NewsBytes

The heaviest communication satellite to be launched from the Indian soil onboard a new generation, homegrown 'Bahubali' rocket was successfully placed into the intended orbit on Sunday, ISRO said. The communication satellite CMS-03, weighing 4,410 kg was flown on a LVM3-M5 rocket enabling the Indian space agency accomplish this rare feat. CMS-03 is a multi-band communication satellite and would provide services over a wide oceanic region including the Indian landmass, according to ISRO. The satellite was placed in the desired Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). It is also a replacement to the GSAT 7 series, launched in 2013. ISRO Chairman V Narayanan said the launch vehicle successfully injected the communication satellite in the required orbit.  Prior to Sunday's launch, the Indian space agency has been utilising the services of Kourou launch base in French Guiana by Ariane rockets offered by France-based Arianespace, for launching heavier satellites.

ISRO scientists have carried out a new experiment on the indigenously developed C25 cryogenic stage of the LVM3-M5 rocket which successfully placed the Communication Satellite CMS-03 into the intended orbit on Sunday, said its Chairman V Narayanan. Addressing from the Mission Control Centre after the successful launch, Narayanan said the scientists had reignited the thrust chamber in the C25 cryogenic stage of the 43.5 metre tall rocket after reaching the desired orbit. "I also would like to announce an important experiment that we have carried out. The indigenously developed C25 cryogenic stage for the first time, after successfully injecting into the orbit, we have successfully reignited the thrust chamber," the Chairman said. The reignition of the thrust chamber would allow scientists to inject multiple satellites into various orbits in future missions, he said. The Mission Director of LVM3, T Victor Joseph, said the ISRO scientists have demonstrated the reignition of the cryogenic engine.

The one-year-old National Conference government is all set to operate from Jammu Monday onwards for the next six months, marking the revival of the centuries-old tradition of ‘Darbar Move' after a gap of four years. The civil secretariat and other offices, which closed in Srinagar on October 30 and 31, will start functioning from the winter capital on November 3 under the biannual 'Darbar Move', a practice which was discontinued by the Lt Governor in 2021. Elaborate arrangements have been made for the smooth reopening of the offices, including security, accommodation and transport facilities for employees who shifted from Srinagar to Jammu, officials said. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and most of the employees travelled by road from Srinagar to Jammu to attend their offices here on Monday, the first winter session of the government in the region after the restoration of the 'Darbar Move', they said. 'Darbar Move', introduced by Dogra rulers nearly 150 years ago, was stopped by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha in June 2021, citing the administration's complete transition to e-office, which could help save Rs 200 crore per year.

A large group of Chinese dancers staged “Adi Kavya-The First Poem,” a dance drama based on the translation of Ramayana by noted Chinese scholar late Prof Ji Xianlin. The drama, directed by the Chinese Bharatanatyam exponent Jin Shanshan and featuring a cast of over 50 talented local performers, was held at the Indian Embassy here on Saturday. A large audience watched what the Indian mission described as a “stunning cultural confluence” in a post on X. This is the second time the dance drama was staged in Beijing; the first time being in January this year. Last month, the Embassy organised a symposium on 'Sangamam-A Confluence of Indian philosophical traditions' in which noted Chinese scholars spoke on Bhagavad Gita and Indian civilisational values.