China successfully launches second satellite for global navigation system

September 23rd, 2009 NEW DELHI -Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday congratulated scientists of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for the successful launch of the Oceansat-2 satellite, saying it would herald a new beginning in our understanding of the oceans". I am delighted to learn that the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-C14 (PSLV-C14) launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, SHAR, Sriharikota has successfully launched India's Oceansat-2 satellite and six nano satellites from European Universities and agencies, he said in a message.

September 23rd, 2009 SRIHARIKOTA / NEW DELHI - Vice President Mohd Hamid Ansari greeted the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientists and technocrats for the splendid achievement of successfully launching PSLV C-14 on Wednesday. Ansari was present at the Satish Dhavan Space Centre SHAR to witness the launching of the seven satellites.

September 23rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - President Pratibha Patil today congratulated the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) team for the successful launch of Oceansat-2 satellite. Describing it as a proudest moment for the whole country, President Patil said this would herald a new beginning in understanding of the oceans.

September 18th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Chinese Defense Ministry has criticized US Defense Secretary Robert Gates for his "extremely irresponsible" words regarding China being one of America's main challengers. Gates had said that China's investments in cyber and anti-satellite warfare, anti-air and anti-ship weaponry, and ballistic missiles could threaten America's move to project power and help its allies in the Pacific.

September 9th, 2009 NEW DELHI - With most auto brands coming out with refurbished models, Ford India Wednesday joined the bandwagon to re-launch its sports utility vehicle (SUV) Endeavour. The new Endeavour, which will come in two variants, boasts of five speed automatic transmission and airbags on the sides in addition to those in front of the driver and passenger seats.

August 31st, 2009 India abandons satellite after losing contactNEW DELHI — India's space agency has abandoned the country's only satellite orbiting the moon after efforts to revive communication with it failed, an official said Monday. Communications with the Chandrayaan-1 satellite, which has been orbiting the moon for nearly a year, snapped Saturday and scientists lost control of the satellite.

August 12th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Promod Kale was today awarded the Aryabhatta award 2006 for his outstanding life-time contribution to the promotion of astronomy in India. Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Prithviraj Chavan gave the award to Kale at a function in New Delhi.

July 24th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The government has approved development of the advanced GSAT-11 communication satellite for augmenting telecommunication services in the country. The clearance for undertaking design and development of the Rs.5 billion satellite came late Thursday night in a meeting of the union cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

July 6th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Ahead of the G8 summit in Italy, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna Monday launched the website of the outreach partners, an important step that underlines increasing congruence among G5 countries which share common positions on key global issues.

April 23rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - US aerospace major Lockheed Martin has briefed the Indian Navy on its ship-mounted Aegis ballistic missile defence system and is also open to integrating it with indigenously developed armament, company officials said Thursday. 'We have briefed the Indian Navy on what is the only system that can cope with the highest state-of-the art threats,' Dan Howard, Lockheed Martin's senior advisor for Asia and Pacific affairs, said at a select media interaction here.

April 20th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Somnath Chatterjee, the speaker of the outgoing Lok Sabha, Monday congratulated the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for the successful launch of the RISAT-2 spy satellite and an educational satellite. 'The country is proud of ISRO scientists for this remarkable achievement, which will provide a boost to India's capabilities in a number of areas, including disaster management and in better management of cyclones, floods, agriculture-related activities,' Chatterjee said in his congratulatory message.

April 13th, 2009 NEW DELHI - China is all set to launch the second satellite, the Chinese version of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), into the orbit on Wednesday. This was announced by a spokesman of the Xichang Space Launch Center, in southwest China's Sichuan Province.

February 22nd, 2009 NEW DELHI - India should undertake a strategic and comprehensive review of its space programmes as quickly as possible given 'the military character and military functions' of China's space programme, a senior US expert in Asian military affairs said Saturday. Painting a 'horror picture' of China's rapidly expanding global military reach, Richard Fischer Jr., a senior fellow at the International Assessment and Strategy Center in the US, said Indian private universities should begin satellite or space development programmes as has been done in the United States.

January 5th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The upgrade of the 120 Soviet-origin MiG-27 fighter bomber aircraft, which began in 2002, has been successfully completed indigenously, giving the aircraft better navigational technology and a pilot friendly cockpit, a senior official said Tuesday. The project was initiated in the year 2002 through a tripartite memorandum of understanding between Defence Avionics Research Establishment (DARE) under the aegis of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) Nasik and the Indian Air Force.

December 23rd, 2008 NEW DELHI - The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Wednesday said the design for Chandrayaan II has been completed and it will be launched by 2012. 'The designs for Chandrayaan II have been completed and we hope to launch it by 2012,' ISRO chairperson G.