TechPark.net

ISRO To Launch 10 Satellites Together

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch ten satellites, including eight from abroad, which will be carried by PSLV-C9, on April 28 from Sriharikota.

The cluster of satellites being carried on board the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-C9 will also include the advanced remote sensing satellite, Cartosat-2A, which will carry high resolution stereo cameras and scientific instruments and will have intelligence gathering functions.

This will mark the first time that ISRO will attempt a simultaneous launch of ten satellites, ISRO officials said.

The mission will also see the launch of eight micro-satellites. The 5-20 kg satellites have been provided by three European countries, as well as from Canada.

The satellites would be ejected into a 635 km orbit. Cartosat-2A, which is of one metre resolution, would be used for mapping purposes and management of natural resources.

The second Indian satellite of the cluster, weighing 85 kg, was an experimental remote sensing satellite. It would also be used as a platform for trying out advanced technology during the coming launches, the official said.

The launch is scheduled at 0920 hrs from ISRO’s launch port Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh on 28 April. ISRO considers the launch very important as it was a major step forward in its commercial launch operations.

Technically also, it is an important mission, as satellites have to be put at the right time in precise orbit one by one.

Share/Bookmark This

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

Posted in Innovative, Future, Sky, Research, Space, Science, Trends | 1 Comment »

Modu Mini Phone: Worlds Lightest And Smallest Phone

Everyday there is a new mobile phone model is being released in to the market. Some are trendy, some are smart and well designed and loaded with hundreds of features.

Did you ever wanted to have a phone that’s just a phone. Here comes the lightest and smallest phone: Modu Mini phone. You can think of Modu as an expanded SIM card. It can make a call, send text messages, and hold a contact list—the bare minimum required to be a mobile phone. That is why it is so small—about the size of an iPod Nano.

This Modu Mini Phone is a modular phone, that can be slipped into different device jackets —like an MP3 player, a GPS device, a bigger cell phone, car stereo, or a digital camera. (Although, it will initially only support GPRS, which is slow. Another drawback—there is no WiFi.) In a camera, for instance, Modu can be used to send pictures over the wireless network. (Although, it will initially only support GPRS, which is slow. Another drawback—there is no WiFi.)

Share/Bookmark This

Posted in Telecoms, Smart Phone, Networking, Future, Innovative, Ideas, Gadgets, Mobiles, Embedded, Digital Camera, First | No Comments »

Research: Bacteria Capable Of Generating Electricity

Researchers at the University of Minnesota studying bacteria capable of generating electricity have discovered that riboflavin (commonly known as vitamin B-2) is responsible for much of the energy produced by these organisms.

The bacteria, Shewanella, are commonly found in water and soil and are of interest because they can convert simple organic compounds (such as lactic acid) into electricity, according to Daniel Bond and Jeffrey Gralnick, of the University of Minnesota’s BioTechnology Institute and department of microbiology, who led the research effort.

The discovery means Shewanella can produce more power simply by increased riboflavin levels. Also, the finding opens up multiple possibilities for innovations in renewable energy and environmental clean-up. The research is published in the March 3 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Share/Bookmark This

Posted in Future, Energy, Innovative, Biology, Science, Research, Trends | 2 Comments »

US Navy Shoots Down The Crippled Spy Satellite Using Missile

The U.S. Navy successfully blasted a wayward satellite with a heat-seeking missile over the Pacific Ocean Wednesday evening, defense officials announced in a press release. A missile launched from a Navy ship struck a dying U.S. spy satellite passing 130 miles over the Pacific on Wednesday.

The satellite USA-193, also known as NROL-21, was launched into orbit Dec. 14, 2006. Shortly after it reached orbit, ground controllers lost contact with it. Though the satellite’s objective is secret, many figure it is a high-resolution radar satellite intended to produce images for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO).

The Pentagon submitted orders to shoot down the spacecraft because they said its fuel tank could survive atmospheric reentry and spew 1,000 pounds (454 kilograms) of toxic hydrazine gas over an area about the size of two football fields. The initial view of missile strike indicates it probably did hit the spacecraft’s fuel tank, a defense official said, but whether or not the threat was completely eliminated is unknown at this time.

Share/Bookmark This

Posted in Sky, Astronomy, Future, Research, Science, Space, Science Fiction, Trends | No Comments »

Wireless Energy Transfer Possibility

Wireless energy transfer has been thought about for decades by scientists all over the world. There were many experiments done and some are successfully till some extent.

In 2007, US researchers have successfully tested an experimental system to deliver power to devices without the need for wires.

The experimental setup consisted of two 60cm (2ft) diameter copper coils, a transmitter attached to a power source and a receiver placed 2m (7ft) away and attached to a light bulb. WiTricity, as it is called, exploits simple physics and could be adapted to charge other devices such as laptops.

The bulb was even made to glow when obstructions such as wood, metal and electronic devices were placed between the two coils.

“There is nothing in this that would have prevented them inventing this 10 or even 20 years ago,” commented Professor Sir John Pendry of Imperial College London who has seen the experiments.

Read the rest of this entry »

Share/Bookmark This

Posted in Innovative, Future, Energy, Ideas, Science, Gadgets, Trends, Technology | No Comments »

Body Heat Could Charge Your Cellphone

Scientists believe to have discovered a much more efficient way to use silicon to convert heat into electricity – for use in a variety of products ranging from cars to portable electronics.

The concept of converting waste heat into electricity isn’t exactly new, but it never really materialized due to efficiency hurdles. Now, scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and the University of California at Berkeley think they may have found a key increase the conversion efficiency by a factor of 100.

Imagine a time in which you would not have to plug in your cellphone or iPod over night to recharge the battery. Instead you would power and charge a device simply by wearing it close to your body. Few months back there was an announcement by Samsung which hinted the possibility of water powered mobiles.

Read more here.

Share/Bookmark This

Posted in Smart Phone, Future, Innovative, Research, Mobiles, Gadgets | 1 Comment »