Research

News on Science, Technology and Research in India

Rare ‘World Cup Cicada’ Recorded in Assam, Expanding Its Known Range Beyond Meghalaya

The cicada was reported during a field assessment around the Rani Reserve Forest landscape, close to Assam’s border with Meghalaya. Until recently, scientific accounts had principally linked the species with Ri Bhoi district, particularly Saiden village and forested areas near the Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary. Its presence in Assam suggests that populations may occur across a wider belt of suitable forest and bamboo habitat extending across the state boundary.

Vikram-1 Reaches Orbit, Establishing India as a Major Global Space Power

Developed by Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace, the rocket was launched under Mission Aagaman and became the first orbital launch vehicle built by an Indian private company to reach space from Indian soil. The achievement represents a landmark moment for India’s private space industry and demonstrates the growing maturity of the country’s commercial launch ecosystem.

ISRO Completes Three Major Gaganyaan Crew Module Qualification Tests

The Crew Module is the habitable capsule that will carry the astronauts and return them safely to Earth. During the mission, it operates together with a Service Module that supplies essential support functions. As the spacecraft prepares to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere, the Crew Module must separate cleanly from the Service Module, protect its descent systems from extreme flight conditions and complete a carefully controlled parachute-assisted descent into the sea.

New Ultra-sensitive Ammonia Sensor Can Enable Portable, Self-powered, Wearable Devices To Prevent Toxic Gas Exposure

The sensor was engineered through a controlled surface transformation process that creates abundant active sites for ammonia adsorption while simultaneously enhancing charge transport within the sensing layer. This synergistic combination significantly improves sensing performance, enabling rapid and highly selective detection of ammonia under ambient conditions.

Unravelling the Secrets of Near-earth Space Critical for Satellite Operations

Understanding how the electron density varies with height in the ionosphere is therefore essential for reliable communication and navigation, especially in the equatorial regions where ionospheric dynamics are highly complex. Accurate electron density information up to ~1000 km is essential for continuous monitoring of the ionosphere, as most low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites operate within this altitude range.

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