ISRO deems Skyroot’s static test of KALAM 1200 solid motor a success
Skyroot Aerospace successfully completed the first static test of its KALAM 1200 solid motor, the first stage of its Vikram-1 launch vehicle, at ISRO’s Sriharikota facility.
The test marks a significant milestone, validating the 11m-long, 1.7m-diameter monolithic composite motor that carries 30t of propellant. With the motor created in line with India’s Space Policy 2023 to foster private sector growth, this achievement readies Vikram-1 for its maiden flight and boosts India’s space economy.
NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer moon mission ends after spacecraft lost contact just one day post-launch
NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer satellite, which lost contact just a day after its launch on Feb 26, was officially declared lost on July 31. The satellite was meant to map Lunar water. Initial data suggested that misoriented solar arrays caused battery depletion.
Despite global efforts to reestablish communication, the craft spun slowly into deep space, making recovery impossible. The mission’s loss is a setback for low-cost lunar science, but its technologies may aid future attempts to study the Moon’s water.
Optia and Patero unveil post-quantum-enabled GPU compute platform
Optia and Patero, US startups both, have launched an industry-first GPU compute platform equipped with post-quantum encryption, designed for defense and edge applications, Quatum Insider reports.
The platform integrates Patero’s CryptoQoR post-quantum cryptography with Optia’s high-performance compute hardware, ensuring protection for AI/ML, ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance), and tactical edge workloads against both current and future quantum cyber threats.
Stanford scientists advance knowhow that slows neurodegeneration, promising future therapies for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
Stanford University researchers have developed a breakthrough technique to replace damaged brain immune cells (microglia) in mice, dramatically improving lifespan and motor function.
By using a sequence of microglia depletion, targeted brain irradiation, and immune suppression, over 85 percent of brain microglia were successfully replaced by healthy donor cells, with treated mice living up to 250 days versus 135 for controls. The transplanted cells restored critical enzymes to neurons, offering hope for “off the shelf” therapies treating rare genetic disorders and more common neurodegenerative diseases.
Alien meteorite mineral upends the rules of heat conduction with hybrid crystal-glass properties
Columbia University scientists have discovered a rare mineral in a centuries-old meteorite that defies traditional heat conduction rules, exhibiting both crystal and glass traits, SciTechDaily reports.
Uniquely, it maintains constant heat flow across temperature changes, unlike usual materials whose conductivity varies. AI and quantum physics confirmed its hybrid atomic structure and stable thermal properties between 80K and 380K. This discovery could advance heat management tech in electronics, steel production, and aerospace, potentially making processes more efficient and reducing carbon footprints in critical industries.
Self-adaptive electrolytes could transform fast-charging, high-energy batteries
University of Maryland researchers introduced self-adaptive electrolytes that expand their electrochemical stability window as batteries charge, overcoming the key trade-off between fast charging and high energy density, Tech Xplore reports.
Inspired by phase equilibrium theory and the ‘salting-out’ effect, these ternary electrolytes sit at the cloud point and undergo localized phase separation in response to salt concentration gradients created during charging. Tested in zinc-metal and lithium-metal batteries, they achieved exceptional efficiency and improved stability, promising quicker, safer, and longer-lasting batteries for future electric vehicles and devices.
Aira raises €150 million to commercialise clean heat pump technology
Aira, a startup in Sweden, has raised €150 million in equity from existing backers including Altor, Kinnevik, Lingotto, and Temasek to scale up clean heating across Europe, Tech Funding News reports.
The funds will help Aira expand production at its Polish factory, boost growth in Germany, Italy, and the UK, and invest in R&D for innovative heat pumps. With 130 million gas boilers still operating and heating accounting for 10 percent of Europe’s emissions, Aira’s high-efficiency heat pumps aim to replace gas systems, cut costs by 40 percent, and drive rapid decarbonisation.
MIT spinout Strand Therapeutics raises $153 million to develop programmable mRNA therapies
Strand Therapeutics, founded by MIT grads Jake Becraft and Tasuku Kitada, has raised $153 million in Series B funding led by Kinnevik, bringing its total investments to $250 million and valuing the company at $550 million.
The funding will advance their lead candidate, STX-001, a programmable mRNA therapy, engineered to express interleukin-12 in tumours, helping the immune system better target and attack cancer. Early Phase 1 results show strong safety and anti-tumour activity in treatment-resistant cases, promising to advance cancer therapy.
Eyestem Research raises $10 million to advance clinical trials for eye disease therapy
Eyestem Research, in Bengaluru, has raised $10 million in Series B funding led by Raju Barwale and Alkem Laboratories’ Sandeep Singh, Entrackr reports. The funds will help Eyestem complete an ongoing Phase 2 clinical trial in India and support US FDA IND application preparations.
Founded in 2015, Eyestem is developing Eyecyte-RPE, a therapy targeting geographic atrophy from dry age-related macular degeneration using retinal cells derived from stem cells. The company previously raised $9.95 million and competes with Lineage Cell Therapeutics and Voyager Therapeutics.
Ultraviolette raises $21 million from Japan’s TDK to power global expansion
Ultraviolette Automotive, led by founders Narayan Subramaniam and Niraj Rajmohan, has raised $21 million in an all-equity round led by Japan’s TDK Corporation to step up international growth. The Bengaluru-based maker of the F77 sports electric motorcycle plans to quadruple its European reach, enter Latin America and Southeast Asia, and offer 14 models by early 2027, TechCrunch reports.
Known for its tech-focused F77 electric motorcycle, Ultraviolette will scale Indian and global manufacturing, boost R&D, and expand retail from 20 to 100 cities with advanced batteries and connectivity features.
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