Space Science Missions

China’s Plan to 3D-Print Bricks on the Moon Using Lunar Soil by 2028 Imagine building homes—not on Earth, but on the Moon—with bricks made from lunar soil. That’s exactly what China is planning with its ambitious Chang’e 8 mission, set to launch in 2028. As part of its roadmap for the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), China is taking a bold step toward in-situ resource utilization—using what’s already available on the Moon rather than transporting materials from Earth. The cost savings and sustainability implications of this approach are enormous. Here’s how it works: • A high-tech system aboard Chang’e 8 will concentrate sunlight via fiber optics to heat lunar soil to 1400–1500°C (2552–2732°F). • This molten soil will then be 3D-printed into bricks—paving the way for future moon infrastructure. If successful, this could redefine how humanity thinks about space exploration, construction, and even habitation beyond Earth. This isn’t just a leap for China—it’s a leap for all of us watching the next chapter of human innovation unfold. What are your thoughts on building with moon dust? #SpaceInnovation #LunarExploration #3DPrinting #ChangE8 #ChinaSpace #InSituResourceUtilization #FutureOfConstruction #MoonBase #TechForTomorrow

The Idiot Index When Elon Musk took over SpaceX, he knew that the prohibitive costs of the space industry would block commercialization. To challenge this, he developed the Idiot Index, a brutally simple metric: the ratio of the cost of materials to the cost of the finished product. For example, if a component made of aluminum costs $1,000 to manufacture but the raw aluminum costs only $100, the Idiot Index is 10—a clear sign of inefficiency. Musk used this approach to simplify designs and slash costs across the board. The results? Just look at the evolution of SpaceX’s Raptor engines: - Raptor 1: Nearly $1M per engine, 185 metric tons of thrust. - Raptor 2: $250K per engine, 230 metric tons of thrust. - Raptor 3: Costs halved again with 280 metric tons of thrust. By questioning assumptions and relentlessly optimizing, SpaceX transformed rocket engineering. It’s not just about innovation—it’s about challenging the way things have always been done. What outdated assumptions are limiting your industry?

NATO nations seek a light-based internet backup up in space: A defence need will reshape telecoms forever. 📡🛰️ Let me break down why this is a massive market shift: Right now, our global internet runs almost entirely through undersea cables. These handle $10 trillion in daily transactions. And they're incredibly vulnerable. Just this February, a single sinking ship in the Red Sea took out 25% of Europe-Asia internet traffic. NATO's response? They're building a space-based backup network using laser communications. The $2.5M HEIST project launches testing in 2025. The tech leap is staggering: Current satellite links push 5 gigabits per second. New laser systems? 340+ Terabits. That's enough to replace major undersea routes. Why this matters for telecoms: The military is essentially funding the R&D for next-gen internet infrastructure. Once proven, this tech will transform commercial networks. Think Starlink, but with laser speeds and unbreakable security. This is the biggest infrastructure shift since fiber optics. And it's happening now. And here are the key players that are fighting off for a piece of the new SpaceCom infrastructure -which will likely be worth hundreds of billions. 1) Corporate Ventures AAC Clyde Space (Sweden) - Developing 10 Gbps laser terminals for small satellites - Leading €3.5M consortium with TNO and FSO Instruments - Launching next-gen CubeCAT system by 2026 Sony Space Communications (Japan) - Corporate spin-off launched 2022 - Focusing on miniaturized optical devices for microsatellites - Leveraging Sony's advanced optical expertise 2) Established Startups Mynaric (Germany) - Peter Thiel-backed, publicly traded Market cap: $184M - Leading provider of industrialised laser communication products BridgeSat (USA) - Series B funded, $10M raised - Building global optical communications network - Focus on LEO satellite connectivity solutions 3) Emerging Players Archangel Lightworks (UK) - £4M seed funding in 2023 - Developing TERRA-M miniature ground stations - Recently demonstrated rapid deployment capability Astrogate Labs (India) - Developing 1U form factor terminals - Offers 150 Mbps at 1000km range - Cost-competitive with RF systems Cailabs (France) - €26M Series C raised - 26 patent families - Specializes in multi-mission ground stations Xenesis (USA) - $20M funding secured - Offers optical communications as a service - Developing Xen-Link platform We've made our pick at Silicon Roundabout Ventures from the above builders. I'm sure it's going to be an exciting race. And once the infrastructure is there, what it will enable will usher a new era for the human race, like the spread of broadband internet. #deeptech #defense #telecom #spacetech

