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<ul><li>The Indian Space Research Organisation (<keyword id="6358064" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="isro">ISRO</keyword>) is looking to top <keyword id="6355315" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="elon-musk">Elon Musk</keyword>'s <keyword id="6360701" type="DEFINITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="spacex">SpaceX</keyword> success by applying reusable launch technology (RLT) to their <keyword id="1557817" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="rocket-launches">rocket launches</keyword>. </li><li>Unlike SpaceX, who only used RLT in the first stage of a rocket launch, ISRO's wants to apply it to the second stage as well. </li><li>The application of RLT to the second stage of a rocket launch is something that no other space agency in the world has been able to achieve so far.</li></ul>The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is following in Elon Musk’s footsteps by trying to replicate the success SpaceX had with its reusable launch technology (RLT). It’s even looking to take it a lot further. SpaceX was only able to apply RLT to the first stage of a rocket launch, but ISRO wants to conduct an advanced version that will also carry into the second stage. The test is scheduled to take place between the months of June and July, later this year. <keyword id="2003919" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="K-Sivan">K Sivan</keyword>, the Chairman at ISRO, told the <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/isro-developing-technology-to-reuse-first-second-stages-of-rocket/articleshow/67532655.cms">Times of India</a>, “The second stage recovery has never been tried by any other space agency in the world, not even SpaceX.” ISRO’s success with this mission could make it a bigger part of the global market that’s set to grow to $7 billion by 2024. Building on ISRO’s commercial success Reusable launch technology (RLT) basically allows the company to re-use its first stage rocket for multiple launches. Not only does it save the company money, but also time that would be spent building a rocket from scratch. ISRO has already had some <a href="https://www.isro.gov.in/update/23-may-2016/india%E2%80%99s-reusable-launch-vehicle-technology-demonstrator-rlv-td-successfully">success</a> with it back in 2016 when it launched the HS9 solid rocket booster from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre. The Reusable Launch Vehicle - Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD) on board the HS9 survived re-entry and neatly landed in the designated area over the Bay of Bengal. Currently, SpaceX dominates the global market for rocket launches. Starting out in 2009, it was able to capture more than 50% of the market share by 2018 — largely due to their use of reusable technology. On the other hand, Antrix Corporation Limited, the commercial and marketing arm of ISRO, only caters to 0.6% of the global market. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/isro-nasa-just-spotted-a-black-hole-spinning-so-fast-that-it-could-be-making-space-itself-rotate/articleshow/66416605.cms">ISRO, NASA just spotted a black hole spinning so fast that it could be making space itself rotate</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/isro-pads-up-to-make-indias-manned-mission-into-space-a-reality/articleshow/64887057.cms">ISRO pads up to make India's manned mission into space a reality</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/isro-creates-a-space-for-the-private-industry-to-collaborate-for-27-satellites/articleshow/65073240.cms">ISRO creates a space for the private industry, to collaborate for 27 satellites</a>

India’s apex space agency is following Elon Musk's idea — and taking it a step forward

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>India joined the US and Russia May 23 as one of the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/as-us-halts-space-shuttle-others-continue-with-launches-and-exploration/2011/06/27/gHQAmKe2yH_story.html">only</a> <a href="http://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/why-china-doesnt-have-a-space-shuttle-774867/?no-ist">nations</a>&#xa0;to launch a space shuttle.The <a href="http://www.isro.gov.in/technology-development-programmes/reusable-launch-vehicle-technology-demonstration-program-rlv-td">RLV-TD</a>, short for India's Reusable Launch Vehicle-Technology Demonstrator, <a href="http://www.isro.gov.in/update/23-may-2016/india%E2%80%99s-reusable-launch-vehicle-technology-demonstrator-rlv-td-successfully">blasted off at 7 a.m.</a> local time on Sriharikota island, and landed about 13 minutes later.Although&#xa0;it didn't carry a crew (and never will), it was a crucial test for India's first reusable rocket that can deploy payloads.Prime Minister <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">Narendra Modi</a> praised the team on Twitter:<div></div>See the incredible photos India's Space Research Organization provided of the event:

India just launched a mini space shuttle on top of a rocket and the photos are amazing

<keyword id="1334" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="china" source="Orion">China</keyword> has announced a price war on Elon Musk-run <keyword id="6360701" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="spacex" source="Orion">SpaceX</keyword>, with doubling down on reusable rockets as part of its new aerospace programme. A new aerospace launching system is under development in China that requires cutting the cargo cost per kilogram to 5 per cent to that of the existing Long March rockets, reports South China Morning Post. "The Long-Range Aerospace Transportation System, being built at the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), the nation's largest aerospace defence contractor, can carry more than 60 tonnes of cargo to near-Earth orbit - about the same capacity as SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket," the report mentioned. The hypersonic space plane could deliver the same payload from Shanghai to an airport in San Francisco in less than an hour. According to project lead scientist <keyword id="10476941" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="song-zhengyu" source="Orion">Song Zhengyu</keyword> of the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, space authorities require the plane to be reused more than 100 times and have fewer than three failures per 1,000 flights. In recent years, SpaceX has also cut its launch cost to about the same as that of the Long March rockets. China also plans to launch nearly 13,000 internet satellites to counter SpaceX's Starlink. Meanwhile, China recently carried out a successful rocket vertical landing test at sea. The technology would lay the foundation for future applications including a recyclable near-space experiment platform as well as the development of space travel, reports state-run Global Times. CAS Space, a commercial spaceflight firm that is partly owned by CAS, revealed that it successfully carried out the launching-from-land and landing-at-sea flight trial in Haiyang, East China's Shandong Province. "The rocket prototype flew at an altitude of more than 1,000 metres, descended in a smooth hovering fashion and then decelerated thanks to the engine reverse thrust," the report mentioned. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/news/rbi-revises-indias-fy24-growth-outlook-expects-softer-inflation-on-the-back-of-lower-commodity-prices/articleshow/99290005.cms">RBI revises India’s FY24 growth outlook, expects softer inflation on the back of lower commodity prices</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/news/rbis-monetary-policy-committee-keeps-repo-rate-unchanged-at-6-5/articleshow/99284354.cms">RBI’s Monetary Policy Committee keeps repo rate unchanged at 6.5%, for now</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/after-the-ides-of-march-analysts-pick-best-stocks-that-can-be-bought-on-dips/articleshow/99272438.cms">After the Ides of March, analysts pick best stocks that can be bought on dips</a>

