Blue Origin, the space company founded by Jeff Bezos initially planned the maiden launch of its New Glenn heavy-lift rocket on 13^th January but the launch was postponed due to a vehicle subsystem issue that took the company beyond its 3-hour launch window. Then a new launch window was set for 14^th January but again the launch was postponed further to 16^th January due to subsequent assessments.

This New Glenn rocket was finally successfully launched from Launch Complex 36 in Florida on January 16, 2025, at 1:35 AM EST after overcoming initial weather concerns and a brief old for engine chilling. The primary objective was to achieve orbit (placing Blue Ring Pathfinder test satellite), with an additional ambitious goal to land the first stage (rocket booster) on a bare in the Atlantic. NASA’s WB-57 aircraft was deployed to capture infrared footage of the first-stage landing attempt.

Second stage engine cutoff confirmed. New Glenn’s second stage and payload are now in orbit. Another burn coming up…

— Blue Origin (@blueorigin) January 16, 2025

As per the recent update shared by the company, the second engine cutoff is confirmed while New Glenn’s second stage and payload are now in orbit. It is said that Blue Origin envisions 6-8 New Glenn flights this year, with the next mission slated for spring. The New Glenn rocket is designed to support a range of missions, from deploying satellites to carrying astronauts to orbit and the moon.

Currently, SpaceX is dominating the commercial space industry and it is said the New Glenn rocket, Blue Origin will be directly competing with SpaceX. Ahead of this said competition, Elon Musk has reacted to New Glenn’s second stage and payload reaching orbit.

Congratulations on reaching orbit on the first attempt! @JeffBezos https://t.co/EJl6L8aevV

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 16, 2025

Musk congratulated Jeff Bezos, as the rocket reached orbit in the first attempt. The company has further updated that GS2 and Blue Ring Pathfinder achieved their final target orbit following two successful burns of BE-3U engines. The Blue Ring Pathfinder is receiving data and performing well.

New Glenn safely reached its intended orbit during today's NG-1 mission, accomplishing our primary objective. The second stage is in its final orbit following two successful burns of the BE-3U engines. The Blue Ring Pathfinder is receiving data and performing well.

We lost the… pic.twitter.com/MmDlCb6AVj

— Blue Origin (@blueorigin) January 16, 2025

The company lost the booster during descent which led to the failure of achieving first stage landing.

The post Blue Origin Successfully Launches New Glenn Rocket On Maiden Flight; New Glenn’s second stage And Payload Are Now in Orbit, Elon Musk Reacts appeared first on The Tech Outlook.

On 30^th December, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-C60 (PSLV C60) mission carrying a pair of SpaDeX satellites as main payloads lifted off from Sriharikota. CROPS (Compact Research Module for Orbital Plant Studies) is one of 24 smaller payloads. This CROPS experiment is developed by VSSC to study plant growth in microgravity.

ISRO has now officially revealed that the CROPS experiment onboard PSLV-C60 POEM-4 successfully sprouted Cowpea seeds in 4 days and the leaves are expected to develop soon.

Life sprouts in space! 🌱 VSSC's CROPS (Compact Research
Module for Orbital Plant Studies) experiment onboard PSLV-C60 POEM-4 successfully sprouted cowpea seeds in 4 days. Leaves expected soon. #ISRO #BiologyInSpace pic.twitter.com/dfrplNNoUD

— ISRO (@isro) January 4, 2025

This definitely marks a significant milestone in India’s space biology research as the ability to row vegetables while in Space is regarded as vital in the context of India’s plans for its own space station, the Bharatiya Anthariksh Station, and future deep space explorations.

According to the space agency, Passive measurements, including camera imaging, oxygen, and carbon dioxide concentrations, relative humidity, temperature, and soil moisture monitoring were available inside the chamber for plant growth and monitoring. It was said that VSSC selected cowpea over other plants due to its relatively fast growth, and robust root and stem structure.

In the future, some more experiments like this may be carried out by the space agency. Stay tuned for all the latest updates.

The post VSSC’s CROPS Experiment Onboard PSLV-C60 POEM-4 Successfully Sprouted Cowpea Seeds In 4 Days appeared first on The Tech Outlook.

Last month, SpaceX officially launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 21 Starlink satellites to the constellation. And yesterday SpaceX, officially launched its first Falcon 9 rocket of 2025.

Falcon 9 launches @Space42ai’s Thuraya 4 to orbit, completing our first mission of the year! pic.twitter.com/ekVQR6605M

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 4, 2025

This Falcon 9 rocket took off on 3^rd January at 8:27 p.m. EST (0127 MT) from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, launching the Thuraya 4 spacecraft to geosynchronous orbit. Thuraya 4 is operated by Space42, a satellite and space services company based in UAE. The satellite will provide mobile communications service throughout Europe, the Middle East, and Africa for both commercial and government customers.

