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Artemis II Orion Service Module Secured for Launch at Kennedy Space Center
NASA’s Artemis II Orion spacecraft is a step closer to its mission around the Moon. Three spacecraft adapter jettison fairings have been installed on its service module at Kennedy Space Center. These panels will protect the solar arrays from heat, wind, and acoustic forces during launch. Once in space, they will detach, allowing the arrays to dep...
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NASA Tracks GNSS Signals on Moon, Advancing Lunar Navigation Technology
NASA and the Italian Space Agency made history by successfully tracking GNSS signals on the Moon through the LuGRE experiment. The technology could revolutionise lunar navigation, aiding missions like Artemis. LuGRE had earlier set records for GNSS signal acquisition in deep space, reaching lunar orbit before its final touchdown. The data collected...
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SpaceX Falcon 9 Launches Athena Lander, NASA's Lunar Trailblazer to Moon
On February 26, 2025, SpaceX Falcon 9 launched Athena and NASA's Lunar Trailblazer from Kennedy Space Center. Athena, developed by Intuitive Machines, will land near Mons Mouton to investigate lunar ice using the PRIME-1 drill. Lunar Trailblazer will orbit the Moon, mapping water ice deposits. The mission includes two secondary vehicles: MAPP, a ro...
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Watch: Blue Ghost Spacecraft Shares Incredible Footage Of Dark Side Of The Moon
Days before it makes a landing attempt, Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost spacecraft has shared some stunning visuals of the lunar surface. It entered the Moon's orbit earlier this month, capturing footage of the dark side from 120 km above the surface.
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Blue Ghost Lander Lowers Orbit, Prepares for Lunar Touchdown on March 2
Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lander has successfully lowered its orbit to 120 km in preparation for a lunar touchdown on March 2. The spacecraft, which launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, is part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. Mission teams are monitoring its orbit and finalizing descent plans, though commun...
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ISRO's Chandrayaan-4 to Land on Moon and Bring Back Lunar Samples in 2027
India’s space agency ISRO is gearing up for the Chandrayaan-4 mission, scheduled for 2027. This ambitious mission will involve a complex system of five modules, launched using two LVM3 rockets. Once in lunar orbit, two modules will descend to the surface, with one collecting samples and the other remaining on the Moon. The sample return module wi...
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New Study Finds Active Lunar Tectonics, Challenges Moon’s Dormancy
A recent study published in The Planetary Science Journal reveals that the moon is still experiencing tectonic activity. Scientists identified 266 small ridges on the far side of the moon, formed within the last 160 to 200 million years. The study suggests these ridges result from geological forces like lunar shrinking and orbital shifts. The findi...
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Japan's Wooden Satellite LignoSat Launched: Everything You Need to Know
Japan has launched LignoSat, the world’s first wooden satellite, into orbit, marking a step toward sustainable space technology. Developed by JAXA, the satellite is crafted from honoki magnolia wood, chosen for its durability and resistance to environmental stress. Sensors onboard will monitor temperature, radiation, and physical strain to assess...
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India Delays First Space Docking Test of SpaDeX Satellites Until January 9, Requires 'Further Validation'
ISRO has postponed its first-ever space docking attempt under the SpaDeX mission, now scheduled for January 9, 2025. The delay is due to the identification of an abort scenario during ground simulations, which requires further validation before proceeding. The mission involves the automated docking of two satellites in low Earth orbit and is a crit...
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ISRO Successfully Launches Two SpaDeX Satellites, Completes Space Docking Test Flight
India has launched its first space docking mission, SpaDeX, using the PSLV-C60 rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh. The mission involves deploying two spacecraft into a 470-km orbit to demonstrate docking technology and power transfer between satellites. Advanced payloads, including imaging systems and radiation monitors, w...
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ISRO Gets Government Nod for Shukrayaan Venus Orbiter Mission and Chandrayaan-4
India’s Venus Orbiter Mission (VOM) and Chandrayaan-4 mission, approved by the government in September 2024, mark historic steps toward India's space vision for 2047. VOM will study Venus's surface, atmosphere, and solar interaction, while Chandrayaan-4 will return lunar samples from the South Pole. These missions are set to advance technology an...
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Chandrayaan-2 Lunar Orbiter Avoided Collision With Danuri Spacecraft in September, Reveals ISRO
In September, India’s Chandrayaan-2 orbiter made a crucial trajectory change to avoid colliding with South Korea’s Danuri spacecraft. This adjustment came after multiple collision alerts had been issued due to the shared near-polar orbits of Chandrayaan-2, Danuri, and NASA’s LRO.
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Indian CubeSat to Travel to the Moon Soon on Japanese Lander
India’s HEX20Labs has partnered with Japanese firm ispace for a mission to send a CubeSat into lunar orbit. Scheduled to launch on ispace's M2 mission, the Indian CubeSat will ride aboard the lander Resilience, aiming to orbit the Moon and conduct critical technology testing. This mission signifies a major stride in India’s cislunar exploration...
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COVID-19 Lockdown Caused Moon’s Temperature to Drop by 8-10 Kelvin, Reveals Indian Study
Indian scientists found that during the COVID-19 lockdown of 2020, lunar temperatures dropped by 8-10 Kelvin. The study, published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters, analysed data from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, comparing six sites on the Moon’s surface between 2017 and 2023. The temperature drop is lin...
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When Is Lunar Eclipse 2024? Know When And Where Will It Be Visible
Lunar Eclipse 2024: The eclipse occurs when the Moon is slightly closer to Earth, which happens because the Moon's orbit is slightly elliptical, or oval-shaped.
