Horoscope Today, 18 August 2025: Libra, Sagittarius, Virgo, Cancer, Aquarius, and other sun signs
Looking a few days ahead we can see that Mercury, planet of communication, is about to make its lively way into a region of your chart closely related to your finances. The moment is coming when you should lay plans for abundant future prosperity.
There seems to be some sort of muddle, possibly caused by the Moon's relationship to other significant, if confused, planets. You may either postpone important engagements or, alternatively, approach them with considerably more determination than usual.
In spite of your open and chatty reputation, you are about to enter a more secretive phase, one when peace, quiet and seclusion will be of increasing importance to your general well-being. Only when you have shared your plans with friends will you see whether they are ever likely to come to fruition.
In many ways you are dealing with the legacy of the past. Yet, although it's inevitable that you should feel nostalgia for what has been, you would be advised to get on with planning the future. I know you're concerned about losing your roots, but you needn't be.
You are being pulled in two directions. But which way should you jump? As far as anyone can see, you have done an extremely good job of standing your ground and, for that, you deserve full respect. Do yourself a favour and sort out a cash question sooner rather than later.
You should now be back on form and determined to alter the pattern of your life. Lunar aspects may be signalling stress but that could be a good thing – inspiring you to exceed your previous best. There is someone who is waiting for you to get in touch with them and, when you do, your life could change.
It could be an extravagant day, and the only reason for caution could be if you are spending other people's money. In love you need physical affection and reassurance and, at work, you should be considering promotion. It's about time that your true talents were appreciated.
Now you really are heading for a pleasant romantic period. Relations with children and younger family members are set to improve and cultural pursuits are likely to take up more of your time. But when it comes to social arrangements, I suspect you'll be bogged down in the details.
A whole host of planets passing through challenging regions of your chart means that you must let other people seize the initiative. This is not obligatory, but if you try to take the lead yourself it may rebound on you, perhaps because you'll overlook certain fundamental details.
The odds may be stacked against you today. Yet do not despair – all is not lost. It may be time for one of those clever tactical retreats that results in your position being stronger than ever. Your strength lies in your ability to construct firm foundations.
There are periods when you need to spend a little more time at home or dealing with important family issues. This is one of them, so hopefully relations will play ball. In love, the lesson is that relationships need to be worked at – no effort should be spared!
There is not long to go before emotional secrets are brought to a head. It will be a great relief all round when what was once unspeakable can be discussed in an atmosphere of happiness and harmony. And I have a feeling that you are just the person to do it.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
2 hours ago
- India.com
Rocket fuel and a billion dreams: The making of Modi's Space superpower
Picture this: a country where the Prime Minister once sold tea at railway stations has just become the first nation to land on the Moon's south pole. Where rockets cost less than Bollywood movies but achieve what even America and Russia couldn't. Where a small startup in Hyderabad builds rockets in garages and launches them to space, making global headlines. This isn't science fiction – this is the incredible true story of how India transformed from a space dreamer to a space superpower between 2014 and 2025. When Narendra Modi became Prime Minister in 2014, few could have imagined that his government would oversee one of the most spectacular transformations in space history. Today, as we look back at this golden decade, the numbers tell a story that seems almost impossible to believe. From having just one space startup in 2014 to building over 400 private space companies by 2024, India's space journey reads like a fairy tale that actually came true. The story begins with a mission that captured the world's imagination. On November 5, 2013, just months before Modi took office, India launched Mangalyaan – the Mars Orbiter Mission. What happened next was pure magic. On September 24, 2014, India became the first country in human history to successfully reach Mars orbit on its very first attempt. Even NASA, with all its experience and billion-dollar budgets, had failed on their first try decades earlier. But here's what truly amazed the world: the entire Mars mission cost only $74 million – less than the budget of the Hollywood movie 'Gravity' that was released around the same time! To put this in perspective, NASA spent $582.5 million on their MAVEN orbiter that same year. This wasn't just a space achievement; it was a statement to the world that India could do the