-meter aerial ladder platform is a crucial provision and it will work as a "real friend in need". Pointing out the importance of fire safety and its rules, he said the Department of Fire and Emergency Services needed to reach high-rise buildings during an em
A new rooftop wind harvesting device, developed by US-based Aeromine Technologies, can produce 50 percent more electricity than solar panels at the same cost, according to its inventors. The devices' static design harvests energy from airflow above buildings, making them almost noiseless and safe for migratory birds and other animals, unlike conventional wind turbines. The device uses only 10% of the space that solar panels use and generates round-the-clock energy. This new bladeless wind energy unit is taking on the challenge of competing with rooftop solar as a local source of clean e
Microsoft head Satya Nadella was awarded the Padma Bhushan — the third-highest civilian award in India — from India's consul General T.V. Nagendra Prasad in San Francisco, US. Nadella, 55, was named one of the 17 awardees earlier this year. The Hyderabad-born Microsoft CEO is also planning to visit India in January 2023 after three years. "It's an honor to receive a Padma Bhushan Award and to be recognized with so many extraordinary people. I’m thankful to the President, Prime Minister, and people of India, and look forward to continuing to work with people across India to help them
On October 23, ISRO’s launcher LVM3 will carry 36 broadband satellites for British start-up OneWeb from Andhra Pradesh's Sriharikota spaceport, marking the launcher's entry into global commercial launch services. It is ISRO’s heaviest rocket and was initially known as the GSLV Mk III. According to the Bengaluru-headquartered Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), it has been announced that the launch of the 'LVM3- M2/OneWeb India-1 Mission' will take place at 0007 hours IST on October 23 (midnight of October 22). The statement read, "the cryo stage assembly and equipment bay (EB
A Chinese company tested out an electric flying taxi in Dubai on Monday, in a bid to overcome the traffic and reach the destination in the least possible time by boarding air taxis from the doorstep. XPeng X2 is one of the many flying automobile projects underway worldwide, which was created by the aviation division of XPeng Inc., based in Guangzhou. However, very few have undergone successful passenger testing, and it may take several years before any of them are actually placed for use. However, this trial offered a few glimpses of leading and innovative technology that one day might