**Revolutionizing Exoplanet Atmosphere Modeling with Physics-Informed Neural Networks** Exciting news! A new paper in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (MNRAS) introduces a groundbreaking approach to modeling exoplanetary atmospheres using Physics-Informed Neural Networks (PINNs).  **Key Highlights:** * **Efficient Scattering:** The research tackles the computationally expensive challenge of Rayleigh scattering in exoplanet atmospheres, a problem traditionally simplified with inaccuracies. PINNs directly incorporate the governing radiative transfer equations into the loss function, significantly improving accuracy and potentially speed. * **Parameterized PINN:** A novel parameterized PINN is developed, allowing adaptation to various atmospheric scenarios without retraining – a major advancement over existing ML methods. * **Promising Results:** Preliminary results using simplified models show the potential of PINNs to enhance radiative transfer calculations. **Impact:** This research has the potential to revolutionize exoplanet atmosphere modeling. By accurately handling scattering, scientists can improve estimates of atmospheric composition (like the hydrogen-to-helium ratio) and better characterize clouds and hazes. The efficiency gains offered by PINNs could enable the analysis of a significantly larger number of exoplanets. **Authors and Publication Details:** * David Dahlbüdding, Karan Molaverdikhani, Barbara Ercolano, and Tommaso Grassi. * *MNRAS 000, 1–10 (2024)* [Preprint available on arXiv: 2408.00084v1] **Additional Resources:** Check out the preprint on arXiv for more details! https://lnkd.in/d6NNg2DX #exoplanets #radiativetransfer #PINNs #physicsinformedneuralnetworks #machinelearning #astrophysics #astronomy #quantumcomputing #scientificcomputing

How to Access Open-Source Hyperspectral Satellite Data Hyperspectral imaging is revolutionizing how we monitor Earth's ecosystems - from detecting subtle plant stress to mapping minerals, pollution, and coastal changes. But where can you actually get this powerful data? I created this one-page visual guide to help researchers, students, and environmental professionals discover free and open-source hyperspectral satellite data and start exploring the invisible spectrum. Key Missions Covered: ~ EnMAP (Germany): Coastal and terrestrial ecosystem monitoring ~ PRISMA (Italy): Earth observation for environmental and agricultural uses ~ HySIS (India): High-resolution spectral analysis ~ DESIS (Germany/USA): Mounted on the ISS, great for land analysis ~ AVIRIS (NASA): Airborne hyperspectral sensor with global datasets ~ Hyperion EO-1 (NASA): Legacy satellite, still valuable archive ~ EMIT (NASA): Focused on mineral dust detection Tools for Processing: Use platforms like SNAP, QGIS, ENVI, and Python libraries (e.g., spectral, rasterio, geemap) to visualize and analyze hyperspectral data. Where to Access the Data: ~ EnMAP - https://lnkd.in/e-KfxGzj ~ PRISMA - https://lnkd.in/eznCNS6G ~ HySIS (ISRO Bhuvan platform) - https://lnkd.in/ejA8Xy3m ~ DESIS via Teledyne Brown - https://lnkd.in/eQpeY2te ~ AVIRIS - https://lnkd.in/edun__ra ~ NASA’s Earthdata portal (Hyperion, EMIT) - https://lnkd.in/eeMGhgAH Hyperspectral data is complex, but the insights it offers are invaluable -especially in environmental monitoring, agriculture, and climate science. This guide is designed to help you get started. Let me know if you’ve used hyperspectral data or are planning to! #HyperspectralImaging #RemoteSensing #Geospatial #EarthObservation #OpenData #ClimateTech #GIS #EnvironmentalScience #ResearchTools #DataScience