impossible with limited resources. The success of Mangalyaan didn't just make Indians proud – it changed how the world looked at India. Suddenly, everyone wanted to know how this country could achieve so much with so little. The answer lay in the unique Indian approach: smart thinking, jugaad engineering, and a strong belief that problems make us more creative, not less capable. Perhaps the most dramatic transformation in India's space story has been the explosion of private companies. In 2014, there was only one space startup in the entire country. By 2024, over 400 private space companies were working across India – a growth that seems impossible to believe. This change didn't happen by accident. In June 2020, the Indian government made a historic decision that changed everything. They announced that private companies could now take part in all space activities – not just supply parts to ISRO, but build complete satellites, develop rockets, establish spaceports, and even conduct space missions on their own. It was like suddenly telling every aspiring chef that they could not only cook in their kitchen but open restaurants, cater weddings, and even start food channels on television. The results were immediate and spectacular. Companies like Skyroot Aerospace, started by former ISRO scientists in Hyderabad, made history in November 2022 by launching Vikram-S, India's first privately developed rocket. The moment that rocket lifted off from Sriharikota, it carried with it the dreams of millions of Indians who had always believed that space was only for governments and superpowers. Dhruva Space created India's first private satellites to orbit Earth. Agnikul Cosmos developed the country's first 3D-printed rocket engine in Chennai. Bellatrix Aerospace perfected electric propulsion systems in Bengaluru. Each success story inspired ten more entrepreneurs to enter the space race. The funding numbers tell their own incredible story – between 2014 and 2024, Indian space startups raised over $320 million. In 2021 alone, investments reached $68 million, almost double from the previous year. These weren't just technical achievements; they were symbols of a new India where innovation could grow beyond government laboratories. Young engineers who once dreamed of working at ISRO now started their own companies. College students began building satellites in their hostels. The space revolution had truly become a people's movement. The economic impact of India's space transformation reads like numbers from a fantasy novel, except they're all real. Between 2014 and 2024, India's space industry contributed an incredible $60 billion to the country's gross domestic product. This isn't just money changing hands – it represents real value created, jobs generated, and lives improved across the length and breadth of India. The employment impact has been equally spectacular. The space sector directly created 96,000 jobs and an additional 4.7 million indirect jobs. To understand what this means, imagine entire towns whose livelihoods depend on India's space activities. From the engineer designing satellite parts in Bengaluru to the farmer using satellite data for better crop planning in rural Uttar Pradesh, millions of Indians have been touched by the space revolution. Perhaps the most stunning fact is this: for every rupee earned by India's space industry, the broader economy benefits by ₹2.54. This multiplier effect means that space isn't just another industry – it's an engine driving growth across farming, telecommunications, disaster management, education, healthcare, and countless other sectors. As of 2024, India's space economy is valued at about ₹67,000 crores ($8.4 billion) and is expected to reach $13 billion by 2025. The government has set an even more ambitious target: capturing 8-10% of the global space economy by 2030, potentially worth $44 billion. This would be a huge jump from the current 2-3% share and would place India among the top three space economies globally. While private companies were rising, ISRO continued to achieve the extraordinary. The agency's missions between 2014 and 2025 read like chapters from an adventure novel, except every word was true. The Chandrayaan missions captured global imagination like nothing before. After the groundbreaking discovery of water on the Moon through Chandrayaan-1 in 2008, the program faced heartbreak when Chandrayaan-2's lander crashed just moments before touchdown in 2019. The entire nation watched in silence as years of hard work seemed to disappear in those final minutes. But ISRO's strength shone through like the Sun after a storm. On August 23, 2023, at exactly 6:04 PM Indian Standard Time, Chandrayaan-3 successfully soft-landed near the Moon's south pole. In that moment, India became the first country to achieve this feat and only the fourth nation to successfully land on the Moon. The achievement was particularly sweet because it came just days after Russia's Luna-25 mission failed attempting the same landing. Prime Minister Modi, watching from South Africa during the BRICS summit, had tears in his eyes as he addressed the nation. 