India to Establish ₹1,000 Crore Fund to Boost Space Technology Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced in her Budget speech on Tuesday that the government will establish a ₹1,000 crore venture capital fund to promote space technology. This initiative aims to expand India’s space economy five-fold over the next ten years through increased private sector participation. Ambitious Growth Targets India’s space economy currently stands at around $8 billion. The government targets an ambitious growth, aiming to elevate this to $44 billion by 2033. Reforms initiated in 2020 have significantly increased private sector involvement in the space sector. IN-SPACe: Facilitating Growth The…
Author: Kanika Sharma
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Chip Stocks in Asia Plunge Amid U.S. Export Curbs TSMC Leads Decline in Asian Chip Stocks Asian chip stocks dropped sharply on Thursday, following a significant selloff on Wall Street. This decline was triggered by a report indicating that the United States is considering tighter restrictions on the export of advanced semiconductor technology to China. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), the world’s largest contract chipmaker, was severely impacted. Over the last two days, TSMC’s market value decreased by approximately T$2 trillion ($61.35 billion). This decline was compounded by both the U.S. curbs and comments from U.S. Republican presidential nominee Donald…
SpaceX Falcon 9 Suffers Rare Malfunction During Starlink Mission Engine Malfunction in Space On Thursday night, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket experienced a rare engine malfunction during a routine Starlink mission. This incident jeopardised the satellites and marked the company’s first rocket failure in over seven years. Failed Second Stage Ignition About an hour after launching from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, the SpaceX Falcon 9 second stage failed to reignite in space. This malfunction resulted in the deployment of 20 Starlink satellites into a much lower orbit than intended. These satellites now face the risk of burning up in…
Federal Judge Blocks NLRB Claims Against SpaceX Over Severance Agreements A federal judge in Texas has temporarily blocked the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) from pursuing claims against Elon Musk’s SpaceX. The NLRB alleges that SpaceX forced workers to sign illegal severance agreements. This block will remain until the outcome of SpaceX’s challenge to the agency’s structure is decided. Judge’s Decision and SpaceX’s Argument U.S. District Judge Alan Albright, based in Waco, Texas, announced his decision at the end of a 40-minute hearing. He stated he would grant a temporary block on the NLRB’s administrative case. SpaceX argued that facing…
Europe Reaches New Heights with Ariane 6 Rocket Launch Successful Debut Flight Europe celebrated a significant milestone as the Ariane 6 rocket successfully completed a series of trials during its debut flight. The launch, which took place on Tuesday, marked Europe’s return to space. Despite a minor hitch at the end, European space officials hailed the mission as a success. Independent Access to Space Restored The Ariane 6 rocket lifted off from French Guiana at around 4 p.m. local time (1900 GMT). This event restored Europe’s independent access to space after a series of delays, political setbacks, and funding debates.…
New Troodos Space Observatory Resembles Sci-Fi Spaceship A new space observatory in Cyprus, resembling a sci-fi movie spaceship, is now open and ready for exploration. Perched high on the Troodos mountains, the Troodos Observatory offers an unobstructed view of the skies and aims to enhance celestial knowledge. Troodos Observatory: Design and Purpose The Troodos Observatory, funded with 1.77 million euros ($1.90 million), was inaugurated in May. Located in the Troodos mountains, it aims to attract visitors to areas increasingly affected by urbanisation. Designed by sci-fi enthusiasts and architects Elena, Nicodemos, and Cassandra Tsolakis, the building’s spaceship-like appearance was not intentional…
Aditya-L1 Completes First Halo Orbit Around Sun-Earth L1 Point The Aditya-L1 spacecraft has successfully completed its first halo orbit around the Sun-Earth L1 point. Launched on 2 September 2023, this Indian solar observatory reached its targeted halo orbit on 6 January 2024. The Aditya-L1 takes 178 days to complete one revolution around the L1 point. Maintaining the Orbit During its journey in the halo orbit, the Aditya-L1 spacecraft encounters various perturbing forces. These forces cause deviations from its intended path. To counteract these, two station-keeping manoeuvres were performed on 22 February and 7 June. Today’s third station-keeping manoeuvre has ensured…
Can AI Influence Your Vote? Examining the Impact on Elections The potential for artificial intelligence (AI) and deepfakes to influence global elections is a growing concern. Britain’s upcoming general election is seen as a key test for AI interference, according to data scientists at the Alan Turing Institute. Current Impact of AI on Elections Research from the Alan Turing Institute suggests that while AI’s direct impact on election results has been minimal so far, its misuse could still undermine the democratic process. Sam Stockwell from the Centre for Emerging Technology and Security (CETaS) at the Institute stated, “We haven’t seen…
NSIL and Space Machines Company Sign Landmark Launch Service Agreement NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) under the Department of Space, has partnered with Space Machines Company, an Australian-Indian in-space servicing firm, for a Dedicated Launch Service Agreement. This pioneering collaboration aims to launch Space Machines Company’s second Optimus spacecraft, weighing 450kg, the largest Australian-designed and built spacecraft to date. The launch, scheduled for 2026, will utilise NSIL/ISRO’s Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV). A Historic Collaboration The signing of the Launch Service Agreement was formally announced at the India Space Congress 2024…
Collins Aerospace in Talks to Exit NASA Spacesuit Contract RTX Corp subsidiary Collins Aerospace is negotiating with NASA to withdraw from its contract to build new spacesuits for astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS). This development poses a setback for NASA, which has been grappling with outdated spacewalking suits for decades. Background of the Contract In 2022, NASA awarded $3.5 billion to Collins Aerospace and Axiom Space for developing new spacesuits for the ISS and future moon missions. Collins received an initial $97 million for ISS suit development, with the possibility of additional funds for lunar spacesuit development. However,…