This was the 20^th flight and recovery for this Falcon 9 first-stage booster, and SpaceX’s 341^st recovery of an orbital class rocket, including both Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy boosters.

Falcon 9’s first stage has landed on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship pic.twitter.com/DeNJcdfH6t

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 4, 2025

It is revealed that 8 minutes and 40 seconds after taking off, the Falcon 9 booster returned to Earth for a landing aboard SpaceX’s droneship “A Shortfall of Gravitas” offshore nearby in the Atlantic Ocean.

Roughly 35 minutes and 30 seconds into the flight, the Thuraya 4 satellite separated from the rocket’s second stage and deployed into geostationary transfer orbit where it will then be raisin up to geosynchronous orbit above a fixed spot on Earth.

The post SpaceX Officially Launches Its First Falcon 9 Rocket Of 2025; Sends Thuraya 4 Spacecraft To Orbit appeared first on The Tech Outlook.

NASA has completed its first maximum afterburner engine test for the X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft. The test, carried out on December 12 at Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works facility in Palmdale, California, is an important step as the aircraft moves closer to its first flight in 2025.

The test involved running the X-59’s F414-GE-100 engine at full power with the afterburner engaged, which helps generate the additional thrust needed for supersonic speeds. The test showed that the engine could operate within temperature limits and maintain the necessary airflow, while also syncing with the aircraft’s other systems.

The X-59 is part of NASA’s Quesst (Quiet Supersonic Technology) mission, which aims to reduce the loud sonic booms typically heard during supersonic flight. The X-59’s design focuses on quieting the sonic boom to a soft “thump,” which could make supersonic flights over land more feasible.

Next Steps for the X-59

After the successful afterburner test, the next step for the X-59 is its first flight, expected in 2025. Following the flight tests, the aircraft will undergo acoustic testing, including flights over populated areas to gather data. This data will be used to help regulators determine if quiet supersonic flights can be safely approved for commercial use.

The X-59 aims to demonstrate the possibility of faster commercial flights with less noise, potentially reducing flight times by half in the future.

The post NASA Completes First Maximum Afterburner Test for X-59 Quiet Supersonic Aircraft appeared first on The Tech Outlook.

ISRO is all set to start its SpaDeX Mission which is said to help India achieve a significant milestone in space technology. The primary aim of this mission is to dock two satellites in space, this milestone is achieved by only the US, China, and Russia, while now India is aiming to be the 4^th country to achieve this feat.

This mission will take place on December 30^th, 2024 under the Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX). ISRO will deploy this mission using the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C60), which is scheduled to lift off at 21:58 IST from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. ISRO has been constantly sharing the updates of this mission on the X platform. Recently ISRO shared an animated video of in-space docking.

🌟 PSLV-C60/SPADEX Mission Update 🌟

Visualize SpaDeX in Action!

🎞️ Animation Alert:
Experience the marvel of in-space docking with this animation!

🌐 Click here for more information: https://t.co/jQEnGi3ocF pic.twitter.com/djVUkqXWYS

— ISRO (@isro) December 27, 2024

ISRO has also explained about this mission in its release. As per which SpaDeX mission is a cost-effective technology demonstrator mission for the demonstration of in-space docking using two small spacecraft launched by PSLV. This technology is essential for India’s space ambitions such as India on the Moon, sample return from the Moon, building and operation of Bharatiya Antriksh Station, etc. This mission is said to be a forerunner for autonomous docking needed for future lunar missions like Chandrayaan-4 without the support of NSS from Earth.

The primary objective is to develop and demonstrate the technology needed for rendezvous, docking, and undocking of two small spacecraft (SDX01, which is the Chaser, and SDX02, the Target nominally) in a low-Earth circular orbit. Secondary objectives include- the demonstration of the transfer of electric power between docked spacecraft, composite spacecraft control, and payload operations after undocking.

The mission consists of two small spacecraft (about 220 kg each) to be launched by PSLV-C60, independently and simultaneously into a 470 km circular orbit at a 55-degree inclination, with a local time cycle of about 66 days.

As for the current development of the mission, SpaDeX spacecraft was designed and realized by UR Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) with the support of other ISRO centers (VSSC, LPSC, SAC, IISU, and LEOS). Presently, after completing all tests and clearances, the spacecraft has moved from URSC to SDSC and is undergoing preparations for launch.

Registration for the public to witness the launch from Launch View Gallery at SDSC SHAR started on 23^rd December. Those interested can register on this link.

The post ISRO SpaDeX Mission: ISRO Aims To Dock Two Satellites In Space On 30th December appeared first on The Tech Outlook.