China wages price war on Musk's SpaceX reusable rockets

<ul><li><keyword id="153327" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Antrix-Corporation">Antrix Corporation</keyword>, the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), has brought in a total of ₹62.98 billion in revenue. </li><li>The government plans to expand to commercial viability of its Departments of Space (DoS) by forming the <keyword id="7832818" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="new-space-india-limited">New Space India Limited</keyword> (NSIL).</li><li>Private players are still left out of the loop until the ‘<keyword id="7803428" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Space-Activities-Bill">Space Activities Bill</keyword>’ is tabled in Parliament and passed by its members.</li></ul>The Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) arm of commercial operations, the Antrix Corporation, clocked in ₹62.98 billion (₹6,289 crore) in revenue from launching 239 satellites over the last three years. And, this might only increase in the future. The government already announced that they plan on increasing the commercial viability of the Department of Space (DoS) by replacing Antrix with <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/union-budget-2019-isros-new-commerical-arm-is-new-space-india-limited/articleshow/70086097.cms">New Space India Limited (NSIL)</a>. NSIL will be set up to meet the ever increasing demands of the Indian space programme. It will also help commercially exploit the global space market, according to Jitendra Singh from the Prime Minister’s Office. Keeping costs low ISRO has an edge over its competition as it keeps its launch costs as low as possible — something that Elon Musk’s SpaceX is also trying to accomplish by employing reusable rockets. ISRO charges approximately $3 million per satellite launch where as SpaceX’s cost are still at around $60 million. In comparison, United Launch Alliance — which mostly launches satellites for the US government and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) — charges upward of $100 million. But, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india-low-cost-chandrayaan-and-mars-missions-come-at-a-price/articleshow/70226652.cms">keeping costs low comes with its own price.</a> Most of India’s missions, like Mangalyaan and the upcoming Gaganyaan, are technology demonstrators rather than long-term voyages which collect data. Private participation The market for space launches is getting increasingly competitive with private players entering the field globally. In India, only the public sector is allowed to launch rockets into space. Private participation, so far, has been limited to building components and technologies for ISRO, on a small scale. The Indian government is currently mulling over the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india-space-activities-bill-addresses-damage-in-outer-space/articleshow/69960212.cms">‘Space Activities Bill’</a> to align its liability in outer space with international standards. Once the bill comes into place, it will allow private players to launch rockets with a government license. “ISRO, competent as it is, cannot be the only warden of India’s space ambitions and necessities. This role should be extended to the private sector just as other countries are doing,” according to Chaitanya Giri, a fellow with the space and ocean studies programme at Gateway House — the Indian council on global relations. (With IANS inputs) See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india-low-cost-chandrayaan-and-mars-missions-come-at-a-price/articleshow/70226652.cms">India’s low cost space missions come at a price</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/union-budget-2019-isros-new-commerical-arm-is-new-space-india-limited/articleshow/70086097.cms">India forms a new space company to sell ISRO’s space technology products</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india-space-activities-bill-addresses-damage-in-outer-space/articleshow/69960212.cms">India’s new ‘Space Activities Bill’ will fix the liability for damage caused in outer space</a>

ISRO’s commercial operations clock in over ₹60 billion in revenue but leaves private players out of the equation

<ul><li>The Indian government has approved ₹10 billion in funding for programmes at the <keyword id="116095" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Space-Research-Organisation">Indian Space Research Organisation</keyword> (<keyword id="6358064" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="isro">ISRO</keyword>). </li><li>The resources will be distributed between the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (<keyword id="6395832" type="DEFINITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="PSLV">PSLV</keyword>) and the <keyword id="502946" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Geosynchronous-Satellite-Launch-Vehicle">Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle</keyword> Mark-III (<keyword id="138322" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="GSLV">GSLV</keyword> Mk-III) projects. </li><li>Though ISRO is a research and development agency, their commercial launches help optimise costs.</li></ul>Despite recent setbacks, the central government has <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/in-big-boost-to-isro-centre-approves-rs-10-000-crore-plan-for-future-missions-1863715">green-lit</a> a budget of over ₹10 billion ($149 million) for projects at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The funds are meant to provide a boost to the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark-III (GSLV Mk-III) programmes. It’s not that ISRO’s reputation is coming into question but the launch failure of the GSAT-11 and its recall along with the GSAT-6A going incommunicado has cast a shadow on matters nonetheless. Analysts have <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/spate-of-setbacks-leaves-space-agency-isro-on-edge/story-PZZD1X19GdbVdiclNk76YP.html">surmised</a> that since ISRO operates on a ‘shoestring’ budget, direct monetary losses is where failures will have the most impact. Hedging against risk One has to understand that agency launches aren’t the same as commercial launches. Normally, the objective behind a commercial launch is to place the satellite in orbit, and then they’re done. On the other hand, when an agency launches a satellite not only do have to ensure the launch is a success but they also have to put measures in place to manage the pre-launch and post-launch operations. So, monetary losses occur across the board whenever there’s a failed launch because delays and re-testing are resource intensive. Considering that none of the satellites launched from India by the agency are <a href="http://www.rediff.com/money/2006/jul/14mspec.htm">insured</a>, it’s all the more reason to double check everything before sending the satellite into space. Because, once it’s lost, it’s a sunk cost for the agency. In order to hedge against that risk, it makes sense that ISRO is providing a boost to its launch vehicles. Operating through its commercial partner, Antrix, India is a <a href="https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/science/with-100-successful-satellite-launches-isro-in-new-orbit/article10029737.ece">dominant</a> player in the market that’s currently growing exponentially. Thus, it’s possible for more launch vehicles to increase the number of commercial launches that India can cater to. That being said, competition has been on the rise with the entry of new firms like SpaceX and Blue Origin. Their reusable technology <a href="https://futurism.com/elon-musk-with-new-spacex-tech-rocket-costs-will-drop-by-a-factor-of-100/">drastically</a> reduces the cost of launching rockets. There have been <a href="https://www.geospatialworld.net/blogs/isros-resuable-rocket-in-pipeline-but-may-take-some-time/">reports</a> of ISRO’s own reusable rocket being developed, but that may take some time. Nonetheless, ISRO’s Chairman K Sivan has <a href="http://www.defencenews.in/article/Spate-of-setbacks-leaves-space-agency-ISRO-on-edge-558627">emphasised</a> that the agency, at the end of the day, is a research and development (R&amp;D) platform. He explained that commercial launches only serve the purpose of optimising the cost of access to space and keeping up with industry standards. PSLV, GSLV Mk-III Programs From the budget of ₹10 billion, ₹6 billion ($89 million) is allocated for 30 PSLV operational flights as a part of the PSLV Continuation Programme, which is currently in Phase 6. Not only does this include the purchase of 30 PSLV vehicles, but also covers the costs associated with the launch campaign, facility augmentation and programme management. These flights will serve the purpose of meeting the required amount of satellites needed for Earth Observation, navigation and space species. And, the government claims that all the flights will be completed between 2019 to 2024. At the same time, funding for the GSLV Mk-III Continuation Programme amounts to approximately ₹4 billion ($59 million) which will be directed towards the Phase 1. Inclusive of 10 flights, unlocking this weight category will enable India’s self-reliance for future launches of communication satellites in the four-tonne class. The PSLV, on the other hand, has already <a href="https://www.isro.gov.in/launchers/pslv">launched</a> 48 Indian satellites and 209 international payloads. (Representative image: <a href="https://www.isro.gov.in/sites/default/files/galleries/%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%8F%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%8F%E0%A4%B2%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%80%20-%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8035%20/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%88%E0%A4%9F%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%88%E0%A4%9F-1%20%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%88%E0%A4%B2%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80/view5.jpg" data-type="tilCustomLink">ISRO</a>)