🌌 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗩𝗲𝗻𝘂𝘀! Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has opened calls for Indian research institutes to propose studies for Shukrayaan – the Venus Orbiter Mission, approved by the Government of India. 🚀 The mission will orbit Venus to investigate its atmosphere, surface, sub-surface features, and interaction with solar radiation. A key focus will be understanding the structure, chemistry, and dynamics of Venus’s dense atmosphere, including its clouds and extreme weather systems. 🔬 Much more than just a scientific endeavour - it’s an open invitation to academia and industry to contribute advanced remote sensing, modelling, and instrumentation that can deepen planetary science and inspire breakthroughs in climate modelling, materials, and aerospace engineering. 🌍 As space agencies worldwide accelerate interplanetary exploration, Shukrayaan represents an opportunity for global collaborations, technology partnerships, and cross-sector innovation. 👉 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙮: How will you align your R&D, partnerships, and technologies to be part of humanity’s journey to Venus? Ref: https://lnkd.in/gQNXxMiA

📡 5G Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN): The 3GPP Technical Evolution 🌍 As the world strives for seamless global connectivity, Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) are becoming a crucial part of 5G’s evolution. Thanks to 3GPP’s contributions, NTNs are no longer a concept—they’re becoming a reality. Here’s a technical dive: 1️⃣ What Are NTNs in 5G? Defined by 3GPP Releases 15-18, NTNs extend 5G capabilities beyond terrestrial networks by integrating: Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and Geostationary Orbit (GEO) satellites. HAPS (High-Altitude Platform Systems) like balloons or drones. A seamless connection between satellites and 5G base stations. 2️⃣ 3GPP Enhancements for NTNs 3GPP has developed key updates to integrate NTNs into the 5G ecosystem: RAN Modifications: Adapting 5G NR to support satellite communication, including Doppler shift corrections and large round-trip latencies. Channel Models: Designing new propagation models to account for NTN-specific scenarios like atmospheric and space signal attenuation. Timing Adjustments: Addressing delays in uplink and downlink caused by long satellite distances. 3️⃣ Use Cases Defined by 3GPP eMBB (Enhanced Mobile Broadband): High-speed connectivity for remote areas, aviation, and maritime applications. IoT Expansion: NTN supports massive IoT for remote sensing, agriculture, and logistics. Emergency Services: NTNs ensure resilience during disasters where terrestrial networks fail. 4️⃣ Key Challenges Addressed by 3GPP Latency Mitigation: Techniques for handling propagation delays in LEO and GEO satellites. Doppler Effect: Advanced compensation methods for satellite-induced frequency shifts. Integration with Terrestrial Networks: Seamless handovers and interoperability with ground-based 5G networks. 5️⃣ 3GPP Release Highlights Release 15-17: Defined initial NTN features, including satellite-based eMBB and latency management. Release 18 (5G Advanced): Expands NTN scope for enhanced capabilities, including flexible spectrum usage, better mobility management, and optimized power efficiency. 6️⃣ Future with NTNs 3GPP is laying the groundwork for NTNs to play a vital role in 6G, where satellites, HAPS, and terrestrial networks will integrate seamlessly to create a global communication fabric. #5G #NTN #3GPP #TelecomInnovation

The discovery of mysterious radio signals from deep space, potentially taking eight billion years to reach Earth, is a breakthrough in the study of Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs). These high-energy pulses, lasting only milliseconds, are powerful enough to release as much energy as the Sun does in a day. First detected in 2007, FRBs have intrigued scientists, sparking theories about their origins. Some believe these signals could be generated by magnetars (neutron stars with intense magnetic fields), while others propose even more extreme sources such as black hole mergers or unknown cosmic events. The significance of such ancient signals cannot be overstated. As they travel through the cosmos, these FRBs provide researchers with a wealth of information about the universe's structure, dark matter, and the magnetic fields they pass through. If a signal has indeed taken eight billion years to reach us, it originated when the universe was still relatively young, giving us a glimpse into its early formation and evolution. While much remains unknown about FRBs, each discovery brings us closer to understanding the distant and mysterious corners of the universe. The journey of these radio waves across eons is a testament to the vastness of space and the limits of our knowledge. Ongoing research and technological advancements will likely reveal more insights, but for now, FRBs remain one of the most captivating enigmas in astrophysics. #FastRadioBurst #FRB #DeepSpaceSignals #CosmicMystery #SpaceExploration #Astronomy #Astrophysics #UniverseMysteries #CosmicPhenomena #Magnetars #BlackHole #SpaceScience #AstronomyNews #SpaceResearch #DeepSpace

