‘Significant Milestone for ISRO & NASA': ISRO Chief Hails Successful Launch of NISAR Satellite
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Hindustan Times
3 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
The Assam connection in NASA-SpaceX's latest voyage to space
Nearly three decades ago, a friend excitedly called to tell me our fellow Assamese American, Jhuma, had gotten engaged…to an astronaut. Since the real Mike Fincke was in quarantine, we adorned NASA's cardboard cutout with a gamosa every chance we could.(S. Mitra Kalita) 'Is he Assamese?' I asked. 'How many Assamese astronauts do you know?' Good point. None. Like many of us second-generation Assamese born and raised on US shores, hers would be a blended marriage and, eventually, family. On Friday, Aug 1, at 11.43 am, the husband of Renita Saikia, my lifelong friend I've only ever called Jhuma, soared into space as a member of NASA's Crew-11, on a six- to eight-month mission. This week, I joined a few dozen of their family and friends at the Kennedy Space Center to wish Mike Fincke well. We began with a 'wave across' staged in a parking lot, a rope separating the four quarantined astronauts from loved ones, allowing us to say goodbye and good luck at a safe distance. We ended with the actual launch, the second attempt to send the SpaceX Dragon up after clouds and the threat of lightning thwarted the first try. In between were parties, photo ops, tours of space facilities, impromptu lunches and dinners, and late-night gatherings among disparate friend groups suddenly united. We infused these time-honored space traditions, though, with some of our own. Months ago, when Renita extended this precious invitation that comes with behind-the-scenes access to Kennedy Space Center, the astronauts, and the rocket launch itself, she did so not only because she's known me my whole life. Renita's father, Rupesh Saikia, emigrated from Assam in the 1960s, among the earliest pioneers of our tiny community on U.S. shores. He married Monju Aunty in 1966 and eventually settled in New Jersey, then Huntsville, Alabama. By the time my own father arrived in 1971, families like these were the ones who helped explain America, from foods and customs to bank transactions and mortgages. When my mom was pregnant with me, Renita's mother helped throw a baby shower combined with the Assamese ritual of panchamrit, blessings for the mother and child. As a child, I remember Renita coming over to color and play games with me and the long drives we'd take to go meet her family. 'I want you to be the Assamese rep,' Renita told me. 'The community has been so important for Mike and me…keeping some Assamese flavor in the mix would be so great.' And so I write these words, mission accomplished, with a sense of that obligation. It's really cool to attend a space launch, and I was aware of the privilege and once-in-a-lifetime nature of what I was experiencing. But at each and every event, I also felt an enormous responsibility to the many identities Mike and Renita straddle and inherit, and the one I happen to share. The Assamese infusion 'Do you know how to make that noise?' my friend Seebany Datta-Barua, another Assamese American at the launch, asked at the wave across. She was talking about uruli, the Assamese tradition of making a high-pitched sound by moving the tongue back and forth. We do this at weddings, festivals, moments of joy—and departures. 'I don't, but I can try,' I responded. And so we did. (It sounds like this) Seebany Datta-Barua holds a homemade sign in English and Assamese at an event for family and friends to wave goodbye to the astronauts.(S Mitra Kalita) Mike instantly responded by smiling in recognition, bowing his head and clasping his hands into a namaskar. My husband and I, Seebany, and her daughter also had very American signs spelling out M–I–K–E, but on the backside of one, Seebany had written, in Assamese, 'Mike, infinite blessings to you!' We planned our outfits to include elements of Assamese flair. On the day of a pre-launch celebration, we wore mekhela chadors, the signature two-piece Assamese garment. I hesitated, especially in Florida's 100-degree humidity, but my husband assured me the designs of the japi, an Assamese ornamental hat made of cane or bamboo, resembled flying saucers. Sold. We took NASA's life-size cardboard cutouts of Mike and adorned him in the ceremonial gamosa, a red-and-white cloth that we simultaneously use as towel, altar covering, offering and assertion of our identity.(S Mitra Kalita) This mission marks Mike's fourth journey to space, and he has taken the gamosa up before as one of his sentimental items. Sure enough, a NASA livestream commentator detailed why in the moments before he boarded the spacecraft: Mike Fincke's embrace of our people As Mike has learned, and my own husband too, to marry an Assamese—at least a certain type of Assamese—is to enter a community that is so unique and tight-knit, where everyone knows everyone else due to the smallness of our diasporic population, a complex collective that teeters between parochial and progressive. Because so few people know where we come from, we quickly learn how to define ourselves and how to fit in. Being Assamese, I maintain, allows us to traverse lands, languages, and cultures because there's a universality in being unknown. Except for the years he's been in space or quarantine, I see Mike at least once a year at our annual Assam Conventions. He and Renita make it a point to fly or drive from their home outside Houston, three children