Tag: ISRO

The registrations for the Bharatiya Antariksh Hackathon (BAH) 2025 have begun. This year’s hackathon was launched on June 18, 2025, by Dr. V. Narayanan, Secretary of the Department of Space and Chairman of ISRO.

Organized by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the BAH was launched in 2024 with the goal of inspiring young minds to engage in space research and technology and to develop innovative solutions to significant challenges in the field. The BAH offers a fantastic opportunity for young talent to showcase their skills, tackle real-world problems, and potentially secure an internship with ISRO.

What’s New in the 2025 Edition?

This year’s hackathon brings 14 problem statements across modern cutting-edge domains, including geospatial technology, space science, image processing, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.

Who Can Participate?

Students pursuing undergraduate, postgraduate, or PhD programs in India are eligible. This is your chance to work on problems that matter and create tech that could one day be used by ISRO scientists.

Note: Working professionals and non-students are not eligible for the hackathon.

Why should you participate?

• Learn from the Best: You’ll be mentored by scientists and experts from ISRO who will guide you through the entire process.
• Build a Strong Network: Connect with bright minds, researchers, and professionals from academia, industry, and the space sector.
• Internship at ISRO: Top-performing participants stand a chance to bag internships at ISRO, working on real projects alongside top engineers and scientists.
• National Recognition: Your work will be showcased on a national stage. It’s a major boost for your academic and career profile.

How to Participate?

• Registration: Head to the official ISRO hackathon portal and sign up before July 9.
• Form a Team: Gather 3 to 4 like-minded individuals. Participants can belong to different institutions but must form a team within the allowed size limit.
• Pick a Challenge: Choose one of the problem statements listed on the hackathon website.
• Start Building: Develop your solution using your skills and mentor guidance.
• Submit Your Idea: Once ready, submit it for review by ISRO’s expert panel.

Challenges

Here are the challenges you can choose from:

• Forest Fire Spread Simulation using AI/ML.
• Building an AI-based help bot for information retrieval out of a knowledge graph created based on static/dynamic content at a web portal.
• Satellite-based air pollution monitoring using satellite observations, ground data, reanalysis datasets, and AI/ML.
• Designing an LLM system for solving complex spatial analysis tasks through intelligent geoprocessing orchestration.
• Using diffusion models for predicting cloud motion with INSAT-3DR/3DS imagery.
• Using AI/ML to detect changes in glacial lakes, roadways, and drainage systems via multi-source satellite imagery.
• Build an application providing granular, real-time, and predictive air quality insights for underserved regions.
• Propose novel methods to handle imbalanced datasets in Earth observation for improving deep learning outcomes.
• Developing an ML algorithm to detect and classify tropical cloud formations using half-hourly INSAT satellite data.
• Using particle data from the SWIS-ASPEX payload aboard Aditya-L1 to identify coronal mass ejection (CME) events.
• Creating a technique to detect landslides and boulders on the Moon using imagery from Chandrayaan missions.
• Using dual-image super-resolution and blind evaluation methods to enhance optical satellite imagery resolution.
• Generate high-resolution Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) of the lunar surface using shape-from-shading techniques.
• Developing a robust multi-temporal analysis system using LISS-4 imagery for user-defined areas of interest (AOI).

Hackathon Timeline

The timeline of the hackathon is as follows:

• June 18–July 9: Registrations and idea submissions
• June 25: Problem Statement Explainer Session 1
• June 26: Problem Statement Explainer Session 2
• June 27–July 4: Mentor-mentee interactions
• July 24: Announcement of shortlisted teams.
• August 7-8: Grand Finale at NRSC, JD Metla Campus, Hyderabad

Contact Information

Register now, and be sure to bookmark this page so you won’t miss any updates!

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) achieved a significant milestone on January 29, 2025, with the successful launch of its 100th rocket mission from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. This historic event marked not only a century of launches from this spaceport but also the first mission under the leadership of ISRO’s new chairman, V. Narayanan.