#AdityaL1MissionLaunch - scientific nuances of the Mission: ❧ First space-based Indian mission to study the Sun. ❧ Launch mass of 1,475 kg and payload weighing 244 kg. ❧ Placement in halo orbit with orbit period of 177.86 days around Lagrange Point L1 - 1,500,000 km away from the Earth, with there being 5 Lagrange Points (some having space Missions in place already, such as NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration's James Webb Space Telescope at L2 point). ❧ Halo orbit around L1 point will prevent the spacecraft to function even with occurrences of occultations and eclipses. ❧ Spacecrafts in orbit around the L1 Lagrange point (like European Space Agency - ESA's SOHO) require regular station-keeping maneuvers due to orbit instability, incurring an annual cost of 0.2 - 4 m/s in the case of #adityal1 to maintain the correct position throughout the planned mission. ❧ A major unresolved challenge in solar physics is explaining why the Sun's upper atmosphere is significantly hotter at 1,000,000 K while the lower atmosphere remains at just 6,000 K. Aditya L1 intends to find insights to resolve this. ❧ The Aditya L1 mission aims to capture simultaneous images of the Sun's atmosphere layers to understand energy transfer processes. ❧ Aditya L1 is a multi-instrument-equipped, multidirectional and multiwavelength solar probe. ❧ Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT) will undertake narrow band and broadband imaging of photosphere and chromosphere. ❧ ASPEX and PAPA are solar wind and particle analyzer with a focus on protons and heavier ions with directions. ❧ Advanced Tri-axial High Resolution Digital Magnetometers is to study the magnetic fields and is built by the Laboratory for Electro Optics System. ❧ HEL1OS and SoLEXS are hard and soft X-Ray spectrometers respectively. ❧ Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC), created by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, will send 1440 images of the sun daily, with ability to image solar corona from 1.05 R☉ to 3 R☉ with a plate scale of 2.25 arcsecond per pixel ❧ The Mission aims to study the magnetic field topology in the solar corona. ❧ Aditya-L1's near-UV solar radiation observations can aid in deciphering the link between solar variability and Earth's climate, assisting climate researchers in distinguishing natural from human-induced factors in climate change. ❧ Aditya-L1's observations of CMEs will enhance our understanding of their origins and behavior, potentially advancing predictive models for their occurrence and effects. Appearances on Republic Bharat, Bharat24 and News 24 as well as a special feature programme conducted on News India gave me an opportunity to share some of these important nuances. Godspeed, ISRO - Indian Space Research Organization!

Risk Assessment. Risk assessment is “The process of quantifying the probability of a risk occurring and its likely impact on the project”. It is often undertaken, at least initially, on a qualitative basis by which I mean the use of a subjective method of assessment rather than a numerical or stochastic (probablistic) method. Such methods seek to assess risk to determine severity or exposure, recording the results in a probability and impact grid or ‘risk assessment matrix'. The infographic provides one example which usefully visually communicates the assessment to the project team and interested parties. Probability may be assessed using labels such as: Rare, unlikely, possible, likely and almost certain; whilst impact considered using labels: Insignificant, minor, medium, major and severe. Each label is assigned a ‘scale value’ or score with the values chosen to align with the risk appetite of the project and sponsoring organisation. The product of the scale values (i.e. probability x impact) resulting in a ranking index for each risk. Thresholds should be established early in the life cycle of the project for risk acceptance and risk escalation to aid decision-making and establish effetive governance principles. Risk assessment matrices are useful in the initial assessment of risk, providing a quick prioritisation of the project’s risk environment. It does not, however, give a full analysis of risk exposure that would be accomplished by quantitative risk analysis methods. Quantitative risk analysis may be defined as: “The estimation of numerical values of the probability and impact of risks on a project usually using actual or estimated values, known relationships between values, modelling, arithmetical and/or statistical techniques”. Quantitative methods assign a numerical value (e.g. 60%) to the probability of the risk occurring, where possible based on a verifiable data source. Impact is considered by means of more than one deterministic value (using at least 3-point estimation techniques) applying a distribution (uniform, normal or skewed) across the impact values. Quantitative risk methods provide a means of understanding how risk and uncertainty affect a project’s objectives and a view of its full risk exposure. It can also provide an assessment of the probability of achieving the planned schedule and cost estimate as well as a range of possible out-turns, helping to inform the provision of contingency reserves and time buffers. #projectmanagement #businesschange #roadmap