Signs of an ancient lake found on MARS

Researchers from New York discovered evidence of an ancient lake on the Red Planet MARS which most likely represents some of the potentially habitable surface water ever to exist on the Red Planet.

The researchers from University of Colorado examined a chloride salt deposit of 18 square mile size in the Planet's Meridiani region which is very near to Mars Opportunity Rover's landing site.  Large scale salt deposits are considered as the evidence of evaporated water.    Digital terrain mapping and minerological analysis of the area surrounding the salt deposit indicate that this lake is no older than 3.6 billion years old.  The planetary scientists believe that our Solar System was formed 4.5 billion years ago.

Based on the thickness of the salt, the researchers estimate that the lake was only 8% s salty as the oceans on Earth and so it might have been hospitable to microbial life.

Newly discovered Jupiter twin hints of a new solar system to our solar system

A group of astronomers used ESO 3.6 meter telescope to identify a planet similar to our Jupiter orbiting a Sun-like star at the same distance similar to our Jupiter from Sun.  The star name is HIP-11915.

As per the present theories, the formation of Jupiter like heavy mass planets play an important role in shaping the architecture of planetary systems.   The existence of a Jupiter like planet in a Jupiter-like orbit around a Sun-like star opens up the possibility of a system of planets around that star may be similar to our Solar System.   The Star HIP 11915 is about the same age as our Sun and its composition is similar to Sun which suggests that there may be rocky planets orbiting around that star.

As per the most recent theories, the arrangement of our Solar System, so supportive to life, was made possible due to the presence of Jupiter and the gravitational influence of this gas giant exerted on our Solar System during the formative years.  There fore it would seem that finding a Jupiter twin is an important milestone in finding a planetary system similar to our own Solar System.

The Jupiter twin is 200 light years from our Earth.  The image below shows an artist's impression of the Jupiter twin orbiting around the Sun like star..

ISRO's heaviest commercial launch successful by the launch of PSLV-C28 carrying 5 UK satellites

ISRO has once again demonstrated their capability to launch commercial satellites.  The ISRO's commercial launch capability has raised to a new height when the PSLV-C28 launch vehicle successfully 5 UK satellites into their orbits.  

The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), in its thirtieth flight (PSLV-C28) carrying three identical  satellites (DMC3 ) which are optical earth observation satellites built by  Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL), United Kingdom (UK) has lifted off from Satish Dhawan Space Center, Sriharikota at 09:58 PM on Friday, 10th July, 2015.  The PSLV-C28 also carried 2 more nano satellites.   .  The three DMC3 satellites, each weighing 447 kg, launched into a 647 km Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO) using the high-end version of PSLV (PSLV-XL) from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota (SDSC-SHAR), the spaceport of India. PSLV-C28 will be the ninth flight of  PSLV in ‘XL’ configuration.  

The other two satellites are CBNT-1 which is a mocro satellite and a technology demonstrator nano satellite called as DeorbitSail built by SSTL.   This is the heaviest commercial undertaken by ISRO which makes ISRO as a major player in space industry globally and also is a leading foreign exchange earner for the country.

The overall lift off mass of the five satellites works out to 1440 Kg. which is the heaviest commercial payload undertaken till now. 

Accommodating the three DMC3 satellites each with a height of about 3 metre within the existing payload fairing of PSLV, was a challenge. To mount these satellites onto the launcher, a circular Launcher adaptor called as L-adaptor and a triangular deck called Multiple Satellite Adapter-Version 2 (MSA-V2), were newly designed and realized by ISRO for this specific purpose.

These international customer satellites have been launched as part of the arrangement entered into between DMC International Imaging (DMCii), a wholly owned subsidiary of SSTL, UK; and Antrix Corporation Limited (Antrix), the commercial arm of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), a Government of India Company under Department of Space.

DMC3

The DMC3 constellation, comprising of three advanced mini-satellites DMC3-1, DMC3-2 and DMC3-3, is designed to address the need for simultaneous high spatial resolution and high temporal resolution optical Earth Observation. Launched into a single Low-Earth Orbit plane and phased with a separation of 120° between them, these satellites can image any target on the Earth’s surface every day. Major application areas include surveying the resources on earth and its environment, managing urban infrastructure and monitoring of disasters.

CBNT-1, weighing 91 kg, is an optical Earth Observation technology demonstration micro satellite built by SSTL. The 7 kg De-orbitSail from Surrey Space Centre, is an experimental nano satellite for demonstration of large thin membrane sail and drag deorbiting using this sail.

  Here is a video of the PSLV-C28 launch...

India launches 4th Navigation Satellite - IRNSS-1D on 28th March, 2015 sucessfully

The fourth navigation satellite, IRNSS-1D was launched by India on saturday evening at 05:19 hrs IST ( 28th March, 2015).  The ISRO's work horse Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV gave the country and the ISRO yet another text book launch which lifted off from Sriharikota exactly at 17:19 hrs IST.   The spacecraft was placed into its intended orbit.  

The launch was earlier scheduled for Mach 9, 2015 but was postponed to March 28, 2015 due to technical reasons.  The PSLV-C27 used the 'XL' version of PSLV like the earlier three launches of IRNSS satellites.  This is the 8th time an 'XL' version of PSLV is being flown.  IRNSS-1D is the first orbital launch of the year 2015.

The IRNSS-1D will join the three other satellites already in orbit.  The IRNSS-1D is the fourth in a planned seven satellite constellation which will provide India and its surrounding region with an independent satellite navigation services. 

The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) operating in geosynchronous orbit has been under development by ISRO since 2006 with the first satellite reaching orbit in mid 2013.  The IRNSS constellation calls for three geostationary satellites and four more in inclined geosynchronous orbits.   The geostationary slots, located at 34, 83 and 132 degrees East will each be occupied by a single satellite, while the two inclined stations, at 55 and 111.75 degrees East will each be home to a pair of spacecraft.

