Category: Science and Technology

NASA chooses Raja Chari as commander of SpaceX Crew-3 mission

December 17, 2020

• NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) have chosen Indian-American Raja Chari to be the Commander of the SpaceX Crew-3 mission to the International Space Station. Presently Raja Chari is a colonel in the US Air Force.

ISRO inaugurated a dedicated control center ‘NETRA’ for SSA

December 17, 2020

• The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has inaugurated a dedicated Space Situational Awareness (SSA) Control Centre called “NETRA”, at its ISTRAC campus at Peenya, Bengaluru.
• The ISRO SSA Control Centre ‘NETRA’ was formally introduced by ISRO Chairman K Sivan.

ISRO to release communication satellite CMS-01

December 13, 2020

• Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will release a communication satellite CMS-01, formerly called GSAT-12R, on December 17, using its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rocket’s XL variant numbered as PSLV-C50.

BSNL launches World’s 1st Satellite-based Narrowband-IoT Network

December 12, 2020

• Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has tied up with Skylotech India (Skylo), a global machine connectivity solutions company, to launch satellite-based narrow band-Internet of things (NB-IoT).
• This project is the world’s first satellite-based NB-IoT network.

Pixxel to release remote-sensing satellite on ISRO rocket

December 7, 2020

• The Bengaluru-based space-technology start-up “Pixxel”, has inked an agreement with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to launch its first remote-sensing satellite on Isro’s workhorse Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rocket in early 2021.

NASA-ESA successfully drives Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite

November 22, 2020

• The US space agency NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) successfully drove ‘Copernicus Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite’, to observe the rising global sea level.
• The joint US-European satellite lifted off on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

SpaceX sends 4 astronauts into space

November 17, 2020

• SpaceX has sent Four Astronauts (3 Americans, 1 Japanese) to the International Space Station on the first full-fledged taxi flight for NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) by a private company.
• They were sent by Falcon Rocket from the Kennedy Space Center.

Indian Astronomers get together with 2020 Nobel Physics Nobel Laureate

November 14, 2020

• Indian astronomers have collaborated with the 2020 Physics Nobel Laureate Prof. Andrea Ghez for the design of back-end instruments and potential science prospects of the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) project.

China sends ‘world’s first 6G experiment satellite’

November 11, 2020

• China has launched into space the world’s first 6G experiment satellite.
• The 6G satellite was among three Chinese satellites successfully sent into orbit, along with 10 commercial remote sensing satellites developed by Argentinian company Satellogic.
• This was the 351st rocket of China’s Long March series.

ISRO launches PSLV C49 with 10 satellites

November 7, 2020

• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)  has released the 51st mission of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). This is the first mission by ISRO in 2020.