![Gadgets 360 With Technical Guruji: Did You Know? [March 30, 2024]](https://c.ndtvimg.com/2024-01/5oeiv1lo_did-you-know_640x480_20_January_24.jpg?downsize=245:163 "Gadgets 360 With Technical Guruji: Did You Know? [March 30, 2024]")
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Artemis II Orion Service Module Secured for Launch at Kennedy Space Center
NASA’s Artemis II Orion spacecraft is a step closer to its mission around the Moon. Three spacecraft adapter jettison fairings have been installed on its service module at Kennedy Space Center. These panels will protect the solar arrays from heat, wind, and acoustic forces during launch. Once in space, they will detach, allowing the arrays to dep...
-
NASA Tracks GNSS Signals on Moon, Advancing Lunar Navigation Technology
NASA and the Italian Space Agency made history by successfully tracking GNSS signals on the Moon through the LuGRE experiment. The technology could revolutionise lunar navigation, aiding missions like Artemis. LuGRE had earlier set records for GNSS signal acquisition in deep space, reaching lunar orbit before its final touchdown. The data collected...
-
SpaceX Falcon 9 Launches Athena Lander, NASA's Lunar Trailblazer to Moon
On February 26, 2025, SpaceX Falcon 9 launched Athena and NASA's Lunar Trailblazer from Kennedy Space Center. Athena, developed by Intuitive Machines, will land near Mons Mouton to investigate lunar ice using the PRIME-1 drill. Lunar Trailblazer will orbit the Moon, mapping water ice deposits. The mission includes two secondary vehicles: MAPP, a ro...
-
Watch: Blue Ghost Spacecraft Shares Incredible Footage Of Dark Side Of The Moon
Days before it makes a landing attempt, Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost spacecraft has shared some stunning visuals of the lunar surface. It entered the Moon's orbit earlier this month, capturing footage of the dark side from 120 km above the surface.
-
Blue Ghost Lander Lowers Orbit, Prepares for Lunar Touchdown on March 2
Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lander has successfully lowered its orbit to 120 km in preparation for a lunar touchdown on March 2. The spacecraft, which launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, is part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. Mission teams are monitoring its orbit and finalizing descent plans, though commun...
-
ISRO's Chandrayaan-4 to Land on Moon and Bring Back Lunar Samples in 2027
India’s space agency ISRO is gearing up for the Chandrayaan-4 mission, scheduled for 2027. This ambitious mission will involve a complex system of five modules, launched using two LVM3 rockets. Once in lunar orbit, two modules will descend to the surface, with one collecting samples and the other remaining on the Moon. The sample return module wi...
-
New Study Finds Active Lunar Tectonics, Challenges Moon’s Dormancy
A recent study published in The Planetary Science Journal reveals that the moon is still experiencing tectonic activity. Scientists identified 266 small ridges on the far side of the moon, formed within the last 160 to 200 million years. The study suggests these ridges result from geological forces like lunar shrinking and orbital shifts. The findi...
-
Japan's Wooden Satellite LignoSat Launched: Everything You Need to Know
Japan has launched LignoSat, the world’s first wooden satellite, into orbit, marking a step toward sustainable space technology. Developed by JAXA, the satellite is crafted from honoki magnolia wood, chosen for its durability and resistance to environmental stress. Sensors onboard will monitor temperature, radiation, and physical strain to assess...
-
India Delays First Space Docking Test of SpaDeX Satellites Until January 9, Requires 'Further Validation'
ISRO has postponed its first-ever space docking attempt under the SpaDeX mission, now scheduled for January 9, 2025. The delay is due to the identification of an abort scenario during ground simulations, which requires further validation before proceeding. The mission involves the automated docking of two satellites in low Earth orbit and is a crit...
-
ISRO Successfully Launches Two SpaDeX Satellites, Completes Space Docking Test Flight
India has launched its first space docking mission, SpaDeX, using the PSLV-C60 rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh. The mission involves deploying two spacecraft into a 470-km orbit to demonstrate docking technology and power transfer between satellites. Advanced payloads, including imaging systems and radiation monitors, w...
-
ISRO Gets Government Nod for Shukrayaan Venus Orbiter Mission and Chandrayaan-4
India’s Venus Orbiter Mission (VOM) and Chandrayaan-4 mission, approved by the government in September 2024, mark historic steps toward India's space vision for 2047. VOM will study Venus's surface, atmosphere, and solar interaction, while Chandrayaan-4 will return lunar samples from the South Pole. These missions are set to advance technology an...
-
Chandrayaan-2 Lunar Orbiter Avoided Collision With Danuri Spacecraft in September, Reveals ISRO
In September, India’s Chandrayaan-2 orbiter made a crucial trajectory change to avoid colliding with South Korea’s Danuri spacecraft. This adjustment came after multiple collision alerts had been issued due to the shared near-polar orbits of Chandrayaan-2, Danuri, and NASA’s LRO.
-
Indian CubeSat to Travel to the Moon Soon on Japanese Lander
India’s HEX20Labs has partnered with Japanese firm ispace for a mission to send a CubeSat into lunar orbit. Scheduled to launch on ispace's M2 mission, the Indian CubeSat will ride aboard the lander Resilience, aiming to orbit the Moon and conduct critical technology testing. This mission signifies a major stride in India’s cislunar exploration...
-
COVID-19 Lockdown Caused Moon’s Temperature to Drop by 8-10 Kelvin, Reveals Indian Study
Indian scientists found that during the COVID-19 lockdown of 2020, lunar temperatures dropped by 8-10 Kelvin. The study, published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters, analysed data from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, comparing six sites on the Moon’s surface between 2017 and 2023. The temperature drop is lin...
-
When Is Lunar Eclipse 2024? Know When And Where Will It Be Visible
Lunar Eclipse 2024: The eclipse occurs when the Moon is slightly closer to Earth, which happens because the Moon's orbit is slightly elliptical, or oval-shaped.
