Current Context: The launch of Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), which includes Indian Air Force officer Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, has been postponed due to technical issues. About axiom mission 4 (Ax-4) Organised By: Axiom Space (USA), in collaboration with NASA and SpaceX. Launch Vehicle: SpaceX’s Falcon 9 with Dragon spacecraft. Launch Site: Kennedy Space Center, USA. Mission Type: Private human spaceflight to the International Space Station (ISS). Duration: Around 14 days (tentative). Objective: Conduct scientific experiments. Promote international collaboration. Support space outreach activities. Ax-4 Crew Members: Peggy Whitson (Commander, USA) Shubhanshu Shukla (Pilot, India – First Indian to visit ISS)....Read More

Current Context : China is set to launch its ambitious Tianwen-2 mission on May 29, 2025, aiming to collect samples from the near-Earth asteroid 469219 Kamoʻoalewa. ABOUT Tianwen-2 Mission Launch Vehicle: Long March 3B/E Launch Site: Xichang Satellite Launch Center Mission Duration: ~10 years Target Object: Asteroid 469219 Kamo‘oalewa Quasi-satellite discovered in 2016. Appears to orbit Earth due to its unique orbit. Believed to be made of lunar material ejected via collision. Mission Objectives: Survey asteroid surface. Return samples (≥100g) to Earth. Continue to main asteroid belt for comet 311P/PANSTARRS study.Read More

Current Context : Tamil Nadu became the third Indian state (after Gujarat and Karnataka) to approve a dedicated Space Industrial Policy, targeting ₹10,000 crore investment and 10,000 jobs. ABOUT IN-SPACe Full Form: Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center. Type: Single-window, autonomous agency under the Department of Space (DoS). Purpose: Enables and authorizes non-governmental entities (NGEs) in: Facilitate the development of launch vehicles and satellites by private entities. Use of ISRO/DoS infrastructure Space-based services Function: Interface between ISRO and private players Facilitates innovation, academic partnerships, and space-tech incubation. Headquarters: Bopal, Ahmedabad. Space Bay Plan: Similar to Florida's Space Coast, spanning....Read More

Current Context: On 18 May 2025, the Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) 101st mission, PSLV-C61 carrying the EOS-09 satellite, failed due to a technical anomaly during the third stage of flight. About: Launch Vehicle: Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C61). Payload: Earth Observation Satellite-09 (EOS-09), intended for sun-synchronous polar Launch Site: Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. Mission Objective: To enhance India's surveillance and remote sensing capabilities. Cause of Failure: A technical anomaly during the third stage of the PSLV rocket led to the mission's failure. Historical Context: This marks the third failure of the PSLV in its operational history, with previous....Read More

Current Context: ISRO and JAXA agreed to begin the design phase of their joint Chandrayaan-5 / Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX) mission, targeting the Moon’s south pole. About Chandrayaan-5 / LUPEX: Mission Goals: Study volatile compounds (water, ice) in permanently shadowed lunar craters. Search for resources to support future human missions. International Partnership: India (ISRO): Builds the lander. Japan (JAXA): Provides the rover. Additional Instruments: Contributions expected from NASA and ESA. Legacy Missions: Chandrayaan-1 & 2 (orbiters) Chandrayaan-3 (lander and rover) Upcoming Chandrayaan-4 (sample-return) Long-Term Vision: India aims to land astronauts on the Moon by 2040.Read More

Current Context: Amazon launched the first 27 satellites under its Project Kuiper initiative to establish a global broadband satellite network and compete with Starlink. About Project Kuiper: Launched By: Objective: Provide global broadband internet to unserved and underserved regions via satellite. Orbit: Operates in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) – up to 2,000 km above Earth. Key Components: Satellite constellation, ground stations, customer terminals. Deadline: 50% satellite deployment by July 2026 as per U.S. FCC rules. Named After: Kuiper Belt – a region of the solar system beyond Neptune. Competitor: SpaceX’s Starlink. India Entry: Amazon applied for GMPCS license to offer....Read More

Current Context: The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACe) has launched the Satellite Bus as a Service (SBaaS) initiative to encourage innovation and reduce reliance on imported satellite technology, aiming to establish India as a global provider of small satellite-bus and hosted-payload services. Key Details Objective: Promote innovation among Indian Non-Governmental Entities (NGEs) and reduce import dependence. Phases: Phase I: Shortlist up to four NGEs to develop satellite-bus systems. Phase II: Support two hosted-payload missions for validation. Benefits: Provide cost-effective solutions for payload validation, accelerate technology development, and strengthen collaborationRead More

Current context: The Bullseye Galaxy was recently discovered by researchers using the Hubble Space Telescope. About Size: It is approximately 2.5 times larger than the Milky Way. Rarity: The galaxy features nine concentric rings, which is an extremely rare structure in the universe. Formation Theory: Scientists believe these rings formed when a blue dwarf galaxy passed through it nearly 50 million years ago, creating ripples in the gas that later developed into ring formations. Future Evolution: The Bullseye Galaxy is expected to gradually evolve into a Giant Low Surface Brightness (GLSB) galaxy over billions of years, as the rings dissipate.....Read More

Current context: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully completed the second in-orbit docking of two satellites  SDX01 (Chaser) and SDX02 (Target) in April 2025. About Docking is the process of joining two spacecraft in orbit. It enables space station assembly, modular missions, and crew/cargo transfer. Mission Highlights Launch Date: 30 December 2024 Launch Vehicle: Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle ( PSLV-C60) 1st Docking: 16 January 2025 1st Undocking: 13 March 2025 2nd Docking: April 2025 India becomes the 4th nation (after United States, Russia, and China) to achieve this capability. Objectives: Demonstrate Orbital rendezvous, Docking/undocking operations& Electric power transfer between....Read More

Current Context: NASA’s Lucy spacecraft is set to fly by asteroid Donaldjohanson on April 20, 2025, as part of its 12-year mission to study ancient asteroids in the solar system. About Lucy Mission Launched: 2021 by NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration). Mission Duration: 12 years. Objective: Study Trojan asteroids near Jupiter and other primitive asteroids to understand the early solar system and planetary formation. About Asteroid Donaldjohanson Location: Main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter (~139 million miles from Earth). Purpose of Flyby: Test run before major Trojan asteroid encounters (2027–2033). The Lucy spacecraft will only pass by the....Read More