Indian Government approves ₹10 billion budget for two of its space programs

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image">Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images</div></div></div>Bringing cheap, high-speed internet access to every inch of the Earth would change the world as we know it. And probably anger your internet company.In January, entrepreneur <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-space-internet-2015-1">Elon Musk announced</a> that's exactly what he intends to do with his rocket company SpaceX. The idea is to launch 4,000 internet-providing satellites into orbit <a href="http://www.techinsider.io/space-x-is-trying-to-serve-up-internet-service-from-space-2015-6">by 2030</a>.Writer Tim Urban sat down with a top SpaceX engineer to learn more about how this game-changing satellite network will work.Right now, only the US, Europe, and a few parts of India and Asia have strong and reliable internet service. Most of the rest of the world has limited access or, in remote regions, none at all.SpaceX's unnamed project could change everything, according to Rajeev Badyal, the company's vice president of avionics engineering, who spoke with Urban for his blog, <a href="http://waitbutwhy.com/">Wait But Why</a>.Once the 4,000-satellite network is in place, Badyal said all you'd need "is a small, pizza-box shaped receiver, which could be put anywhere outside, and you could have fast internet on the North Pole, the middle of the Pacific Ocean, the top of Mount Everest-anywhere," Urban wrote in a post titled "<a href="http://waitbutwhy.com/2015/08/how-and-why-spacex-will-colonize-mars.html/4">How (and Why) SpaceX Will Colonize Mars</a>."Of course, building the world's first satellite global internet service won't be easy.Right now there's about <a href="http://www.techinsider.io/animated-map-global-fiber-optic-internet-cables-2015-9">550,000 miles of fiber optic cables</a> under our oceans that help connect us to the web. They account for 99% of international communication (satellites only account for 1%). Even though laying one cable takes months and hundreds of millions of dollars, it's <a href="http://www.technologyreview.com/news/534361/why-the-time-seems-right-for-a-space-based-internet-service/">still cheaper than satellite internet</a>. But that could change if satellite technology gets a big push forward from SpaceX.These days it costs roughly half a billion dollars to build and launch one satellite into space, according to Urban. Musk wants to launch three times the number of satellites in space right now - so cost has to come down to make the plan viable.One big cost is the rocket, since they can only be used once. (After delivering a payload to orbit, rockets fall back to Earth and are destroyed.) Satellites, meanwhile, are typically big, heavy, and expensive one-off engineering marvels.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table full"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/badastronomy/8058295863/in/photolist-dh5SBz-i5EsSz-g1fSKA-c3sb9b-87BpC8-8vw4PW-7fFRfH-5S55uY-dYRo7L-7fKRRJ-boVS8c-92iXxj-oyPW3d-dauoc7-eCqYxJ-gfeB2B-8vw1S3-i2C7wt-dYJ2Ah-7TWasM-dh5SAC-dYJ2dd-9KENqi-dYRo1N-8Zmydx-5yVq4s-dicEGg-817uJv-9NEwpU-87D9Hf-8Zpo3r-5S59bS-nUYCK3-dauo1W-dYCiZe-mumrmN-8ZnhZK-a2L5tN-a2Hc7K-a2Hbmp-a2L4sy-a2Hear-a2L3E7-a2HdS6-a2Hdwv-a2Hdiv-5yRz4v-dYHCJ2-87HbPW-87GLF8">Phil Plait on Flickr</a></div></div></div>SpaceX is trying to solve the rocket problem by building the world's first truly reusable model: one that launches, returns to Earth, and lands itself on a barge that pilots the rocket back to shore. Once that's figured out, Musk wants to lower the cost of satellites, presumably by making them smaller and using mass-manufacturing.This isn't exactly welcome news to internet providers. A handful of companies have cornered the market because they can afford to lay miles of cables, or pay for expensive satellites and rocket launches, while newer and smaller companies can't. This high-stakes, low-competition setup is part of the reason we pay so much for internet access, Urban writes, and is also why we're still using the same clunky satellite technology from 25 years ago.Musk threatens to shake up the industry with his new plan, and he hasn't been shy about calling out future competitors:"In cases where people are stuck with Time Warner or Comcast, this would provide an opportunity to leave," he said during a June announcement, to a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3qcDW3xkg4&amp;feature=youtu.be&amp;t=5m3s">huge response from the crowd</a>.A satellite program like the one Musk envisions could cost around $10 billion and take at least five years to set up, <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-01-17/elon-musk-and-spacex-plan-a-space-internet#p1">according to reports from earlier this year</a>. Facebook and Virgin Galactic's Richard Branson have also made moves to get in on the satellite internet game, but both of those projects are stalled over concerns about cost.Whoever creates the first huge global network of internet satellites, cheap and fast web access would only be the start. Badyal told Urban you could trick out the satellites with cameras and scientific instruments, helping meteorologists create a live global weather map, for example, or law enforcement officials track down criminals. You could also build a similar satellite network around Mars to get the first Martian colonists online.SpaceX still has a lot of work to do if it's going to succeed. For one, it <a href="http://www.techinsider.io/watch-spacex-launch-livestream-2015-4">has yet to figure out</a> the whole reusable rocket thing. It also needs to get the cost well below what it takes to lay fiber-optic cables. Rural areas that aren't connected yet may welcome a satellite internet network, but areas that are already well connected would need a big incentive (lower cost) to switch from fiber optics to satellite.But Musk seems confident and committed. He says the satellite program could be a great revenue stream for SpaceX - one he'd ultimately use to <a href="http://www.techinsider.io/elon-musk-says-we-could-put-a-million-people-on-mars-within-a-century-2015-6">put the first humans on Mars</a>. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/lego-dimensions-trailer-2015-7">We're finally getting a better idea about the story driving LEGO's next video game and it looks awesome</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="9leWtrdjpKnqMNR-ZPv3geVBkhfxbCP-" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

SpaceX is working on a 'pizza box' that should scare your internet company

China claims to have successfully tested a secret "reusable" spacecraft amid crisis along the <keyword id="49399" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Line-of-Actual-Control">Line of Actual Control</keyword> (LAC) with India in Ladakh and confrontation with multiple nations in South China Sea. The Xinhua news agency on Sunday said that the vehicle returned to its "scheduled landing site" following a two-day mission in orbit after it was launched on a <keyword id="1705112" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Long-March-2F-rocket">Long March 2F rocket</keyword> on Friday from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi desert. Beijing claimed that the "successful flight marked the country's important breakthrough in reusable spacecraft research and is expected to offer convenient and low-cost round trip transport for the peaceful use of the space". An astronomer at Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Jonathan McDowell, using his Twitter handle speculated that the landing site may have been Taklamakan desert in northwest China. On Monday, India's DRDO successfully carried out the second test flight of its Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV) using the indigenously developed scramjet propulsion system. It is a carrier vehicle for hypersonic and long-range cruise missiles, and will have multiple civilian applications, including the launching of small satellites at low cost. The previous flight in 2019 boosted to altitude on an Agni I first stage from Kalam Island, McDowell said. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="77971186" title="India successfully tests its hypersonic missile carrier than can also launch satellites into orbit" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> The Chinese mission, which is shrouded in mystery comes at a time when Beijing and New Delhi are locked in a violent face-off along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh. Last week, the Indian Army captured key ridges on the south bank of the Pangong Tso, in a tit-for-tat move, effectively taking control of all the strategic heights in the area along the LoC in Ladakh. Incidentally, Chinese President Xi Jinping canceled his trip to Pakistan in a last-minute decision. Meanwhile, two Australian journalists facing security threat from the Chinese authorities, were evacuated from China in a diplomatic standoff. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Bill Birtles and the Australian Financial Review's Mike Smith landed in Sydney on Tuesday. As the US-China relationship has entered a Cold-War like situation, the Xi Jinping regime has deployed PLA Navy, China Coast Guard and maritime militia to claim its sovereignty over South China Sea. Since the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic which originated in the Wuhan city of its Hubei province, Beijing has sent fishing boats into the waters adjacent to Indonesia's Natuna Islands and deployed survey vessels into the exclusive economic zones of Brunei, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) regime has also created two new administrative districts in the disputed islands of the Paracels and Spratlys and carried out missile tests in the disputed area. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/indias-successfully-tested-its-indigenously-developed-hypersonic-technology-demonstrator-vehicle/articleshow/77971186.cms">India successfully tests its hypersonic missile carrier than can also launch satellites into orbit</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/pubg-mobile-will-no-longer-be-developed-by-tencent-in-india/articleshow/77993013.cms">PUBG Mobile will no longer be developed by Tencent in India but experts say that may not be enough</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/china-accuses-india-of-gunshot-threats-ahead-of-jaishankars-likely-meet-with-beijings-foreign-minister-in-moscow/articleshow/77990856.cms">Indian Army denies China's claims of 'gunshot threats' along the LAC</a>

