India and Japan are advancing work on the Lunar Polar Exploration mission, known as LUPEX, as preparations continue for a planned launch later this decade. The mission is a collaboration between the Indian Space Research Organisation and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, with the NASA contributing a scientific payload. LUPEX will target the Moon’s south polar region, where scientists believe water ice may exist beneath the surface. Officials familiar with the programme said recent engagements have focused on mission design alignment, hardware integration, and launch planning. In March, engineers from both countries met in Bengaluru for a three day technical review, concluding with a joint…
Author: Huma Siddiqui
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Modern conflict is no longer defined solely by fighter aircraft or long-range missile systems. Increasingly, the battlefield is being reshaped by smaller, lower-cost drones capable of travelling vast distances, loitering over targets, and striking with precision at the right moment. Loitering munitions, once considered niche, have proven their effectiveness in recent conflicts. Platforms such as Iran’s Shahed-series have demonstrated how relatively inexpensive systems can compel adversaries to deploy costly air defence assets, exhaust resources, and still allow some strikes to penetrate. The underlying logic is straightforward: scale, endurance, and timing can offset traditional advantages in firepower. India is now building…
India and South Korea are expanding cooperation in the space sector through both government agencies and private industry partnerships, in line with India’s Act East policy and wider regional priorities. The two countries have agreed to establish a Joint Working Group between the Indian Space Research Organisation and the Korea AeroSpace Administration. The group will focus on identifying and advancing areas of cooperation between the two national space agencies. The decision follows the India–Republic of Korea “Space Day” held in Bengaluru on 20 April 2026, organised with IN-SPACe. According to diplomatic sources, the event brought together space startups, industry representatives and research institutions to…
As unmanned systems rapidly redefine modern warfare, the focus is shifting from capability to survivability—and increasingly, to cybersecurity built into systems from the ground up. In this evolving battlespace, drones are no longer just surveillance tools; they are high-value assets vulnerable to hacking, spoofing, and electronic disruption. Against this backdrop, ZUPPA Geo Navigation Technologies has delivered over 500 cyber-secure drones to the Indian Army in just three months, signalling a decisive move towards “secure-by-design” unmanned platforms in active deployment. The company’s ‘Ajeet’ series drones have cleared the government’s Standardization Testing and Quality Certification (STQC) framework after undergoing detailed evaluation of…
China is rapidly building one of the world’s most extensive satellite surveillance networks, and the scale of that effort is now becoming clearer. A large dataset, covering more than 85,000 tracking records, shows how China is steadily improving its ability to monitor objects in orbit across the globe. But the key detail is not just how much it can see—it is what it is choosing to watch. A significant share of China’s tracking effort is focused on foreign satellites, especially those of the United States. Its own satellites form a smaller portion of the catalogue. This points to a deliberate…
Russia is making steady progress on its own satellite internet network, known as “Rassvet” (which translates to “dawn”). The project, led by Bureau 1440, is part of a broader push to reduce reliance on foreign technology, especially in communications. After a series of recent tests, Rassvet is now edging closer to real-world deployment and could eventually compete with SpaceX’s Starlink. Real Progress So far there has been successful testing of laser communication between satellites and this is very important for modern satellite constellations. According to available data, these inter-satellite links have reached speeds of up to 10 Gbps, with low latency. That…
India’s regional satellite navigation system NavIC has slipped below the minimum operational threshold after the final functioning atomic clock aboard the IRNSS-1F satellite failed on March 13, leaving the constellation with only three satellites capable of supporting navigation services. Satellite navigation systems require signals from at least four satellites with functioning atomic clocks to calculate a precise three-dimensional position on Earth. With IRNSS-1F no longer able to transmit reliable timing data, India’s indigenous navigation constellation currently lacks the minimum satellite geometry required for a standalone positioning solution. The development has drawn attention within the space community because NavIC , short…
India has taken a significant step toward formalising space education at the school level with the unveiling of “CubeSat 101: Inception to Operations” at DefSat 2026 in Delhi. Described as the world’s first high school curriculum book dedicated to satellite development, the programme introduces structured, end-to-end CubeSat training for students. Developed by Chennai-based Space Kidz India, the curriculum is set to become India’s first space-focused Micro Diploma programme. The book was formally released by Dr. Vinod Kumar, Director, Promotion Directorate at the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe). A certification was presented to Dr. Srimathy Kesan, Founder and CEO of…
The final day of DefSat 2026 included the release of a dedicated cybersecurity framework for the space and satellite communications sector. It also featured strategic deliberations by the newly formed Space Strategic Group (SSG) and the fourth edition of the IndSpaceX Wargame. A key development during the three-day event which ended February 26 was the unveiling of Cyber Security Guidelines for space systems by CERT-In in collaboration with SIA-India. The framework spans satellites, ground infrastructure, communication networks, supply chains and user interfaces, and calls for the integration of cyber safeguards at the mission design stage. Dr Sanjay Bahl, Director General, CERT-In, said, “CERT-In…
Space is no longer merely an enabler but has become the central pillar of military power, the Director General of Military Intelligence Lt Gen RS Raman said on Tuesday. Delivering the keynote address on “Decoding Adversarial Military Space Domain” at the DefSat Conference organised by the Satcom Industry Association-India (SIA-India), he said military competition has decisively expanded beyond terrestrial boundaries, creating an urgent need for sovereign capabilities and strategic clarity in orbit. The session was introduced by Lt Gen Rakesh Kapoor (Retd), former Deputy Chief of Army Staff. Lt Gen Raman outlined four categories of space actors: a nation’s own…