in tow, as a way of keeping tradition alive. My family feels similarly, and our children have often choreographed and danced the folk dance known as Bihu together. In the years he can't physically join, Mike still makes an appearance. In 2004, he called in from space—projected onto a screen in the hotel ballroom in Austin, Texas—to wish everyone well and perform a Bihu dance. Check out this clip that went viral in our communities across the world: When the cameras aren't rolling, though, I can attest to Mike's sense of respect for our culture and people. I see it in how he treats his in-laws and elderly people like my parents. I see it in how he springs into action when my own daughter, who now attends college in Houston, gets stranded after a flight cancellation and he does not hesitate to go collect her from the airport—at 2 a.m. These are the stories of immigrant solidarity, of community building, that many of us grew up with—but have waned in recent years. Some of it is understandable and more pragmatic (a taxi is a perfectly reasonable option from the airport) as our tiny Assamese population grows. But once upon a time, if you found a Kalita or Saikia in the phone book, chances were high that you would call as strangers and emerge as friends. In the decades I have known Mike and Renita—who, it's worth noting, also works for NASA—the behaviors I describe of immigrants are also traits I have come to associate with astronauts. I was reminded of it this week as the escorts NASA assigned to be with the families of the crew are astronauts themselves, in the unique position of knowing exactly the high stakes and high pressure and many emotions of a launch. I watched them carry suitcases, drive loved ones to and fro, soothe fears, cook comfort food, answer lay questions. The flat hierarchy and sense of service are remarkable—and necessary—and challenge the oft-held notion that the smartest people in the room aren't always the most compassionate. Here, intellect and humanity are equal ingredients for success. I walked away from this week with new appreciation for space travel as a means of understanding what it means to be human. Perhaps that study of said humans attracts the best humans in the process because their examination actually begins with themselves—and their daily actions. So how many Assamese astronauts do you know? I know a guy who comes pretty close. S. Mitra Kalita is a veteran journalist, author, and commentator. This piece is published in collaboration with URL Media, a network of community media.
NDTV
5 hours ago
- NDTV
ISRO Sets Up Station In Ladakh To Simulate Life On Moon, Mars
Marking a significant leap in India's space exploration efforts, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has set up the Himalayan Outpost for Planetary Exploration (HOPE) in Ladakh's Tso Kar Valley. It is a high-altitude, Mars-like environment selected to test life-support systems and technologies for future lunar and Martian missions. The HOPE station, inaugurated on July 31 by ISRO chairman Dr V Narayanan, will be used to test systems for future space missions. The project is led by ISRO's Human Space Flight Centre, along with support from an industry partner and top research institutions. The analogue mission is part of a growing international movement to study how humans might survive and thrive in extra-terrestrial environments by replicating the harsh conditions of other planets on Earth. Why Tso Kar Valley Was Picked For Testing The Tso Kar Valley was chosen for its environmental similarities to Mars, which include high UV radiation, low atmospheric pressure, extreme cold and saline permafrost. The HOPE facility has two connected units. One is an eight-metre wide living space for the crew, while the other is a five-metre utility module housing equipment and support systems. A 10-day trial mission is being held from August 1 to 10, where two crew members will stay inside and take part in various physical, mental and task-based tests. Scientists from institutions like IIT Bombay, IIT Hyderabad, IIST Trivandrum, RGCB Trivandrum and the Institute of Aerospace Medicine in Bengaluru are leading several experiments. They are studying how isolation affects the body and mind, testing health-monitoring tools, and trying out methods for working on planetary surfaces and collecting microbes. The results will help shape safety plans, equipment and systems for future space missions. ISRO On HOPE Mission Calling the HOPE mission 'a rehearsal for the future,' Dr Narayanan said that the initiative aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of expanding private sector participation in India's space programme. Coinciding with the HOPE mission, new research from Ladakh's high-altitude Puga Valley has uncovered clues about the origins of life on Earth. Indian scientists have found that the valley's geothermal springs may mimic early Earth conditions and can preserve organic molecules associated with life's beginnings. A study by the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences (BSIP) has found traces of amino acid compounds, fatty acids, formamide and sulphur in calcium carbonate deposits (travertine) from the area. According to lead researcher Dr Amritpal Singh Chaddha, 'The high UV exposure and extreme conditions of the Puga Valley mimic those of early Earth and potentially, ancient Mars.' Published in ACS Earth and Space Chemistry, the study, along with the ongoing HOPE mission, is positioning Ladakh as a key hub for India's growing space and astrobiology efforts.