China secretly tests 'reusable' spacecraft amid border tensions with India

Amazon founder <keyword id="191583" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="jeff-bezos" source="Orion">Jeff Bezos</keyword>' space venture <keyword id="199288" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="blue-origin" source="Orion">Blue Origin</keyword> has announced its second human flight to space aboard <keyword id="3149355" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="new-shepard" source="Orion">New Shepard</keyword> on October 12. This will be New Shepard's 18th mission, and the second crewed flight to space. The NS-18, will lift off on October 12, carrying four astronauts to space and back. The liftoff is currently targeted for 8.30 a.m. CDT (7 p.m. India time) from Launch Site One in west Texas. The company has also announced two names: Dr. Chris Boshuizen, a former NASA engineer and co-founder of Planet Labs; and Glen de Vries, Vice-Chair, Life Sciences and Healthcare, Dassault Systemes and co-founder, Medidata, the company said in a statement. The two other astronauts will be announced in the coming days. "This is a fulfillment of my greatest childhood dream. More importantly, though, I see this flight as an opportunity to inspire students to pursue careers in STEM and catalyse the next generation of space explorers. After all, our future of life in space is in their very capable hands," said Boshuizen, in the statement. "I've spent my entire career working to extend people's lives. However, with limited materials and energy on Earth, extending our reach into space can help humanity continue to thrive," added de Vries. On July 20, Blue Origin successfully carried its first human flight which included Jeff Bezos, his brother Mark Bezos, aviation pioneer Wally Funk, and Blue Origin's first customer, <keyword id="12193894" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="oliver-daemen" source="Orion">Oliver Daemen</keyword>. In a mission, which lasted 10 minutes and 10 seconds, the fully automated and reusable New Shepard rocket flew beyond the Karman line, 100 km above the ground and the internationally recognised boundary of space. The five-storey-tall New Shepard rocket, named after the first American in space Alan Shepard, is designed to launch a crew capsule with seats for six roughly 340,000 feet into the sky toward the edge of space. The booster is topped by a gumdrop-shaped Crew Capsule with space for six passengers inside and large windows. After reaching the Karman line, the capsule detaches from the booster, allowing those inside to view the curvature of the earth and experience weightlessness. The booster and capsule then land separately, with the capsule landing in the west Texas desert with the help of parachutes. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/blue-origin-plans-to-blast-william-shatner-into-space-on-its-new-shepard-rocket-in-october-reports-say/articleshow/86506374.cms">Blue Origin plans to blast William Shatner into space on its New Shepard rocket in October, reports say</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/news/nasas-top-official-says-blue-origin-lawsuit-could-delay-human-return-to-moon/articleshow/86444186.cms">NASA's top official says Blue Origin lawsuit could delay human return to moon</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/thousands-of-gamers-targeted-in-a-new-cyberattack-epic-games-steam-origin-telegram-and-other-login-sessions-at-risk/articleshow/86577821.cms">Thousands of gamers targeted in a new cyberattack – Epic Games, Steam, Origin, Telegram and other login sessions at risk</a>

Blue Origin's second space trip scheduled for October 12, two passengers confirmed

Washington, May 31 (IANS) As Elon Musk-run SpaceX sent two NASA astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) onboard the reusable Falcon 9 rocket, the US space agency on Sunday said the mission is an important step to expand human exploration to deeper space missions. The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft carrying NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley was on its way to the orbiting laboratory in the space. "Today a new era in human spaceflight begins as we once again launched American astronauts on American rockets from American soil on their way to the International Space Station, our national lab orbiting Earth," said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. "The launch of this commercial space system designed for humans is a phenomenal demonstration of American excellence and is an important step on our path to expand human exploration to the Moon and Mars," he said in a statement post-launch. Known as NASA's SpaceX Demo-2, the mission is an end-to-end test flight to validate the SpaceX crew transportation system, including launch, in-orbit, docking and landing operations. This is SpaceX's second spaceflight test of its Crew Dragon and its first test with astronauts aboard, which will pave the way for its certification for regular crew flights to the station as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Programme. "This is a dream come true for me and everyone at SpaceX," said Musk, chief engineer at SpaceX. "It is the culmination of an incredible amount of work by the SpaceX team, by NASA and by a number of other partners in the process of making this happen. You can look at this as the results of a hundred thousand people roughly when you add up all the suppliers and everyone working incredibly hard to make this day happen," Musk elaborated. The programme demonstrates NASA's commitment to investing in commercial companies through public-private partnerships and builds on the success of American companies, including SpaceX, already delivering cargo to the space station. "It's difficult to put into words how proud I am of the people who got us here today," said Kathy Lueders, NASA's Commercial Crew Programme manager. The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to dock to the space station at 8 p.m. (India time) on Sunday. After successfully docking, the crew will be welcomed aboard the International Space Station, where they will become members of the Expedition 63 crew, which currently includes NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy. The crew will perform tests on Crew Dragon in addition to conducting research and other tasks with the space station crew. The Demo-2 mission is the final major test before NASA's Commercial Crew Program certifies Crew Dragon for operational, long-duration missions to the space station. --IANS na/

