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Saturday, February 21, 2026
TopicSpacecraft

Topic: Spacecraft

A 1972 Soviet-era spacecraft never reached Venus. Stuck in space for 50 yrs, it’s now crashing back down

ScientiFix, our weekly feature, offers you a summary of the top global science stories of the week, with links to their sources.

Texas-based firm achieves first moon landing in more than half a century with private spacecraft

The six-legged robot lander, dubbed Odysseus, touched down at about 6:23 pm EST (2323 GMT), the company and NASA commentators said.

Japan working on 1st ever biodegradable satellite, made of magnolia wood

Kyoto University engineers plan to launch the tiny wooden satellite, LignoSat, to reduce space pollution. It is expected to fly this yr and operate in space for at least 6 months.

Chandrayaan-3 shows more than just ISRO’s excellence. It’s the STEM catalyst India needed

Having millions of young Indians enthusiastically engaging with science and technology is a huge return on investment on a mission like Chandrayaan-3. It will create several ripple effects.

China sends off Chang’e-4 for historic mission to the far side of the moon

Expected to land in January, Chang’e-4 will be the world’s first spacecraft to land on the side of the moon that faces away from Earth.

On Camera

Youth Congress, your foolish protest helped the Modi govt climb out of the AI summit hole

In tactical terms, the shirtless protest was worse than a self-goal. Suddenly, the fiascos of the AI Summit were forgotten, and the Youth Congress’s disruption became the issue.

In the West, there’s anxiety. In India, optimism—Rishi Sunak says India poised to be leader in AI

On Wednesday, the former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was speaking in New Delhi at a Carnegie & Observer Research Foundation event on AI.

MoD, IAF agree on some exemptions to HAL for Tejas Mk1A, but no compromise on ‘must-have’ capabilities

IAF is fine with accepting the aircraft with 'must-haves', even if some other steps remain pending, which may take at least another year, it is learnt.

No country is ever fully sovereign. Cold War era taught India its real meaning

India’s fraught neighbourhood places multiple constraints on its strategic choices. It leaves no time to take a deep breath, lean back and reset.