Today SpaceX has launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 21 Starlink satellites- 13 of which can beam service directly to cellphones. The rocket was lifted from NASA Kennedy Space Center in Florida today at 12:35 AM EDT (0535 MT). SpaceX officially announced on the X platform that Falcon 9 has successfully delivered 21 Starlink satellites to the constellation.

Falcon 9 lifts off from pad 39A in Florida, delivering 21 @Starlink satellites to the constellation pic.twitter.com/izxmtsgB65

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) December 23, 2024

Falcon 9’s first stage came back to Earth as planned touching down in the Atlantic Ocean about eight minutes after the launch of SpaceX droneship “Just Read the Instructions”. The 21 Starlink satellites delivered to low Earth orbit will be deployed about 65 minutes after launch. According to a SpaceX mission description, this was the 15^th liftoff and landing for this particular booster.

This Starlink launch was the 129^th Falcon 9 mission of this year and about two-thirds of those flights were devoted to building out the Starlink broadband mega constellation, which currently consists of more than 6800 active satellites.

A few days back SpaceX’s US cellphone partner, T-mobile opened the beta registrations for text messaging service via the direct-to-cell Starlink satellites and this beta service is said to go into operation in early 2025.

Stay tuned with The Tech Outlook for more latest updates.

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For advancing human spaceflight, ISRO and ESA have come to an agreement to collaborate on astronaut training, mission implementation, and research experiments. The new partnership is believed to advance India’s human spaceflight capabilities as well as its global collaborations.

Read more about the update below.

ISRO and ESA Signs New Collaborative Agreement

As per the new agreement that ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) and ESA (European Space Agency) signed recently, the two bodies have come into terms to collaborate together in activities and processes dealing with astronaut training, mission implementation, and research experiments. It was respectively signed by Dr. S. Somanath and Dr. Josef Aschbacher for ISRO and ESA.

The agreement as per what has been shared will further provide a collaborative framework in areas that include the training of astronauts in space exploration, experiment development and integration support, and use of ESA facilities. The facilities provided by ESA are said to be used in ISS (International Space Station), for experiments on human and biomedical research, and also for joint education and other outreach activities. Do note that for the upcoming Axiom-4 mission, ISRO’s Gaganyatri and a ESA astronaut are the crew members onboard.

Speaking on the collaborative agreement, both Dr. S Somanath and Dr. Josef Aschbacher expressed their gratitude to each other on behalf of the two organizations. Dr. S Somanath also remarked on ISRO’s roadmap on human spaceflight and the recent BAS (Bharatiya Antariksh Station) approval, whereas Dr. Josef Aschbacker thanked Dr. S Somanath personally for sharing his thoughts at ESA.

The post ISRO and ESA Join Hands by Signing an Agreement for Collaborating in Human Space Exploration and Research appeared first on The Tech Outlook.

In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists from the US and Chile have uncovered a new deep-sea species living in one of the most extreme environments on Earth—the Atacama Trench off the coast of South America. Named Dulcibella camanchaca, this ghostly-looking amphipod is not your typical deep-sea scavenger. Unlike its relatives that feed on scraps, this tiny crustacean is a hunter, making it the first predatory amphipod ever documented in the crushing depths of the hadal zone.

The team discovered D. camanchaca nearly 7,902 meters below the surface, where pitch darkness, freezing temperatures, and pressures 1,600 times that of the sea level create a seemingly uninhabitable environment. To their surprise, the researchers retrieved four specimens during a 2023 expedition for Chile’s Integrated Deep-Ocean Observing System. Using a baited lander vehicle, they managed to lure this strange creature out of its hidden world.

Measuring less than 4 centimetres, D. camanchaca has pale white colouring and specialized appendages, called gnathopods, that allow it to grab and eat prey in its frigid, lightless habitat. Unlike most amphipods that feed on organic debris drifting to the seafloor, this tiny predator actively hunts for its food—an incredibly rare trait at such extreme depths.

Scientists gave it the name Dulcibella camanchaca as part of a long-standing tradition of naming amphipods after characters from the Spanish novel Don Quixote. The genus Dulcibella is inspired by “Dulcinea del Toboso,” but because the name “Dulcinea” was already taken by a beetle, the species name camanchaca, meaning “darkness” in local South American languages, was chosen to honour the shadowy depths it calls home.

This discovery isn’t just about finding a new creature; it gives scientists a deeper understanding of life in Earth’s least explored regions. The hadal zone—depths below 6,000 meters—remains one of the last frontiers on our planet, where only a handful of species have been documented.

Even more exciting, studying ecosystems like the Atacama Trench could help us understand extraterrestrial life. The extreme conditions of the trench, including its complete lack of light and freezing cold, are similar to what scientists expect to find on ocean-covered moons like Europa and Enceladus. This means discoveries like D. camanchaca could hold clues to what alien life might look like in the universe.