SpaceX launch key step to reach Moon, Mars: NASA

<ul class="summary-list"><li>This year, the world made several major achievements in the race to space. </li><li>They included SpaceX sending its most powerful rocket to space and India reaching the moon. </li></ul>Every year, space agencies and private companies move closer to making us a multi-planetary species, breaking barriers along the way.This year was no exception. 2023 saw groundbreaking rocket launches, unprecedented lunar missions, and remarkable scientific discoveries.Ahead of the new year, here's everything you need to know to catch up.<h2>1. SpaceX's Starship soared toward space twice – and blew up both times</h2><div type="image" title="starship rocket launching" height="1596" width="2842" msid="106403268" hostid="261" sizebytes="146050"></div>One of the most long-awaited spaceflight events of the decade took place in 2023, after SpaceX launched its gargantuan Starship mega-rocket in its fully-stacked form for the first time.Starship is the most powerful rocket ever built. Standing at almost 400ft, it is designed to be a workhorse to ferry humans and cargo to and from Mars. It could also play a crucial role in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-spacex-starship-launch-crucial-nasa-moon-return-sls-2023-3">NASA's return to the moon</a>.Elon Musk's SpaceX had previously shown it could fly the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/watch-spacex-starship-rocket-exploded-five-times-2023-4">Starship spaceship</a> on its own. But the company had never attempted to launch it on top of its Super Heavy booster — a necessary step to bring the spaceship to outer space.That seal was broken this year, twice. The fully stacked mega-rocket took its maiden flight on April 21.The flight, in some measure, was a success. The rocket cleared the launchpad and flew for a few minutes. But it eventually burst into flames after tumbling out of control. It later came to light that Starship's powerful engines had also <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-starship-rocket-crater-concrete-launchpad-upon-liftoff-2023-4">blown a crater</a> in its concrete launchpad.Undeterred, SpaceX modified the rocket and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-starship-launch-rocket-blows-up-explosion-elon-musk-mars-2023-11?r=US&amp;IR=T">flew again</a> on November 18. This time, the spacecraft successfully separated and flew into space, though it burst again within <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-starship-launch-rocket-blows-up-explosion-elon-musk-mars-2023-11?r=US&amp;IR=T">seconds of reaching its apex</a>.<h2>2. Private space companies made waves</h2><div type="image" title="A photomontage shows Terran 1 ready to launch on its launchpad next to a picture of the rocket's trajectory after launch." height="1000" width="2000" msid="106403270" hostid="261" sizebytes="73662"></div>It was a big year for other spaceflight companies as well.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/relativity-space-3d-printed-rocket-mars-musk-spacex-bezos-launch-2023-3?r=US&amp;IR=T">Relativity Space</a> showed the capability of its monstrous 3D printers by launching and flying a rocket that was made of 85% printed materials. Terran 1 successfully separated from its first stage but didn't quite make it to orbit.The company now aims to develop an even bigger rocket, called Terran R, in a bid to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.relativityspace.com/press-release/2022/7/19/impulse-space-and-relativity-space-announce-first-commercial-mission-to-mars">beat Musk to Mars</a>. While Relativity will keep pushing its rocket development, its main purpose is to demonstrate the power of its 3D printers, which could one day be used to create custom equipment for Martian settlers, the company CEO Tim Ellis previously told Business Insider.Meanwhile, Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin got a much-needed vote of confidence from NASA. In May, it became the second private company, after SpaceX, to land the agency's coveted contract to develop tech to land astronauts on the moon. The company was awarded $3.4 billion.The firm was also awarded the Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers (ESCAPADE) NASA contract, which means New Glenn, a heavy-lift orbital launch vehicle in development by Blue Origin, could fly a research payload to Mars on its first flight.SpaceX also beat a record that it had set only last year.By October, the company had launched 74 orbital missions, up from its previous record of 62 in 2022.The firm aims to launch 100 flights by the end of 2023, Bill Gerstenmaier, a senior SpaceX official, said on October 18 during a hearing of the U.S. Senate's Subcommittee on Space and Science, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.space.com/spacex-launch-144-missions-2024">per Space.com.</a>He added that next year it would aim for 12 flights per month, or a mission every three days or less, per Space.com.<h2>3. China got serious about the moon</h2>China once again demonstrated its precise spaceflight engineering capabilities, reporting it had reached orbit with a rocket fueled<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-beats-spacex-blue-origin-orbit-methane-rocket-2023-7?r=US&amp;IR=T"> with methalox,</a> a composite liquid fuel of methane and oxygen, in July.In doing so, the country beat several US companies trying to get methalox-fueled rockets to orbit, including SpaceX and Blue Origin.<div type="image" title="Chinese LandSpace's Zhuque-2 rocket is seen on its launchpad at night" height="1290" width="2000" msid="106403271" hostid="261" sizebytes="104158"></div>The country this year continued to set aggressive timelines for its space program, announcing it could <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-to-build-moon-station-five-years-lunar-soil-bricks-2023-4?r=US&amp;IR=T">build a space station</a> on the moon within five years, and put boots on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-moon-mission-astronauts-by-2030-2023-5?r=US&amp;IR=T">lunar soil by 2030.</a><h2>4. Russia fell behind on its lunar ambitions</h2>Meanwhile, Russia's lunar aspirations were dealt a blow this year.Roscosmos attempted to beat nations like China, the USA, Japan, and India by aiming to be the first to land a robotic mission near the south pole of the moon, a strategically important site for upcoming lunar missions.The nation was attempting to revive its long-dormant lunar program, which hadn't landed on the moon <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/photos-russia-falling-behind-us-china-in-moon-space-race-2023-9?r=US&amp;IR=T">since the collapse of the Soviet Union</a>.But after a successful launch in August, Roscosmos's Luna-25 probe broke contact with Earth and spun out of control before <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-attempt-land-moon-ends-in-disaster-luna-25-2023-8?r=US&amp;IR=T">crashing into the moon.</a><h2>5. Where Russia failed, India thrived — a step that puts them in pole position in the space race</h2>India surprised the world in August when it became <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/watch-india-attempt-first-ever-moon-landing-2023-8?r=US&amp;IR=T">the first nation</a> to land a spacecraft near the south pole of the moon, and only the fourth country to ever land on the moon.Chandrayaan-3's dog-sized rover, released by the spacecraft a few days after it landed, collected crucial information about the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-vikram-lunar-lander-moon-discoveries-2023-9?r=US&amp;IR=T">lunar soil</a> before shutting down in September.<div type="image" title="image of the lander on the moon" height="1024" width="1024" msid="106403273" hostid="261" sizebytes="123486"></div>"It definitely puts them on the international stage as an emerging space power," Robert Braun, head of space exploration at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, previously told Business Insider.<h2>6. Europe tried to catch up</h2>The UK attempted the first launch from British soil from its new <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/virgin-orbit-uk-space-launch-fail-rocket-mission-spaceport-photos-2023-1">Spaceport Cornwall</a> in Newquay in January. But celebrations were cut short when Virgin Orbit's rocket failed to reach orbit. This was a blow to the spaceport as Virgin Orbit, its only listed customer, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/virgin-orbit-bankruptcy-protection-richard-branson-space-launch-funding-2023-4">closed down shortly after.</a>This misfire is a symptom of a bigger issue at stake. The European Space Agency's (ESA's) independent access to space has been <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ft.com/content/14b060df-4cfc-4494-a3d2-2af57dc6fa2a">shrinking steadily</a>.ESA has been facing fire for the delay in its heavy-lift <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ft.com/content/55619674-9ca3-478f-9c5a-d3a7525ccac7">Ariane 6 development</a> and the recent failures of its newest rocket, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.space.com/vega-c-failure-rocket-nozzle-flaw-investigation-report">Vega-C</a>. This has left the European agency in an "acute launcher crisis" after the retirement of Ariane 5 in July, ESA head Josef Aschbacher <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/holistic-approach-launchers-exploration-europe-josef-aschbacher/">said</a>.The UK's newly-developed spaceports are part of a bigger push to expand commercial launching capability in the area. European countries have been investing in building continental spaceports to complement ESA's launchpad in French Guiana. The first EU mainland spaceport was inaugurated in Sweden's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.space.com/first-european-mainland-orbital-spaceport-swedish-rocket-range">Arctic Circle</a> in January. An orbital spaceport was opened in <a target="_blank" href="https://spacenews.com/norway-opens-andoya-spaceport/">Andøya, Norway</a>, in November.In announcing the Swedish spaceport, EU president <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pressclub.be/press-releases/speech-by-president-von-der-leyen-at-the-inauguration-of-the-esrange-spaceport/">Ursula van der Leyen</a> foreshadowed a "change to the way we 'do space' in Europe," promising more support for small space firms and private investors.Europe's private spaceflight ambitions did get a welcome boost in October when the bloc's first fully private rocket, a single-stage rocket called Miura-1 designed by Spanish firm PLDSpace, took its first flight.The rocket failed to reach orbit but provided precious data that the firm hopes will help them push the development of its two-stage reusable rocket Muira-5, which could launch as early as 2025, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.space.com/pld-space-first-launch-miura-1-rocket">Space.com reported.</a>

From Elon Musk's giant Starship rocket to India's spectacular moon landing, 2023 was an epic year in space