'India is now on the Moon,' he said, and 1.4 billion Indians erupted in celebration. For a mission cost of just $75 million – about the same as a single Hollywood blockbuster – India had accomplished something that much wealthier space programs couldn't do. ISRO didn't stop there. In September 2023, they launched Aditya-L1, India's first solar observation mission, positioning it at a special point in space to study the Sun continuously. The country successfully deployed its regional navigation system NAVIC, giving India strategic independence from American GPS. When natural disasters strike, Indian satellites now provide crucial data for rescue operations, saving countless lives. On December 30, 2024, ISRO achieved another remarkable milestone with the successful launch of the SpaDeX (Space Docking Experiment) mission. This groundbreaking mission demonstrated India's capability in spacecraft rendezvous, docking, and undocking using two small satellites. This technology is crucial for future space missions, including the planned space station and lunar missions. The success of SpaDeX positioned India among the elite group of nations that have mastered this complex space technology, joining only the United States, Russia, and China in this exclusive club. Perhaps most impressively, ISRO has become the world's most trusted launch service provider for small satellites. By 2025, India had launched 433 satellites for over 30 foreign countries, earning valuable foreign exchange while building international partnerships. Countries from Germany to New Zealand now routinely choose Indian rockets to carry their precious satellites to space. While rocket launches and Mars missions grab headlines, the real revolution has been in how space technology has quietly transformed millions of everyday lives across India. This is perhaps the most beautiful part of India's space story – how it has touched the humblest villages and the most ordinary people. Farmers in remote villages of Rajasthan now receive weather forecasts and crop advice through satellites, helping them decide when to sow, irrigate, or harvest. The Swamitva scheme uses satellite mapping to provide clear land records to rural families, ending property disputes that had gone on for generations. During the devastating cyclones that regularly hit India's coasts, satellite data helps coordinate rescue operations and assess damage in real-time. Telemedicine programs have connected over 25,000 patients in remote areas with specialist doctors in big cities through satellite communication. A child with a rare disease in a village in Assam can now consult with a specialist in AIIMS Delhi without traveling thousands of kilometers. Tele-education initiatives have reached nearly 60,000 schools, bringing quality education to children who would otherwise have limited access to good teachers and resources. Perhaps most remarkably, satellite technology has helped reduce cyclone-related deaths dramatically through accurate early warning systems. When Cyclone Fani hit the eastern coast in 2019, satellite-based early warnings helped evacuate over a million people, keeping casualties to an absolute minimum. Each life saved represents a family that remained whole, a tragedy that was prevented. Behind these spectacular achievements lies a story of visionary governance that deserves equal recognition. The Indian government didn't just allow change; they actively encouraged and helped it with policies that seemed revolutionary at the time. The creation of IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre) in 2020 was perhaps the most important institutional change. This body acts as a single-window clearance agency for private space activities, removing the bureaucratic hurdles that had previously discouraged private participation. Instead of spending months navigating different government departments, a startup could now get all necessary approvals from one place. The Indian Space Policy 2023 made the new system official, clearly defining roles for different players. ISRO would focus on cutting-edge research and exploration of new frontiers, while routine commercial activities would be handled by private companies. New Space India Limited (NSIL) was created to commercialize ISRO technologies, bridging the gap between government research and private enterprise. The government also liberalized foreign investment rules dramatically, allowing up to 100% foreign direct investment in space component manufacturing and up to 74% in satellite operations under automatic routes. In 2024, they announced a $119 million venture capital fund specifically for space startups – a clear signal that the government was serious about nurturing this sector for the long term. As we look toward the future, India's space ambitions have become even bolder. The Gaganyaan program aims to send Indian astronauts to space by 2025, making India only the fourth country with independent human spaceflight capability. In a historic moment, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla was selected as India's first astronaut to fly on a commercial space mission to the International Space Station, marking a new chapter in India's human spaceflight journey. This selection represents not just an individual achievement but a symbol of India's growing presence in human space exploration. Plans are already underway for a space station by 2035 and a