The GSLV-F15 rocket lifted off at 6:23 AM IST, carrying the NVS-02 satellite, part of India’s second-generation Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) system.

The NVS-02 was successfully deployed into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) approximately 19 minutes post-launch. The organization later shared the onboard footage of the stage separation and satellite deployment on X (formerly Twitter).

🌍 A view like no other! Watch onboard footage from GSLV-F15 during the launch of NVS-02.

India’s space programme continues to inspire! 🚀 #GSLV #NAVIC #ISRO pic.twitter.com/KrrO3xiH1s

— ISRO (@isro) January 29, 2025

This satellite is designed to enhance navigation services across India and extends up to 1,500 kilometers beyond its borders.

With a lift-off mass of 2,250 kilograms, NVS-02 incorporates advanced technology, including a Rubidium Atomic Frequency Standard for precise timekeeping and navigation payloads operating on multiple frequency bands (L1, L5, and S bands).

This launch is particularly noteworthy as it showcases ISRO’s advancements in cryogenic technology. The GSLV-F15 is the 11th flight utilizing an indigenous cryogenic stage. The rocket’s payload fairing has a diameter of 3.4 meters and is crucial for increasing payload capacity during launches.

This historic launch reflects nearly five decades of progress since its first major launch in 1979. ISRO continues to inspire with its ambitious goals and commitment, such as Gaganyaan and Chandrayaan 4, to advance India’s position in global space endeavors through future space missions.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully completed its Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) mission, marking a significant milestone in India’s space capabilities. This achievement positions India alongside the United States, Russia, and China in demonstrating autonomous space docking and de-docking technologies.

Launched on December 30, 2024, aboard the PSLV-C60 rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, the SpaDeX mission deployed two small satellites: SDX-01 (Chaser) and SDX-02 (Target). Weighing 220 kg each, these satellites were placed in a 475 km circular orbit with a 3-second interval between deployments to maintain a safe distance of about 20 km.

Key Milestones

Docking (January 16, 2025): The two satellites successfully docked in low Earth orbit, validating ISRO’s docking technology for the first time.

Undocking (March 13, 2025): The satellites performed a successful de-docking maneuver, captured from both SDX-1 and SDX-2, offering a rare view of in-orbit separation.

Power Transfer Demonstration (April 21, 2025): A successful demonstration of power transfer between the docked satellites was accomplished, operating a heater element in one satellite via power from the other for approximately 4 minutes.

Mission Status as of August 2025

As of August 2025, the SpaDeX mission has concluded its primary objectives. The successful docking, undocking, and power transfer demonstrations have validated ISRO’s capabilities in autonomous space operations.

Plans for a second phase, SpaDeX-2, are underway, aiming to further advance India’s space docking technologies. A proposal for SpaDeX-2 is expected to be submitted to the government soon, with a potential launch within the next three years, subject to approval.

Significance for India’s Space Future

The SpaDeX mission is a critical step toward realizing India’s ambitious space goals, including the establishment of the Bharatiya Antariksha Station (BAS) and crewed lunar missions. By demonstrating autonomous docking and related technologies, ISRO has positioned India as a key player in global space exploration.

The success of SpaDeX underscores ISRO’s growing capabilities in complex space operations and its commitment to advancing India’s presence in space.

The Space Science and Technology Awareness Training (START) is a beginner-level certificate program offered by ISRO. It covers various aspects of space science, including astronomy and astrophysics, heliophysics and sun-Earth interaction, instrumentation, and aeronomy.

Who can apply?

• Indian students in their final year of undergraduate studies or any year of postgraduate studies.
• Fields of study: Physical sciences (physics and chemistry) and technology (electronics, computer science, mechanical, applied physics, radiophysics, optics & optoelectronics, instrumentation, and related subjects).