<ul><li><keyword id="6355629" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Google" source="Orion">Google</keyword> has scheduled the Made by Google event for October 6.</li><li>The company will launch the <keyword id="3633459" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pixel-7" source="Orion">Pixel 7</keyword>, <keyword id="13305979" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pixel-7-Pro" source="Orion">Pixel 7 Pro</keyword> and the <keyword id="6521534" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pixel-Watch" source="Orion">Pixel Watch</keyword> at the event.</li><li>The <keyword id="576817" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="pixel" source="Orion">Pixel</keyword> Watch is the first smartwatch from the company and will run on WearOS 3.</li></ul> Google teased the Pixel 7 series and the Pixel Watch during the I/O 2022 annual developer conference in May this year and announced that the devices would be introduced later this year. Google has now announced that the devices will be launched on October 6. The Pixel Buds Pro, also revealed during the developer conference, has already been launched. The search giant has revealed that it will also introduce new Nest devices at the event. <div type="twitter" handle="madebygoogle" handlename="Made By Google" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1549074154548334593/WlX5YcL5_normal.jpg" favoritecount="4109" retweetcount="900" status="It's all coming together.Join us live for #MadeByGoogle on October 6th at 10am ET.Sign up for updates and add t… https://t.co/FZEFNEkygI" createdat="1662480469000" id="1567182794681454603"></div> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Made by Google event" comment="subhead" text="Made by Google event">Made by Google event</cmsannotation> The Made by Google event is scheduled for October 6 at 7:30 PM in India. You can watch the event on the company’s YouTube <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NGjNQVbydc">channel</a>. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro" comment="subhead" text="Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro">Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro</cmsannotation> Google is scheduled to launch the Pixel 7 and the Pixel 7 Pro, the company’s latest flagship smartphones. <div type="image" title="Pixel 7" msid="94047382" hostid="261" sizebytes="3886" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Pixel 7 Pro&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Google has already confirmed that the new Pixel smartphones will be powered by the company’s new Tensor G2 chipset. Google first introduced the Tensor chipset with the company’s <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/google-pixel-6-vs-pixel-6-pro-heres-whats-different/slidelist/87150487.cms">Pixel 6 series</a>. “The Pixel 7 phones will run on Android 13 and feature the next generation of Tensor, our custom mobile chip, which brings even more helpful, personalised features for photos, videos, security, and speech recognition,” Google said in its blog post. In addition, the upcoming smartphones will run on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/android-13-is-officially-here-heres-whats-new-and-a-list-of-supported-devices/articleshow/93583085.cms">Android 13</a> out of the box. The device will come with an aluminium camera bar at the rear that will feature two cut-outs for the camera. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Pixel Watch" comment="subhead" text="Pixel Watch">Pixel Watch</cmsannotation> The Pixel Watch is the first smartwatch from the search giant and will run on WearOS 3. The watch’s UI is expected to be stock, unlike the custom UI used by Samsung on the Galaxy Watch 5. <div type="image" title="Pixel Watch" msid="94047392" hostid="261" sizebytes="15608" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Pixel Watch&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> “The Google Pixel Watch is the first smartwatch designed and built by us – and the first time we’re bringing together Google’s helpfulness and Fitbit’s health and fitness expertise,” Google added. The Pixel Watch is expected to be powered by the Samsung Exynos 9110 chipset coupled with 32GB of storage, which will be twice than the Galaxy Watch 5. In its post, Google has added that the upcoming devices will be available on the same day in New York. At the moment, there is no information about India availability. We should have more information about this in the coming days. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/apple-far-out-event-how-to-watch-iphone-14-launch-expected-announcements-and-everything-you-need-to-know/articleshow/94044253.cms">Apple Far Out event – how to watch iPhone 14 launch, expected announcements and everything you need to know</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/gadgets/news/boat-noise-boult-mivi-ptron-companies-dominate-the-tws-segment-with-over-70-of-the-market-share/articleshow/94024965.cms">Indian companies dominate the TWS segment with over 70% of the market share, but domestic manufacturing remains at 16% at best</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/indias-space-agency-wants-to-design-and-build-reusable-rockets-for-the-world/articleshow/94021368.cms">India’s space agency wants to design and build reusable rockets for the world</a>

Google Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel Watch to be launched on October 6

Indian-origin <keyword id="21544825" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sunita-Williams" source="keywords">Sunita Williams</keyword>' piloted 'Starliner' is set to launch into space on Saturday, after the joint mission of US space agency <keyword id="19935155" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="NASA" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="NASA" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="NASA">NASA</keyword> and aircraft major Boeing was previously hit by snags. The flight will mark Williams' third space mission. According to NASA, the flight to the orbiting International Space Station (<keyword id="20307956" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ISS" source="keywords">ISS</keyword>) is scheduled to lift off from Florida's Kennedy Space Centre around 10 pm Indian Standard Time today. 'Suni' Williams and fellow NASA <keyword id="20248602" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="astronaut" source="keywords">astronaut</keyword> Barry 'Butch' Wilmore will be the first humans to go aboard Starliner spacecraft as part of the US space agency's Commercial Crew Program. The Starliner spacecraft will be catapulted into space on an Atlas 5 rocket of the rocket company United Launch Alliance (ULA). It will dock with the ISS on Sunday and the astronauts will be at the ISS conducting a range of tests for about a week. Starliner will then undock from the ISS re-enter Earth's atmosphers and make a parachute and airbag-assisted landing in the southwestern United States on June 10, NASA said. If this mission is successful, NASA will begin the final process of certifying Starliner and its systems for crewed rotation missions to the International Space Station. The Starliner capsule will carry four astronauts, or a mix of crew and cargo, for NASA missions to low Earth orbit. NASA, Boeing, and ULA (United Launch Alliance) are ready for the June 1, launch of the agency's Boeing Crew Flight Test according to an announcement during a prelaunch media briefing from NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. "I'm very proud of the teams who have worked really hard the last two and a half weeks to prepare for launch," said Steve Stich, manager, NASA's Commercial Crew Program. "We're really ready to go fly" he said. The integrated ULA Atlas 5 rocket and Starliner spacecraft stack rolled out to the pad at Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on May 30 in preparation for liftoff. Both Williams and Wilmore had remained in preflight quarantine inside the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building following their return to the Florida spaceport on May 28. Mission managers of the <keyword id="21541868" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Boeing-Starliner" source="keywords">Boeing Starliner</keyword>'s Crewed Test Flight (CFT) called off the mission on May 7, just two hours before the scheduled launch due to a valve glitch in the Atlas 5 rocket's upper stage. Boeing said in its statement that the valve was successfully replaced on May 11 and tested to confirm it was working properly. Later on May 14, NASA announced that the CFT mission scheduled for May 17 has been pushed to no later than May 21 due to what it described as a "small helium leak" in the spacecraft's service module. On May 17 the space agency said that the launch was further pushed back to May 25. The flight marking Boeing's first Starliner spacecraft mission with a human crew, is part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, which is working with the US aerospace industry through a public-private partnership to launch astronauts on American rockets and spacecraft from US soil. NASA selected Boeing and SpaceX in September 2014 to transport crew to the International Space Station from the United States. These integrated spacecraft, rockets and associated systems will carry up to four astronauts on NASA missions, maintaining a space station crew of seven to maximize time dedicated to scientific research on the orbiting laboratory. After a failed attempt in December 2019, Boeing conducted a successful uncrewed Orbital Flight Test 2 (OFT-2) in 2022. Its Starliner is expected to be reusable for up to ten missions within a six-month turnaround time, according to the aerospace company. Elon Musk-owned SpaceX company's Crew Dragon has performed 12 crewed missions since its first launch on May 30, 2020. Williams and Wilmore were both former commanders of the International Space Station. Williams, from Needham, Massachusetts, earned a physical science degree from the US Naval Academy, and a master's in engineering management from the Florida Institute of Technology. Her first spaceflight was Expedition 14/15 (from December 2006 to June 2007) launching on space shuttle Discovery's STS-116 mission to reach the International Station, according to NASA. While onboard, Williams established a world record for women at the time with four spacewalks. She concluded her tour of duty by returning to Earth with shuttle Atlantis' STS-117 flight to land at Edwards Air Force Base in California on June 22, 2007. Selected as an astronaut by NASA in June 1998, Williams has spent a total of 322 days in space on two missions and accumulated 50 hours and 40 minutes of cumulative EVA time on seven spacewalks. Williams worked with Roscosmos on its contribution to the space station and with the first Expedition crew. Meanwhile, 61-year-old, Wilmore has logged 178 days in space and has 25 hours and 36 minutes of time on four spacewalks. Boeing has planned six manned missions for the platform over the next six years, the projected end of the ISS' operating lifespan. NASA plans to use both SpaceX's Dragon and Boeing's Starliner to send up astronauts at least every six months from US soil. Both Boeing and SpaceX were given the responsibility in 2014 by NASA to send commercial crew missions to the ISS. Boeing received over USD 4 billion in US federal funds to develop the Starliner, while SpaceX received about USD 2.6 billion. 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Sunita Williams flies to ISS on NASA's Boeing Starliner tonight; 3rd time in space for Indian-origin astronaut

