India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Rules, 2025: A New Era of Privacy The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has unveiled the Draft Digital Personal Data Protection Rules, 2025, marking a turning point in India’s approach to privacy. These rules aim to enforce the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDP Act) with clearer guidelines on how personal data must be handled. By redefining transparency, accountability, and security, the rules promise to strengthen individual rights in a rapidly digitalising world. Clarity in Consent: Simplified Notices and Powerful Consent Managers Gone are the days of unreadable terms and conditions. Under…
Author: Aditya Lenka
SpaceX Plans First Satellite Deployment with Starship Test Flight SpaceX announced that its upcoming Starship test flight will include a groundbreaking attempt to deploy payloads in space. The test will release 10 model Starlink satellites, showcasing Starship’s potential to revolutionise satellite launches. This marks a pivotal step in SpaceX’s efforts to cement its role in the satellite launch market. First Satellite Deployment Exercise in Space According to a SpaceX blog post, the mission will test Starship’s ability to deploy payloads. “While in space, Starship will deploy 10 Starlink simulators, similar in size and weight to next-generation Starlink satellites as the…
Elon Musk Adopts New Persona ‘Kekius Maximus’ on Social Media Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and X, surprised his followers by changing his name on the social media platform X to “Kekius Maximus” on Tuesday, 31 December. Alongside this, Musk updated his profile picture to an image of ‘Pepe the Frog’ dressed as a Roman general. He also responded to a post with the word “Kek” but offered no further explanation for these changes. Memes and Cryptocurrency: The Connection Musk’s playful move resonated with cryptocurrency enthusiasts, especially those connected to meme culture. His adoption of “Kek” and the…
India Tests Critical Space Docking Technology with SpaDeX Mission India achieved a major milestone in its space programme on Monday, launching a spacecraft designed to test docking technologies essential for future space missions. The launch took place at 11:30 a.m. Eastern (10 p.m. local time) on December 30 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. A Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C60) successfully carried the Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) as its primary payload, along with 24 secondary experiments aboard the POEM-4 module. These secondary payloads included innovations such as a walking robotic arm, a debris capture manipulator, and a compact…
Landspace Secures $123 Million for Reusable Launch Development Chinese launch startup Landspace has received a significant boost with funding from a state-backed initiative. The company secured 900 million yuan ($123 million) from China’s National Manufacturing Transformation and Upgrading Fund, as reported by Chinese media on December 25. This investment will propel the development of reusable methane-liquid oxygen launch vehicles under its Zhuque series. Advancements in Zhuque Rockets Landspace recently achieved notable milestones in its rocket development program. In November, the company successfully launched its enhanced Zhuque-2 rocket, which can deliver up to 4,000 kilograms to a 500-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit. Earlier…
Parker Solar Probe’s Record-Breaking Christmas Eve Sun Flyby NASA’s Parker Solar Probe is set to give astronomers an extraordinary Christmas gift: the closest-ever flyby of the Sun. On December 24, the spacecraft will pass through the Sun’s corona—its outer atmosphere—marking a groundbreaking milestone in space exploration. Key Details of the Christmas Eve Flyby The Parker Solar Probe will reach its closest approach to the Sun, known as perihelion, at 6:53 a.m. EST (1153 GMT) on December 24. During this flyby, the probe will come within 3.8 million miles (6.1 million km) of the Sun’s surface, travelling at a blistering speed…
ISRO and ESA Partner for Human Space Exploration and Research The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the European Space Agency (ESA) have signed a landmark agreement to collaborate on astronaut training, mission implementation, and research experiments. This partnership marks a significant step forward in advancing human space exploration. Highlights of the Agreement The agreement, signed by Dr. S Somanath, Chairman of ISRO, and Dr. Josef Aschbacher, Director General of ESA, establishes a framework for joint activities in human spaceflight and research. Key areas of cooperation include astronaut training, experiment development and integration, and the use of ESA’s facilities on…
The New Space Race: Civilisations Reach for the Stars In June 2021, China and Russia unveiled an ambitious plan to construct a joint International Lunar Research Station, aiming to land humans on the moon by the mid-2030s in an attempt to form civilisational states. Just days before this announcement, Brazil became the twelfth nation to sign the U.S.-led Artemis Accords, a set of principles guiding the exploration and exploitation of lunar and other space resources. The Artemis Accords, inspired by the U.S. Artemis program, aim to return Americans to the moon by the mid-2020s—a timeline delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.…
Space Warfare: The Evolution of Military Competition in the Cosmos In Ukraine’s ongoing battle for sovereignty, space has emerged as a critical theater of war. Satellites, once reserved for reconnaissance and communication, now play a central role in modern conflict. Elon Musk’s Starlink satellites enable Ukrainian forces to maintain connectivity crucial for targeted drone strikes, while commercial imaging satellites provide vital battlefield intelligence. These developments have earned the conflict the moniker of the “first commercial space war.” Yet, this description only scratches the surface of a broader, more complex history of space warfare. The Historical Role of Satellites in War…
European Automakers Hike Petrol Car Prices to Meet Stricter Emission Targets European automakers are raising prices on petrol vehicles and offering discounts on electric cars (EVs) to comply with tougher EU emissions rules set to take effect on January 1. The new regulations require at least 20% of total car sales to be electric, or automakers will face significant fines. Tougher Emissions Rules and the EV Gap The EU’s stricter carbon dioxide limits pose a major challenge for the automotive industry. While the target demands one-fifth of sales to come from EVs, only 13% of vehicles sold in 2023 have…