Moving to strengthen their partnership, US space agency NASA has invited ISRO to join its Moon Base programme, the recently-launched effort to get humans back to the Moon with the larger objective of setting up a permanent settlement there.

The offer, disclosed Tuesday, was made at the ninth meeting of the India-US Civil Space Joint Working Group in Bengaluru on August 5 and 6 which US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor also addressed.

In 2023, India had joined the Artemis Accords, a US-led space alliance, whose stated purpose is to evolve and commit to a common set of principles that govern the civil exploration of outer space including the Moon. India was the 27th country to sign on the Artemis Accords. Now, a total of 70 countries are part of the Accords.

Skyroot Aerospace's maiden orbital launch is continuing to generate momentum for India's emerging private space sector. Just weeks after Vikram-1 successfully reached orbit on its very first attempt, the Hyderabad based company has announced a fresh commercial win, securing a multi-launch agreement with space technology firm HEX20 for three dedicated launches beginning in late 2027.

The new contract underlines growing customer confidence in Vikram-1 and signals that Skyroot's successful debut has started translating into more business opportunities.

At the same time, Skyroot has also disclosed the performance of SCOPE, its own in-house technology demonstrator satellite that flew aboard Vikram-1. While the CubeSat was successfully deployed into orbit and established parts of its communications chain, it ultimately failed to deliver usable housekeeping telemetry, preventing engineers from verifying several important spacecraft systems, including its imaging payload. As a result, key capabilities that the mission was intended to test remain unconfirmed.

President Droupadi Murmu will confer the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowships (Akademi Ratna) and Awards (Akademi Puraskar) for 2024 and 2025 on 115 artists at a special investiture ceremony at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on August 13.

The awards recognise outstanding and sustained contributions to India’s performing arts, covering music, dance, theatre, folk and tribal arts, puppetry, traditional theatre and other allied forms.

Seven eminent artists have been selected for the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship, including Ramlal Bareth, A V Anand, Rita Ganguly, Puru Dadheech, Chittaranjan Jyotishi, Pasumarthi Rattaiah Sarma and Sudharani Raghupathy.

The Indian Navy’s next-generation offshore patrol vessel (NGOPV), Yard 3037, named Shruti, was launched at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) in Kolkata on Tuesday, marking another milestone in India’s drive towards indigenous warship construction.

The vessel was launched by Manika Sadhu in the presence of Vice Admiral Sanjay Sadhu, Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition. Senior officials from the Indian Navy, Ministry of Defence (MoD) and GRSE attended the launch ceremony.

The NGOPV programme is being undertaken concurrently by two Indian shipyards – GRSE in Kolkata and Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) in Goa. The indigenously designed and built vessels are intended to strengthen the Navy’s offshore patrol capabilities and augment its existing fleet of Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) and Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessels.

Indian para-cyclists delivered an impressive performance at the UCI Para Cycling Track Event in Odense, Denmark, securing 12 medals, including two gold, five silver and five bronze across multiple track cycling events.Merit Prizes & Contests

Leading the medal haul was Paralympian Paracyclist Arshad Shaikh from Andhra Pradesh, who won six medals, including two gold, three silver and a bronze in various para track cycling events.

The 17-year-old Vishwa Vasani from Gujarat continued to make her mark on the international stage, winning four bronze medals across the 1km Individual Time Trial, Scratch Race, 200m Sprint and Elimination Race.

The Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala, in Punjab, is rolling out the first rake comprising 19 LHB broad gauge passenger coaches for Bangladesh Railways today. The rake comprises 03 AC Sleeper Cars, 03 AC Chair Cars, 11 Non-AC Chair Cars and 02 Power Cars.

These coaches incorporate several unique design features and modifications, many of which have been developed for the first time in such type of coaches. The coaches have been specially customised to meet the operational and passenger requirements of Bangladesh Railway.

The seating arrangement incorporates specially designed reclining chairs with stainless steel armrests and stainless-steel footrests, offering multiple reclining positions for enhanced passenger comfort. They also have an integrated CCTV surveillance system, a passenger alarm system, a Baby Care Room and a Prayer Room. The association between RCF, Kapurthala and Bangladesh Railway began with the successful supply of 120 LHB broad gauge passenger coaches during 2015-16.

Former nuclear scientist and communist theorist MP Parameswaran, who was one of Kerala’s most influential advocates of people’s science and decentralised development, died in Thrissur on Tuesday. He was 91.

Born on January 18, 1935, at Kiralur in Thrissur district, Parameswaran had his early education in Thrissur. He graduated in Electrical Engineering from the College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram, in 1956 before pursuing a PhD in Nuclear Engineering at the Moscow Power Institute, which he completed in 1965.

Parameswaran began his professional career as a scientist at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in Mumbai in 1957. He remained there until 1975, working in the field of nuclear science before making a decisive shift from scientific research to public activism.

Lebanon’s parliament today abolished the death penalty, making it the first country in the Arab world to replace the sentencing with life imprisonment with aggravated hard labour. A majority of Lebanon’s 128-member parliament voted in favour of ending the death penalty, with the exception of the parliamentary bloc of Hezbollah. Justice Minister Adel Nassar, who was in Parliament, called it a historic step for the country. Rights groups that had called for formalising the moratorium or ending the death penalty altogether have also celebrated the vote. Lebanon’s abolition of the death penalty comes as parliament is debating a controversial general amnesty law, the largest since the end of its 15-year civil war in 1990, that could reduce sentences or even release convicted militants and drug dealers, with some exceptions.  

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today released the autobiography of former President Ram Nath Kovind, titled ‘Triumph of the Indian Republic: My Life, My Struggles’ in New Delhi. The autobiography offers a deeply personal account of Mr Kovind’s remarkable life journey, tracing his experiences, struggles and achievements from his early years to his distinguished public life and eventual service as the 14th President of India. The book provides insights into the values, experiences and circumstances that shaped his journey and public service.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Modi said that Ram Nath Kovind’s guidance as the President has been a great source of strength for him. He said that Mr Kovind’s autobiography will not only provide insights into his life, personality, and contributions but also serve as a legacy for Indian democracy and society. Prime Minister Modi said that even after retiring from the country’s highest constitutional office, Ram Nath Kovind has remained actively engaged and continues to work on important issues such as One Nation, One Election.

N Chandrasekaran has stepped down as Tata Sons chairman, tendering his resignation on August 12. He will serve out his existing term but will not seek re-appointment. His decision comes days ahead of the company’s annual general meeting (AGM) on August 18.

News agency Reuters had earlier reported that Chandrasekaran had discussed the possibility of stepping down with close associates, rather than allowing his continuation to be decided at the shareholder meeting.

His resignation comes amid uncertainty over his reappointment as a director of Tata Sons and reported differences within the Tata group. The uncertainty followed differences between Chandrasekaran and Noel Tata, chairman of Tata Trusts. In February, the Tata Sons board deferred a decision on Chandrasekaran’s reappointment as chairman after Noel Tata raised concerns about the performance of some of the group’s newer businesses.