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The US X-37B and China's Shenlong are unmanned spacecraft that play secretive roles in space.</li><li>Space-based technology has long given the US military an edge.</li></ul>Just before the start of 2024, the United States and China <a target="_blank" href="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/x-37-chinese-space-plane-launch/">launched</a> what may be their most secretive spacecraft into orbit to little fanfare.Commonly referred to as space planes, the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/missions-experiments-for-space-force-mysterious-x-37b-space-plane-2020-5">American X-37B</a> and the Chinese Shenlong are unmanned spacecraft so secretive that their launches were marked with little more than vague general statements from their governments.The <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-launched-a-top-secret-military-spaceplane-into-orbit-2023-12">launches</a> are the seventh and third missions for the respective spacecraft, and although they are highly classified, observers have had limited success in tracking some of their movements.The missions demonstrate exceptional leaps in the development of space planes, and come at a time when both the Chinese and US militaries have ramped up their <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-must-control-space-in-future-wars-top-marine-general-2023-12">space operations</a> — a new frontier that can determine the course of war.Space-based technology has long given the US military an edge. It can track the movements of enemy weapons with powerful <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/manned-orbiting-laboratory-crewed-us-spy-satellite-never-sent-to-space-2024-1">spy lenses</a> and provide the navigation and communications systems ships, aircraft, and troops in the field depend upon.Enter the space plane. From one vantage, they could be robot keepers who keep these large networks fueled and functional, but from another, they could be orbiting spies and saboteurs.What's clear is that their missions are getting more complex, as is their centrality to the strategies of the two countries that fly them.<div type="image" title="The uncrewed X-37B, seen here after its 2019 landing at NASA's Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility, is believed to be about 30 feet long." height="1333" width="2000" msid="112761598" hostid="261" sizebytes="82008"></div><h2 id="3dc83e63-5cf2-42d5-8174-a6f3d2577c69">X-37B</h2>A space plane is a reusable spacefaring craft that can maneuver in space independently and also fly and glide within Earth's atmosphere. They are sent into space via a detachable <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-spacex-launch-secret-spy-satellites-space-force-government-2022-8">rocket booster</a>, and contain a cargo bay to deploy satellites and other objects for use and experimentation.After completing their mission, they independently return to Earth's atmosphere, land at a designated landing site on their own power, and prepare for their next mission. The most well-known space planes are the American <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/challenger-video-nasa-space-shuttle-program-2016-1">Space Shuttle</a> and the Soviet <a target="_blank" href="https://airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/soviet-buran-shuttle-one-flight-long-history">Buran</a>. But in contrast to the Space Shuttle, the X-37B is owned and operated by the military.The X-37B's origin begins in 1999, when the civilian space agency NASA awarded Boeing a contract to develop a small unmanned spacecraft capable of fitting inside the Space Shuttle. What they created was a small space plane measuring approximately 30 feet long and with a wingspan of 15 feet — roughly one-fourth the size of the now-retired Space Shuttle.It also contains a cargo bay measuring about 7 feet by 4 feet, which, in addition to housing satellites and other space cargo also holds a solar panel enabling the space plane to recharge. Boeing says the plane's avionics automate its descent from orbit and landing.In 2004, before a working prototype had even been built, the project was <a target="_blank" href="https://www.space.com/337-nasa-transfers-37-project-darpa.html">transferred</a> to the US Defense Department, specifically the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Glide tests on the first testing prototypes (known as the X-37A), <a target="_blank" href="https://www.space.com/1226-rutan-white-knight-carries-37-space-plane-aloft.html">began in 2005</a>, with the first fully successful free glide occurring in 2006.That same year, the project was transferred from DARPA to the United States Air Force Space Command, which then built another model, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/details-about-air-force-space-plane-that-spent-2-years-in-space-2017-5">the X-37B</a>. Also known as the Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV), two X-37Bs have been built.They have flown seven flights so far, with each being <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/unmanned-craft-us-space-force-lands-2-5-years-orbit-2022-11">longer</a> than the previous one. Though most of the details of the flights and their results remain classified, some information has been released to the public.<div type="image" title="The X-37B launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in 2017." height="1333" width="2000" msid="112761595" hostid="261" sizebytes="88120"></div>The first flight began on April 22, 2010, and saw the first X-37B remain in orbit for a total of 224 days. The second flight, which was the second X-37B's inaugural mission, began on March 5, 2011, and was extended well beyond its original 270-day limit to a total of 468 days. The third flight, beginning on December 11, 2012, marked the first time an X-37B had been reused, and lasted 674 days.The fourth flight began on May 20, 2015. Over the course of 717 days, the space plane tested new propulsion technology for satellites as well as the effects of radiation on certain objects.The X-37B's fifth flight on September 7, 2017 was launched atop Space X's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.spacex.com/vehicles/falcon-9/">Falcon 9</a> rocket (all previous launches were with the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ulalaunch.com/rockets/atlas-v">Atlas V</a> rocket). Over the course of 780 days — a little over two years — the space plane performed a number of activities and experiments, including the deployment of multiple <a target="_blank" href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/topics/cubesats">CubeSat</a> satellites, which NASA foresees as an orbiting sensory network that can solve complex tasks with a "powerful central spacecraft."The sixth flight began on May 17, 2020, and lasted <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/unmanned-craft-us-space-force-lands-2-5-years-orbit-2022-11">908 days</a>. It was the first mission conducted under the command of the newly formed U.S. Space Force and may have been one of the busiest missions yet. It exposed select materials to space, tested the effects of space radiation on seeds, and deployed <a target="_blank" href="https://www.usafa.edu/research/research-centers/space-systems-research-center/">FalconSat-8</a>, a satellite built by US. Air Force Academy cadets to conduct five experiments.The X-37B's most recent and current flight began on December 28, 2023. Its mission is classified, with the Space Force <a target="_blank" href="https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3583347/department-of-the-air-force-scheduled-to-launch-seventh-x-37b-mission/">stating</a> only that it will be "operating the reusable space plane in new orbital regimes, experimenting with future space domain awareness technologies, and investigating the radiation effects on materials provided by NASA."The <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/space-force-guardian-nick-hague-spacex-rocket-iss-2024-2">Space Force</a> has not given the X-37B's flight path, but because it was launched atop SpaceX's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/photo-spacex-falcon-heavy-launchpad-blasted-lightning-rocket-spaceflight-musk-2023-5">Falcon Heavy rocket</a>, there has been speculation that the space plane could be headed for a much higher orbit than previous missions, as the rocket is one of the most powerful in the world.