Indian Space Missions 2024: Full list of significant space missions by ISRO

 Space Missions of India in 2024: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is the Indian government’s space agency, headquartered in Bengaluru, and is responsible for managing India’s space programs. Established in 1969, operating under the Department of Space (DoS) and directly reporting to the Prime Minister of India, ISRO aims to harness space technology for national development. 

Over the years, ISRO has been at the forefront of space exploration, continuously expanding its capabilities and accomplishments. It has conducted numerous space missions, including satellite launches, lunar and interplanetary missions, and the development of launch vehicles for communication, television broadcasting, meteorological services, resource monitoring, and more. 

A list of significant accomplished Space Missions of India (till 2024):

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has been at the forefront of space exploration and satellite technology since its inception in 1969. It has conducted a total of 124 spacecraft missions, including 17 satellites developed by private players or students and 432 foreign satellites launched.

Additionally, ISRO has also completed 96 launch missions, six re-entry missions, and projects like POEMS. The organisation is also preparing for the Gaganyaan mission, India’s first manned spaceflight, highlighting its advancements in space technology and exploration.

Here is a comprehensive list of ISRO’s space missions up to 2024.

Source: indianexpress

Google’s new AI Gemini to counter the ChatGPT

 OpenAI’s large language models so far have been leading the AI race, thanks to their early launch and Microsoft’s vast data centre infrastructure to back them up. But the ChatGPT dominance may not last forever, as new and powerful AI models are emerging every month. And one of them has a far stronger chance of becoming a real challenger: Google.

According to a report by The Information, Google’s next-generation artificial intelligence models under the new Gemini project will launch as early as this fall. The company for Gemini to power its existing AI chatbot Bard and enterprise apps such as Google Docs and Slides.

What makes Gemini a formidable competitor is the amount of resources Google has at its disposal, especially data that can be used to train these AI models. Google has access to YouTube videos, Google books, a huge search index, and scholarly material from Google Scholar. Much of this data is exclusive to Google, and that could give it an edge in creating smarter models than others. Gemini is also said to be the first multi-modal model that can handle video as well as text and images, unlike GPT-4.

Google also has a deep pool of talent and years of experience in building and training large language models. It is expected to announce the new models next fall, and possibly introduce a new Gemini-powered chatbot or upgrade its existing Bard chatbot. This could have a big impact on Google’s Cloud, which would likely be the main way for corporate customers to access Gemini.

Gemini was first teased at Google’s developer conference last month, where Google showcased several AI projects. Gemini uses new training techniques from Alphago, an AI system that was the first to beat a professional human player at the complex board game Go, according to a report from June. This could enable Gemini to plan and solve problems.

It’s a team effort

In April, Google merged Google Brain, its own deep learning artificial intelligence research unit, with subsidiary company DeepMind to create a single unit – Google DeepMind. The surprise move by Pichai was meant to boost efficiency, combining Google’s enormous computational resources and DeepMind’s research skills.

Before that, both entities had their own responses to ChatGPT. DeepMind had Project Goodall and Google had Bard based on Google Brain models. Despite some rivalry between the teams, DeepMind dropped Goodall to collaborate on Gemini.

Source: indianexpress

Chandrayaan 3 - India’s Moon Mission

 India's highly anticipated moon mission, Chandrayaan 3, is launched today on July 14, 2023, marking another significant milestone in the country's space exploration endeavors. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched the Chandrayaan 3 mission today from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, at 2.35 PM IST. Building on the successes of previous missions, Chandrayaan 3 represents India's relentless pursuit of scientific discovery, technological advancements, and global recognition in the field of space exploration. Let's delve into the story behind this ambitious moon mission.

On Saturday, July 15, 2023, ISRO scientists successfully executed the inaugural terrestrial maneuver to raise the altitude of Chandrayaan-3, propelling it further away from Earth as it travels approximately 3.8 lakh kilometers towards the Moon. The planned operation, aimed at increasing the spacecraft's apogee (the farthest distance from Earth), commenced at approximately 12:05 pm and lasted for eleven and a half minutes, as confirmed by several scientists to STOI.

Info: jagranjosh

West Bengal to introduce 4-year UG courses, higher education dept directs state varsities

 The West Bengal higher education department has directed state-run universities to start taking “appropriate steps” to introduce four-year undergraduate courses from the forthcoming academic year in tandem with the recommendations of the University Grants Commission (UGC).

The instructions were a part of a letter sent by the department to all state-run universities on Friday. The government had also attached a letter from UGC secretary Rajnish Jain which highlighted the reasons behind introducing the new framework.

In the letter, UGC Secretary Rajnish Jain stated that the new curriculum and framework for undergraduate courses would ensure a “holistic education” for students by allowing them to “experience courses in multiple disciplines with multiple entry and exit options, flexible degree options with single major, double major, multidisciplinary/interdisciplinary education, integration with vocational courses, internship, skill and ability enhancement courses.”

State-aided colleges and universities in West Bengal currently offer three-year undergraduate courses.

According to sources, in its letter, the UGC has also directed education departments to develop a new curriculum for the four-year courses. “If the new rules in higher education are not followed, it may be a problem for colleges and universities to get UGC grants,” said a senior education department official.

However, the new curriculum has met with criticism from West Bengal College and University Teachers’ Association (WBCUTA) and student bodies.

“Not getting a UGC grant is not the only reason why a grant may be discontinued, there are many others. The state government is trying to implement the new education policy of the BJP-RSS,” said Keshav Bhattacharya, a WBCUTA member.

indianexpress