satellite Archives - Disasters News

Feb122025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Satellite Data Uncovers Years of Warning Signs Before Anak Krakatau’s Devastating 2018 Eruption and Tsunami

Breaking News, Learning & Developments, Tech

A groundbreaking analysis of satellite data has revealed that the catastrophic 2018 eruption and collapse of Indonesia’s Anak Krakatau volcano which triggered a deadly tsunami was preceded by years of subtle but accelerating movements along its mountainside. Researchers at Penn State University found that the volcano's flank had been slipping for over a decade, showing signs that could have potentially served as an early warning if monitored in real time. The study, recently published in Geophysical Research Letters, highlights how advanced radar satellites can detect minute ground deformations, helping scientists track unstable ocean volcanoes and predict possible collapses before they occur. "Ocean volcanoes, when unstable, can collapse catastrophically and generate tsunamis," expl...

Jan142025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Dr. V. Narayanan Takes Charge as ISRO Chief, Secretary of Space Department

Breaking News, Space, Thoughts & Talks

On January 14, 2025, Dr. V. Narayanan, a distinguished scientist and pioneer in India’s space propulsion systems, assumed charge as Secretary, Department of Space, Chairman of the Space Commission, and Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). His extensive contributions to India’s space programs have positioned him as a key figure in the country’s advancements in space technology and exploration. Dr. Narayanan’s career at ISRO spans four decades, beginning in 1984. Prior to his new role, he served as the Director of the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), where he led the development of cutting-edge propulsion systems, including liquid, semi-cryogenic, and cryogenic technologies for launch vehicles, as well as chemical and electric propulsion systems for satellite...

Jan132025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Winter Storm Paralyzes Mid-Atlantic as NOAA Satellites Prove Vital

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters, Space, Tech

On January 6, 2025, a ferocious winter storm swept through Washington, D.C., and the Mid-Atlantic region, bringing life to a halt with heavy snowfall, icy winds, and widespread disruptions. As the storm wreaked havoc across states, NOAA's National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) played a critical role in forecasting and mitigating its impact, proving indispensable in the face of extreme weather. The storm began its journey across the Central Plains, leaving a trail of heavy snow and plunging temperatures in states like Missouri, Kansas, and Ohio. By the time it reached the Mid-Atlantic, it had gathered strength, blanketing Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia in thick layers of snow. In the nation’s capital, over five inches of snow accumulated by eve...

Dec312024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

ISRO’s SpaDeX Mission: India’s First Step Towards Its Own Space Station

Breaking News, Learning & Developments, Space, Tech

New Delhi: India is poised to achieve a historic milestone in space exploration with the launch of ISRO’s Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) mission. Scheduled to lift off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, at 10:00 PM IST on December 30, SpaDeX marks the final and most ambitious mission of 2024 for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). This pioneering mission is a critical step toward India establishing its own space station, the Bharatiya Antriksh Station, by 2035. If successful, India will join an elite group of nations the United States, Russia, and China that possess the capability to dock spacecraft in space. What is the SpaDeX Mission? SpaDeX, or Space Docking Experiment, is designed to test and demonstrate the complex docking p...

Dec62024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

ISRO Successfully Launches PROBA-3 Satellite for European Space Agency

Breaking News, Space, Tech

In a significant achievement, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched the European Space Agency’s (ESA) PROBA-3 satellite aboard its trusted Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C59) on its 61st commercial mission. The launch signifies another milestone in India’s growing prominence in the global space sector and highlights international collaboration in cutting-edge space exploration. PROBA-3, short for Project for Onboard Anatomy, is a groundbreaking solar mission by the ESA. The mission is specifically designed to study the Sun's corona, the outermost layer of the Sun's atmosphere, with unprecedented precision. The mission consists of two spacecraft, each designed to perform a unique and interdependent role. The Coronagraph Spacecraft (CSC), weighing 31...