<div type="image" title="A Long March-2F rocket blasted off in October carrying a manned spaceship from China's Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The Shenlong was launched on December 14 from the same center without images or fanfare." height="1333" width="2000" msid="112761594" hostid="261" sizebytes="201664"></div><h2 id="ef23e953-67f4-4399-8bc9-c452d0019685">Shenlong</h2>Named after the most important dragon god in Chinese mythology and first revealed in 2007, the Shenlong is thought to be a direct Chinese response to the X-37B.The program is surrounded in such extreme secrecy that there are no known images of the space plane in its current form. Images of what is believed to be a Shenlong test prototype <a target="_blank" href="https://www.space.com/18410-china-space-plane-project-mystery.html">mounted under the fuselage of an H-6 strategic bomber</a> in 2007 indicate that the craft is likely to be similar in appearance to the X-37B.Though its specific capabilities remain classified, it is known that, like the X-37B, the Shenlong is unmanned, that it is deployed via a rocket, that it is capable of adjusting its position and maneuvering in space, and that it can carry and deploy satellites and other space objects.Perhaps the most impressive thing about the Shenlong is the speed of its development. Though the exact start date is unknown, academic models of a Chinese space plane were reported as far back as 2000.Years of modelling, wind tunnel testing, and prototype test fights via deployment from H-6 bombers followed, and in 2011, the Shenlong reportedly made its first suborbital flight.On September 4, 2020, the Shenlong made its <a target="_blank" href="https://spacenews.com/chinese-reusable-experimental-spacecraft-releases-object-before-returning-to-earth/">first orbital flight</a>, which lasted two days and saw it release an object into orbit before returning to China on its own power. A second orbital flight began on August 4, 2022, and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-lands-secretive-space-plane-after-months-in-orbit-2023-5">lasted</a> nine months.<div type="image" title="The X-37B launched on its sixth flight in May 2020 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station." height="1280" width="2000" msid="112761596" hostid="261" sizebytes="165564"></div>In addition to being considerably longer, the Shenlong's second flight was far more eventful. About two months into its flight, the space plane <a target="_blank" href="https://spacenews.com/chinas-spaceplane-conducted-proximity-and-capture-maneuvers-with-subsatellite-data-suggests/">deployed a subsatellite and then practiced recovering it</a> at least two (and possibly even three) times, a capability for so-called proximity operations that may allow it to snatch an enemy's satellite.The Shenlong embarked on its third and current flight on December 14, 2023, just seven months after its second mission. In May, the Shenlong <a target="_blank" href="https://spacenews.com/chinas-secretive-spaceplane-conducts-proximity-operations-with-small-spacecraft/">released an object from its cargo hold, and began proximity operations</a>, possibly even recapturing it.How much longer the Shenlong will remain in orbit, as well as its future plans more broadly, remain secrets that the Chinese government has shown little appetite for divulging. The government has only <a target="_blank" href="https://app.xinhuanet.com/news/article.html?articleId=b9141bb29a221c45ac2ad0d44dc87fc6">said</a> that the space plane will eventually land in China, and that "reusable technology verification and space science experiments will be carried out as planned to provide technical support for the peaceful use of space."The vague wording resembles previous statements, like those of its builder, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, which has previously said that the Shenlong "will provide a more convenient and inexpensive way to access space for the peaceful use of space in the future."<div type="image" title="The satellite networks of the US and its allies could be targeted by enemy spaceplanes." height="1280" width="1920" msid="112761592" hostid="261" sizebytes="362914"></div><h2 id="2f25d6b5-fe78-4384-a750-e76f8663eacb">Satellite threat</h2>Given the immense secrecy of the crafts and what is known about their capabilities, it's easy to understand speculation that the two space planes could be orbiting weapons platforms.The very fact that the US Department of Defense is in charge of the X-37B instead of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/nasa">NASA</a> confirms that the US government believes that there is a military application for the space plane. Similarly, the fact that the Chinese government has been so silent on the Shenlong's activities despite its penchant for boasting about its other space accomplishments may be a tacit indication that there is more to the Shenlong than the 'peaceful use of space.'One of the most impactful possible uses of the space planes is as <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-condemns-irresponsible-russian-anti-satellite-test-threatening-space-station-2021-11">anti-satellite assets</a>. Both have deployed satellites from their cargo bays, and the Shenlong's proximity operations may be training runs for attacks on hostile satellites in orbit.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-inspector-satellite-chasing-secret-us-military-satellite-cat-mouse-2023-4">Proximity operations</a> are murky. They could be dress rehearsals for disrupting or eavesdropping on an enemy's satellite, just as they could be drills for missions to refuel and repair one of the country's own satellites.Satellites are among the most important assets for any first-rate military, as they are essential for secure communications, navigation, and intelligence gathering via orbital imaging and communication intercepts. They are even sometimes used to guide smart munitions to hostile targets as well.Neutralizing an enemy's satellites would be one of the most important objectives in any potential conflict between the world's foremost military powers. <a target="_blank" href="https://swfound.org/media/9550/chinese_asat_fact_sheet_updated_2012.pdf">China</a>, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.thespacereview.com/article/4198/1">US</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://carnegieendowment.org/research/2019/04/indias-asat-test-an-incomplete-success?lang=en">India</a>, and <a target="_blank" href="https://carnegieendowment.org/posts/2021/11/the-dangerous-fallout-of-russias-anti-satellite-missile-test?lang=en">Russia</a> have each demonstrated a capability to destroy satellites in orbit with anti-satellite missiles, but each of those tests resulted in the creation of large debris fields in orbit that took sometimes took years to disappear. Such debris fields could also pose a very severe threat to friendly satellites as well. China's anti-satellite missile test in 2007 triggered a space debris cloud that was an <a target="_blank" href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/hollywood-space-disaster-gravity-uses-kessler-syndrome-for-scares">inspiration</a> for the blockbuster film "Gravity."Having a way to neutralize or even capture satellites, then, could be a better alternative. Tapping into enemy satellites to eavesdrop or shut down their data streams and communications could also serve as a better alternative, and may also be possible with the assistance of space plane (similar to the tapping of underwater cables by submarines).With the militarization of space <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.csis.org/analysis/there-path-counter-russias-space-weapons">seemingly fast becoming</a> reality and with China's space program demonstrating that it can <a target="_blank" href="https://spacenews.com/chinas-shijian-21-spacecraft-docked-with-and-towed-a-dead-satellite/">tow away satellites</a>, it is likely that space planes will only become more important in the years ahead.Benjamin Brimelow is a freelance journalist covering international military and defense issues. He holds a master's degree in Global Affairs with a concentration in international security from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. His work has appeared in Business Insider and the Modern War Institute at West Point.

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