Requirements for Host Institutes

1. Lecture hall or auditorium with internet connectivity and projection facilities.
2. Ability to stream lectures through a videoconferencing platform.
3. Coordinator to select eligible candidates based on aptitude, academic performance, and venue capacity

Remember, only institutes, colleges, and universities in India can register for the full program, including the online merit examination. Individual students can participate in the program but won’t be eligible for the final exam.

Important Dates

• Institute registration deadline: January 30, 2025
• Student registration deadline: January 7, 2025
• Program duration: January 9 – 31, 2025

Program Details

• Daily 2-hour online classes from 9th January to 31st January 2025 on the ISRO E-CLASS platform (https://eclass.iirs.gov.in)
• Online test at the end of the program.

Program Certification

To receive a merit/participation certificate from ISRO, students must:

1. Attend at least 70% of the online sessions.
2. Score a minimum of 50% marks in the online examination.

(Note: The merit certification is to be received by the students who have registered under an ISRO-approved nodal center.)

How to Register for the ISRO START Program?

For Institutes/Colleges/Universities (Coordinators only)

Below are the steps to register your institute:

Step 1: Visit https://jigyasa.iirs.gov.in/registration

Step 2: The coordinator should fill in the required details and click on ‘Register.’

Step 3: Submit the institute’s details and wait for approval from ISRO/DOS.

Step 4: ISRO will evaluate the submitted institute details and approve them. Once approved, all nodal centers will receive their login credentials for the ISRO E-CLASS Coordinator Management System (CMS).

Step 5: After the institute is approved as an ISRO Nodal Centre, the students enrolled at the institute will be eligible to register for the program.

Step 6: Once you receive the student registration link, students can register through this link. Applications will be reviewed by the coordinator based on the students’ merit and academic performance. Approved students will then receive their login credentials for the ISRO E-CLASS Learning Management System (LMS).

For Individual Students

Below are the steps for individual student registration:

(Note: Individual registrants can attend live classes and receive a completion certificate but are not eligible for the merit examination.)

Step 1: Visit https://elearning.iirs.gov.in/edusatregistration/student

Step 2: Look for an account activation email in your inbox and click on ‘Activate your Account.

Step 3: Click on ‘Already Registered,’ enter your login credentials and complete the CAPTCHA, then click on ‘Login.’

Step 4: Choose the course you wish to enroll in, fill out the required details, and click on ‘Next.’

Step 5: Fill in the personal details and click ‘Save and Continue.’

Step 6: Fill in the educational details and click ‘Save and Continue.’

Step 7: Fill in the professional details, such as employment status, attach your photo and identification document, and click ‘Save and Continue.’

Step 8: Preview all your details thoroughly and click ‘Submit.’

Step 9: Once submitted, you will now be eligible to attend the live classes and receive a course completion certificate at the end of the program.

For more information, visit the Jigyasa Portal.

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has announced plans to launch an independent lunar space station, the Bharatiya Chandrama Antariksh Station, by 2040. The project aims to strengthen India’s presence in the global space economy and support long-term lunar exploration.

Dr. S. Somanath highlighted ISRO’s ambitious roadmap, including the Chandrayaan-4 mission and the Gaganyaan human spaceflight program. The Gaganyaan mission, India’s first crewed spaceflight, is scheduled no earlier than 2025, with uncrewed test flights planned by the end of this year.

ISRO has allocated Rs 2,104.06 crore for Chandrayaan-4 to advance lunar research. The planned lunar station will orbit the Moon, collect essential data for future missions, and facilitate international collaboration to study the lunar surface, including its structure and potential resources, according to the Indian Defence Research Wing (IDRW).

India achieved a major milestone on August 23, 2023, when Chandrayaan-3 successfully landed on the Moon’s south pole. This historic mission allowed ISRO to become the first organization to land in this unexplored region, providing critical data on seismic activity, thermo-physical properties, plasma environment, and elemental composition.

With projects like the Bharatiya Chandrama Antariksh Station and Chandrayaan-4, India continues to expand its capabilities in space exploration, contributing significant scientific knowledge and paving the way for future lunar missions.