Nov202024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

SpaceX’s Sixth Starship Test Flight Marks Key Milestone for NASA’s Artemis Program

Breaking News, Space, Tech

SpaceX achieved another major milestone on Wednesday with the successful sixth flight test of its Starship spacecraft. Launched from SpaceX’s Starbase in Texas, the uncrewed mission demonstrated the spacecraft's advanced capabilities, achieving a suborbital trajectory before reentering over the Indian Ocean. Meanwhile, the Super Heavy booster executed a planned splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico. “Splashdown confirmed! Congratulations to the entire SpaceX team on an exciting sixth flight test of Starship!” the company announced on X (formerly Twitter). The mission tested Starship’s endurance under extreme conditions, including a steeper reentry angle and reduced protective shielding. The spacecraft's Raptor engines successfully restarted in space, a critical step toward achieving orbit...

Nov132024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Solar Surge Curtin University’s Binar Satellites Lost to High Solar Activity

Breaking News, Idea & Innovations, Space, Tech

Three Australian CubeSats from Curtin University's Binar Space Program recently burned up in Earth's atmosphere after only two months in orbit one-third of their expected mission duration. Named Binar-2, 3, and 4, these satellites were intended to last around six months in low Earth orbit but met an untimely end due to unexpected solar activity. In fact, “Binar” fittingly means “fireball” in Noongar, an Indigenous Australian language. Launched to gather scientific data and test new systems, the Binar satellites faced increased atmospheric drag caused by the Sun’s heightened activity. The Sun is currently in the peak phase of its 11-year solar cycle, known as solar cycle 25, during which solar flares, solar winds, and charged particles intensify. Recent solar indicators have shown activi...

Sep262024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

SpaceX Proposes $15 Billion Investment in Vietnam for Starlink Satellite Service

Breaking News, Space, Tech

SpaceX is looking to invest a substantial $15 billion in Vietnam, with the focus on expanding its Starlink satellite service in the near future, according to the Vietnamese government. The proposed investment was discussed in a meeting between SpaceX Senior Vice President Tim Hughes and Vietnam’s Communist Party General Secretary To Lam, during the latter's visit to the US for the United Nations General Assembly. The Vietnamese government is currently reviewing the proposal, though no further details have been provided, and SpaceX has yet to comment on the matter. The government noted last year that SpaceX had shown interest in offering its low-Earth orbit satellite service in Vietnam, though earlier reports suggested those plans were delayed. Lam expressed that Vietnam would work wi...

Jun192024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Study Warns Internet Satellites Like Starlink Could Destroy Earth’s Ozone Layer

Breaking News, Environment, Space

There are currently more than 8,000 internet satellites in low Earth orbit. Internet satellite systems like Elon Musk's Starlink could destroy Earth's ozone layer, according to University of Southern California researchers. A study published in the Journal of Geophysical Research Letters stated that SpaceX's Starlink released large amounts of aluminum oxide gas into the atmosphere that could destroy the ozone layer. The ozone layer is vital to our survival. It absorbs the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays, which can cause skin cancer and even damage crops and food production. "Only in recent years have people started to think this could be a problem. One of the first groups to see what this fact means," said Joseph Wan, an Astronaut researcher at the University of Southern California, i...

May302024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Japan Unveils World’s First Wooden Satellite to Launch on SpaceX Rocket

Breaking News, Environment, Space

Kyoto: In a groundbreaking achievement, Japanese researchers have developed the world's first wooden satellite. The innovative cuboid craft, designed by scientists at Kyoto University in collaboration with Sumitomo Forestry, is scheduled to be launched aboard a SpaceX rocket in September. Measuring just 10 centimeters (four inches) per side, the experimental satellite, named LignoSat, aims to test the feasibility of using wood as a primary material in space technology. This initiative is driven by environmental concerns, as the wooden satellite is expected to burn up entirely upon re-entry into Earth's atmosphere, thereby eliminating the risk of creating harmful metal particles that could affect the environment and telecommunications. Key Features and Launch Details The satellit...