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Time of India
Patha Bhavan old boy part of ISRO's Earth observation satellite project
1 2 Kolkata: Subhradip Ghosh, a scientist from Kolkata who is currently with the Indian Space Research Organisation ( ISRO ), has played a crucial role in the launch of the GSLV-F16 rocket that was launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, on July 30. The former Patha Bhavan student has been part of over 25 ISRO missions, including Chandrayaan-2, Chandrayaan-3, Aditya-L1, and SPADEX. The son of a retired bank manager, he completed his chemical engineering from Heritage Institute of Technology and then pursued his from IIT Guwahati. Although he initially considered going abroad to pursue his research career, he joined ISRO. The rocket carries on board the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) that will study land and ice deformation, land ecosystems, and oceanic regions in areas of common interest to the US and Indian science communities. NISAR is currently in the critical 90-day commissioning phase during which scientists will carry out rigorous checks, calibrations, and orbital adjustments to prepare the satellite for full-scale Earth observation. The satellite aims to measure Earth's changing ecosystems and dynamic surfaces, including melting ice sheets and vegetation changes, providing critical data on biomass, sea-level rise, and natural hazards. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo This satellite can capture clear pictures in the 3 to 10-meter range and send photographs every 12 days after mapping Earth. Ghosh and his team played a vital role in ground system readiness clearance before the rocket was launched. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata Ghosh, who has been in ISRO for six years, was instrumental in overseeing and managing liquid propulsion system of the 52-meter-tall, three-stage rocket. His responsibilities included the precise handling of its hydrazine-based propellant and nitrogen tetroxide oxidizer. The liquid stage, which utilizes solid, liquid, and cryogenic fuels, demanded extreme precision; even the smallest deviation could compromise the mission. Ensuring accurate propellant insertion and continuous 24x7 monitoring post-insertion were paramount, with no room for error. "I am really thankful to be a part of this costliest Earth observation satellite. Before this launch, the entire team worked so hard as the satellite will play a vital role in mapping Earth and providing data that can help from agricultural development to prediction for natural calamities and several other major things," said Ghosh, who has encountered both successes and failures during his stint with ISRO. Chandrayaan-2 in which landerVikram failed to achieve a soft landing on the Moon due to a deviation from its planned trajectory during the descent phase, was his second project. "All these are the learning experiences in my journey as a scientist." While his contributions were largely behind the scenes, sources within the ISRO launch crew deemed them "indispensable." Ghosh's teachers, friends, and family felt proud of his achievement and the vital role that he is playing as a part of such prestigious projects. Pradip Agarwal, CEO, Heritage Group of Institutions, said, "Our alumnus Subhradip Ghosh, an ISRO scientist, who did his BTech from this institute, played a crucial role in the prestigious NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar Mission. This achievement will motivate other students as well." Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Friendship Day wishes , messages and quotes !