Despite covering 71% of the Earth, 95% of the ocean remains unexplored. The Atacama Trench, stretching as deep as 11 kilometres, shows us that even the harshest environments can support life in ways we’re only beginning to understand.

The discovery of Dulcibella camanchaca reminds us how little we know about our own planet—and that life has an incredible ability to survive, even in the most unimaginable places.

The post Scientists Discover Alien-Like Predator in the Ocean’s Depths, Call It ‘Darkness’ appeared first on The Tech Outlook.

Black holes have always fascinated us. They are mysterious objects with gravity so intense that even light can’t escape them. Their edges—called event horizons—are boundaries where space and time twist into the unknown. But just when we thought we had a handle on how big these cosmic giants could get, scientists discovered a black hole that broke all the rules.

This black hole, located in the centre of a galaxy called Phoenix A, is the largest one ever found. Nestled within the Phoenix Cluster, a massive group of galaxies 5.7 billion light-years away, this black hole—named Phoenix A*—has a staggering mass of 100 billion times that of our Sun.

How Big is Phoenix A*?

To understand the scale of Phoenix A*, it helps to compare it to other famous black holes.

For years, TON 618, a black hole in a hyper-bright quasar 10.4 billion light-years away, was the heavyweight champion. With a mass of 40.7 billion Suns, it was thought to represent the upper size limit for black holes. Similarly, M87*—the first black hole ever photographed in 2019—has a mass of several billion Suns and is already large enough to boggle the mind.

Phoenix A*, however, dwarfs them all. It’s so enormous that it could swallow our entire Solar System, including the Sun and all the planets, without a trace. In fact, scientists estimate its event horizon—the edge beyond which nothing can escape—might even exceed the orbit of Neptune.

As some of you correctly pointed out, the claim that TON 618 is the largest object in the Universe is now outdated.

Recent discoveries have identified Phoenix A, a supermassive black hole with an estimated mass of around 100 billion suns—or possibly even more, as its exact… pic.twitter.com/3TIL7iC8QO

— Black Hole (@konstructivizm) December 17, 2024

The Phoenix Cluster

Phoenix A* lies at the centre of the Phoenix Cluster, a galaxy cluster first discovered in 2010. This cluster isn’t just massive—it’s also one of the most energetic regions in the universe, emitting more X-rays than any other known cluster. Much of this energy likely comes from activity around the supermassive black hole at its heart.

Changing What We Know About Black Holes

Before this discovery, scientists believed black holes had a maximum size of about 50 billion solar masses. Phoenix A* has blown past that limit, forcing astronomers to rethink how black holes grow and evolve.

How did Phoenix A* get so massive? Black holes grow by consuming gas, dust, stars, and even other black holes. Over billions of years, Phoenix A* seems to have devoured enough material to double what was thought to be possible.

A Window into the Unknown

Phoenix A* doesn’t pose any threat to Earth—it’s too far away to affect us. But its discovery is a game-changer for science. It challenges our understanding of how black holes and galaxies form and raises new questions about the limits of these objects.

For now, Phoenix A* holds the title of the biggest black hole ever discovered. But as telescopes improve and scientists explore the universe further, who knows what other cosmic monsters we might find?

Phoenix A* is a reminder of how much there still is to learn about the vast and mysterious universe we call home.

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Decades after the Chernobyl disaster of 1986, which took place following the No. 4 reactor explosion of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant near Pripyat in Ukraine, the place still remains partially abandoned. This is considered to be one of the worst nuclear disasters of the world, leaving 30 kilometer land in exclusion zone with high radiation levels.

Scientists have been exploring the abandoned area, doing research and investigation, and they have come across a black fungus on the walls of the No. 4 reactor, the place where the radiation level is the highest. What is surprising is that, this black fungus is not just surviving the radiation, but actually feeding on it!

Read more about the report below.

Black Fungus Feeding on Gamma Radiation Found in Chernobyl

This black fungus which has been identified as ‘Cladosporium sphaerospermum’ was found when scientists observed blackened growth on the walls of the No. 4 reactor in the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, and just like other black fungus species like Cryptococcus neoformans and Wangiella dermatitidis, it contains melanin. While in the human body melanin is used to protect the skin from harmful UV rays and also provide a darker skin tone, in these fungus they serve a different function. Yes, what you might have guessed is right, they absorb radiation and convert it into usable energy for them.

In this same manner, the Cladosporium sphaerospermum fungus species that has been found in Chernobyl also absorbs radiation at levels which is dangerous and lethal for most living beings and uses it to grow. In other words, the black fungus feeds on it to thrive, similar to how plants make use of light in the photosynthesis process.

Scientists believe that this discovery will have many applications in real life, including using it for more space exploration and overcoming harsh radiation environments. Also, even after Chernobyl being a deserted area till date, this is proof that ‘life always finds a way’.

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