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Aerospace engineer N Jayan has been appointed the new director of ISRO's LPSC. Jayan's leadership was key in developing the CE20 cryogenic engine for the GSLV Mk III. His many accolades, including the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar in 2025, show his deep contributions to space research and indigenous propulsion.
ISRO successfully tested its semi-cryogenic engine power head at 175 tonnes thrust. This crucial hot test, the eighth in a series, showed the engine's performance at 88 per cent capacity. The successful trial paves the way for full-capacity testing, strengthening India's next-generation launch vehicle programme for future missions.
India started the world's first nuclear heat-based hydrogen production facility at Kalpakkam on 26 June. Using the copper-chlorine cycle, it harnesses heat from a Fast Breeder Test Reactor. This pioneering plant, developed by BARC and IGCAR, uses nuclear heat instead of electricity for carbon-free hydrogen, marking a major step for clean energy.
ISRO fired up its next-generation SE2000 engine powerhead on Wednesday, June 24, at 175 tonnes thrust. This record level, achieved at Mahendragiri, showed engine parameters performed as expected. The test gives ISRO confidence to proceed to a full-power demonstration, paving the way for LVM3 rocket upgrades and boosting commercial launch capacity.
ISRO's new rocket engine got a key thrust test on 24 June. The semicryogenic engine reached 175 tonnes thrust, showing stable operation. This success gives confidence for a full 200-tonne test. The upgrade will boost LVM3 rocket's payload capacity, helping India in commercial launches.
The June Strawberry Moon will be visible in India on June 29 evening. It got its name from Native American tribes who linked it to strawberry ripening. The moon may look bigger and golden near the horizon due to optical illusions and atmospheric effects. It will appear low in the sky.
IIT Delhi and France's Sorbonne University will offer joint Master's and PhD programmes from 2026. This expanded partnership will also focus on emerging areas like AI, robotics, and materials science. The collaboration aims to boost research, education, and student mobility between India and France.
NASA's PACE mission is studying smoke and fires during North America's fire season. A record number of acres have already burned. PACE's instruments observe vegetation, smoke plumes, and burn scars, helping scientists understand wildfires better. "The challenge that we have is to take those clues and use them in a meaningful way," said Kirk Knobelspiesse.
Beetle-like borings found on 70-million-year-old titanosaur fossils at Lo Hueco site have changed our understanding. The study showed carcasses were exposed longer than thought, allowing insects to bore into bones and armor. This reshapes the paleoecological story of the Late Cretaceous, offering new insights into how remains accumulated.
Hubble spies ancient 'Chandelier Cluster' forming stars in two bursts. The sparkling NGC 6723, 27,000 light-years away, showed star formation in two bursts. Astronomers used Hubble to study this cluster, finding complex star histories. Many stars in globular clusters are over 10 billion years old.
Parents are deciding on genomic newborn screening. Many showed interest in gNBS, citing clinical and family benefits. However, some got deterred by logistics, privacy worries, or discomfort with genetic testing. Studies are exploring different education and consent models to help parents make informed choices.
Astronomers found two rare super puff planets, TOI-791 b and TOI-791 c, 1,110 light years away. These planets are as big as Jupiter but lighter than cotton candy. Lead author Dr. George Dransfield said, "It is even rarer to find two in the same system."