When finished, the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System ( IRNSS ) will consist of seven satellites in Geostationary and Geosynchronous orbits covering India and surrounding areas to provide India with independent access to navigation data without depending on foreign programs like GPS or GLONASS.

The IRNSS system is designed to be compatible with the US Global Positioning System and Europe's Galileo constellation using navigation signals in S-Band and at L5 band.  The IRNSS satellites will cover only India and its surroundings with high accuracy services available about 1500 Kilometers beyond the Indian region.

Saturday's launch was preceded by a 59.5-hour countdown sequence that started at 0:19 UTC on Thursday morning and included all the necessary events to load the PSLV with propellants and prepare all systems on the launcher and the ground for the launch. 

Flying in its XL configuration, PSLV consists of the standard PS1 first stage that has six stretched boosters attached to it and a liquid-fueled second stage atop which sits the solid third and the dual-engine liquid-fueled fourth stage. Overall, the rocket stands 44.5 meters tall, has a diameter of 2.8 meters and a liftoff mass of 320,000 Kilograms. 

Here is a video showing the activities during the launch of PSLV-C27.

Curiosity Rover finds strong evidence of ancient lake on MARS surface

Those people who are eagerly monitoring the Curiosity Rover activities on MARS definitely may be knowing about Mount Sharp - a mountain on MARS and primary target of Curiosity Rover of NASA.  The Mount Sharp was built by sediments deposited in a large lake bed over tens of millions of years - says rover science team.

The Mount Sharp also known as Aeolis Mons officially forms the central peak within a very large crater called as Gale Crater which is 155 Km in diameter.  The Mount Sharp is 5 Km tall, its lower flanks exposing hundreds of rock layers.  The rock layers - alternating between lake river and wind deposits - bear witness to the repeated filling and evaporation of a lake much larger than any previously examined close-up.

The NASA team of scientists are exploring to solve the mystery of Mount Sharp.  Where there is a mountain now, there may have been a series of lakes in the past - says one of the team member, Dr. John Grotzinger.

The Curiosity rover is now investigating the lowest sedimentary layers of Mount Sharp, a section of rock 150 meters high.  Rivers carried sand and silt to the lake depositing the sediments at the mouth of the river to from deltas similar to those found at river mouths on Earth. 

“As Curiosity climbs higher on Mount Sharp, we will have a series of experiments to show patterns in how the atmosphere and the water and the sediments interact. We may see how the chemistry changed in the lakes over time.”    “This is a hypothesis supported by what we have observed so far, providing a framework for testing in the coming year.”  Dr Grotzinger said.

NASA's Curiosity finds life's building blocks on MARS surface

The Curiosity rover of NASA has found organic chemicals which are the carbon-containing building blocks of life on the Red Planet - MARS.  The discovery does not confirm the existence of life on MARS or has existed earlier on MARS.  But this marks the first time that organics have been confirmed on MARS.  The Curiosity Project Scientist Mr. John Grotzinger of California Institute of Technology said "This is really a great moment for the Mission".  

The SAM ( Sample Analysis at MARS ) instrument has detected chlorobenzene and several other carbon compounds containing chlorine in the samples from a rock called "Cumberland" which was drilled by Curiosity in May, 2013.

The SAM instrument uses a tiny oven to cook the samples, and then analyze the gases that come out.  The NASA scientists say that it is impossible at present whether the Cumberland organics were produced by living organisms.  But this discovery will definitely help them to guide the planning efforts for NASA's 2020 Mars Rover mission which aims to collect samples on MARS to be returned to Earth.  

The NASA scientists also discovered the detection of methane levels in MARS atmosphere.  Curiosity landed on MARS in August, 2012.  It is now exploring the foothills of Mount Sharp, which rises 5.5 Kilometers above the surface of MARS from the center of the huge Gale crater.

ISRO Successfully launches its heaviest launch vehicle GSLV MARK-III

ISRO successfully tested the atmospheric re-entry of a crew module after its heaviest launch vehicle GSLV Mark-III lifted off from Sriharikota on 18th December, 2014.  This success helps India to realize its ambition to send humans into space.


The Crew module separated exactly after 5.4 minutes after lift-off at 09:30 AM IST from the second launch pad of Satish Dhawan Space Center, Sriharikota.  The module separated from the rocket at a height of 126 Km and re-entered into earth's atmosphere.  The Crew module safely splashes down into the sea near Andaman and Nicobar islands.

The Crew module descended in a ballistic mode and splashed down in Bay of Bengal around 180 Kms away from Indira point, the southern tip of Andaman and Nicobar islands.  The LVM3-X rocket with active S200 and L110 propulsion stages and a passive C25 stage with dummy engine carried the CARE ( Crew module Atmospheric Re-entry Experiment ) as its payload.

The Crew module weighs 3.7 tonnes and it is a 2.7 meter tall cup cake shaped with a diameter of 3.1 meters.  The module which features aluminum alloy internal structure with composite panels and ablative thermal protection systems, was made to safely drop down into the sea by specially made parachutes.  The experiment witnessed the largest parachute in action every made in the country.  The main parachute which helped the Crew module touch the waters at a speed of 7 meters per second was 31 meters in diameter.

The GSLV Mark-III accelerated the CARE module to a velocity of around 5.3 kilometers per second ( 12,000 miles per hour ) and a projected apogee of 126 kilometers which was achieved at the time of separation of the stage.  The CARE module activated its control systems immediately after separating from the rocket.  

Here is a video of the GLSV Mark-III launch.