crewed lunar mission by 2040. These aren't just government projects – private companies are expected to play crucial roles in achieving these ambitious goals. Private companies are already working on technologies that sound like science fiction. Skyroot is developing reusable rockets that can land back on Earth and be used again, dramatically reducing launch costs. Bellatrix is perfecting electric propulsion systems that could power missions to Mars and beyond. Dozens of startups are working on everything from satellite constellations that could provide internet to the remotest corners of India to space-based manufacturing facilities. International cooperation is expanding rapidly. Partnerships with NASA, the European Space Agency, and JAXA are bringing cutting-edge technologies to India while allowing Indian companies to access global markets. The recent announcement of joint missions with Japan and collaboration with the United States on various projects shows that India is now seen as an equal partner by the world's leading space powers. The transformation of India's space sector between 2014 and 2025 represents much more than technological achievement. It embodies the changing character of modern India – confident, innovative, and globally competitive while remaining cost-conscious and inclusive. It shows what's possible when talent, determination, and smart policies come together with a shared vision. Every successful mission, every private rocket launch, and every satellite that improves lives represents the dreams and dedication of countless scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, and ordinary citizens who believed in India's space destiny. From the tea-seller's son who became Prime Minister to the former ISRO scientists who started their own companies, from the students building satellites in college to the farmers using space technology to improve their harvests – this is truly a people's space program. Today, when Indian children look up at the stars, they don't just see distant lights – they see destinations, career opportunities, and a future where India stands among the leading space-faring nations. The journey from 2014 to 2025 has been remarkable, but perhaps it's just the beginning. As India continues to reach for the stars, one thing is absolutely certain: the best is yet to come. The story of India's space transformation is ultimately a story of hope, determination, and the belief that no dream is too big if you have the courage to pursue it. From a nation that once struggled to afford space missions, India has become a country that builds rockets the world watches with admiration and respect. This is the miracle of modern India – a nation that has truly learned to touch the stars while keeping its feet firmly planted on the ground, serving its people and humanity at large. —- E.O.M (Girish Linganna is an award-winning science communicator and a Defence, Aerospace & Geopolitical Analyst. He is the Managing Director of ADD Engineering Components India Pvt. Ltd., a subsidiary of ADD Engineering GmbH, Germany. Contact: girishlinganna@
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Time of India
Aries Horoscope Today, 18th August 2025: Adaptability leads to growth and clarity
The Moon, Venus, and Jupiter are in the Gemini sign. Your communication quickly dominates the day. The Sun in the Leo sign boosts your confidence and creativity. Saturn is retrograde in the Pisces sign today. It reminds you to stay grounded and practical. This is a day to balance your bold moves with patience. ET Online Aries Horoscope Today: Adaptability leads to growth and clarity Disclaimer Statement: This content is authored by a 3rd party. The views expressed here are that of the respective authors/ entities and do not represent the views of Economic Times (ET). ET does not guarantee, vouch for or endorse any of its contents nor is responsible for them in any manner whatsoever. Please take all steps necessary to ascertain that any information and content provided is correct, updated, and verified. ET hereby disclaims any and all warranties, express or implied, relating to the report and any content therein.
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Time of India
Leo Horoscope Today, 18th August 2025: Confidence shines, bringing fresh opportunities
Leo Horoscope Today, 18th August 2025: The Sun is strong in your sign, in the Leo sign. The Moon will be transiting from the Gemini sign. It favours self-expression, networking, and bold decisions. You will feel an extra spark of confidence. You need to help yourself grab attention. You can progress in personal and professional areas. ET Online Leo Horoscope Today: Confidence shines, bringing fresh opportunities Disclaimer Statement: This content is authored by a 3rd party. The views expressed here are that of the respective authors/ entities and do not represent the views of Economic Times (ET). ET does not guarantee, vouch for or endorse any of its contents nor is responsible for them in any manner whatsoever. Please take all steps necessary to ascertain that any information and content provided is correct, updated, and verified. ET hereby disclaims any and all warranties, express or implied, relating to the report and any content therein.
