Author: Resham Bhambani

Quad Countries Strengthen Space Cooperation Establishment of the Space Cooperation Working Group The Quad countries—Australia, Japan, India, and the United States—are leaders in both public and private space sectors. In September 2021, at the first in-person Quad Leaders’ Summit, they established the Space Cooperation Working Group to enhance coordination and information sharing. This group focuses on sharing Earth observation satellite data, which is crucial for monitoring climate change, improving disaster response, and ensuring the sustainable use of oceans and marine resources. The Quad has mapped each member’s capabilities and launched an Earth Observation data website to facilitate these efforts. History…

NASA Cancels ISS Spacewalk Due to Spacesuit Discomfort Unplanned Spacewalk Cancellation NASA cancelled a planned spacewalk outside the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday due to a “spacesuit discomfort issue.” The decision was made roughly an hour before the mission was set to begin. NASA astronauts Tracy C. Dyson and Matt Dominick, part of the ISS’s six-member U.S. crew, were preparing for a six-hour excursion for routine repairs and a scientific mission. Spacesuit Issues and Crew Safety The cancellation was announced by a NASA spokeswoman on a live stream, stating, “Today’s spacewalk will not be proceeding as planned.” NASA later…

Reliance and SES Joint Venture Gets Green Light A joint venture between Reliance Industries’ Jio Platforms and Luxembourg-based SES has received approval from the Indian space regulator to operate satellites in India. This approval paves the way for providing gigabit fibre internet across the country. Regulatory Approvals and Future Steps The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) granted three authorisations to Orbit Connect India in April and June. These approvals allow the operation of satellites over India. However, further permissions from the Department of Telecommunications are required to begin operations. Global and Local Competition The race for satellite-based…

AI Surveillance for Paris Olympics Sparks Privacy Concerns French plans to use artificial intelligence (AI) to monitor athletes, coaches, and spectators at the Paris Olympics have raised privacy concerns among rights groups. These groups view the technology as a form of creeping surveillance. AI Surveillance Testing in France French authorities have recently tested AI surveillance systems at train stations, concerts, and football matches. During the Olympics, these systems will scan crowds for abandoned packages, detect weapons, and more. Although these tools will not be fully operational before the games, police, fire and rescue services, and some transport security agents will…

Small Stars and Their Unique Planetary Systems Stars the size of our sun are not the most common in the Milky Way. Much smaller stars are more prevalent and host the majority of rocky planets in our galaxy. These planets are the main focus for scientists searching for worlds that could support life. Insights from New Research Recent studies have shed light on how planets form around these small stars, known as very low mass stars (VLMS). The findings show significant differences in the chemical makeup of planet-forming disks around VLMS compared to those around sun-like stars. The James Webb…

Beijing-based rocket developer Space Pioneer announced on Thursday the completion of a significant fundraising round, securing over 1.5 billion yuan ($207 million). This funding will support the development of its reusable rockets. Fundraising Success Space Pioneer, also known as Beijing Tianbing Technology Co, is part of a select group of private-sector rocket developers. These companies are growing rapidly, driven by the Chinese government’s ambition to become a major space power. Since its inception in 2019, Space Pioneer has raised more than 4 billion yuan across 15 financing rounds. Upcoming Projects The recent funding, sourced from a combination of private equity…

China’s Chang’e-6 Probe Transfers Moon Samples to Spacecraft China’s Chang’e-6 probe successfully transferred samples from the moon’s far side to a spacecraft in lunar orbit on Thursday. The state news agency Xinhua reported this milestone. Journey Back to Earth The uncrewed spacecraft will now return to Earth. It is expected to land in Inner Mongolia on June 25. If successful, China will be the first country to return lunar matter from the moon’s far side. Details of the Mission The Chang’e-6 probe launched from the moon’s far side on Tuesday after spending two days collecting samples. During its time on…

China’s Chang’e-6 probe carrying samples from the far side of the moon has lifted off, starting its journey back towards Earth, China’s national space agency announced on Tuesday. The launch signifies China is closer to becoming the first country to return samples from the far side of the moon, which permanently faces away from Earth. The probe, which launched towards earth at 7:38 am local time (2338 GMT) successfully completed its sample collection from June 2-3. China National Space Administration (CNSA) said in a statement that Chang’e-6 “withstood extremely high temperatures on the far side of the moon”. Compared with…

Microsoft Reports No Significant AI Disinformation in European Parliamentary Elections Microsoft’s president, Brad Smith, stated in a recent interview with Reuters that there has been no significant use of artificial intelligence in disinformation campaigns during the European Parliamentary elections. Smith was in Stockholm to reveal Microsoft’s plan to invest 33.7 billion Swedish crowns ($3.21 billion) to enhance its cloud and AI infrastructure in Sweden over the next two years. AI Risks in Content Creation Smith emphasised the potential dangers of AI, particularly in generating harmful content such as deepfakes. While these AI-generated fakes have been utilised in elections around the…

India’s Agnikul Cosmos called off the test flight of its first rocket on Tuesday, just seconds before it was due to launch. This marks the fourth such cancellation in the past three months. Repeated Delays The rocket, India’s second privately built and the first to use a combination of gas and liquid fuel, has faced multiple technical issues leading to aborted launches. One previous attempt was cancelled only 90 seconds before lift-off. The latest attempt was scheduled for 5:45 a.m. IST (0015 GMT) on Tuesday but was delayed due to a technical glitch in the countdown activities. A new lift-off…