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  Astronomers discover 3 planets orbiting younger Sun-like star

  February 13, 2021 12:59 IST

  Archival infrared data from NASA's Near-Earth Object Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer (NEOWISE) satellite suggests the system retains a cool disk of dust and rocky debris.

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  Most people are naturally armed against COVID-19, study finds

  February 12, 2021 16:59 IST

  The researchers noted that neutralising antibodies that specifically target the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein -- which the virus uses to enter human cells -- are thought to be essential for controlling it.

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  Chinese spacecraft nearing Mars, world’s second in 2 days

  February 10, 2021 16:16 IST

  ​A Chinese spacecraft appears poised to enter orbit around Mars, one day after an orbiter from the United Arab Emirates did so and about a week ahead of an American attempt to put down another spacecraft on the surface of the red planet.  

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  UAE spacecraft enters orbit around Mars in historic flight

  February 09, 2021 22:55 IST

  A spacecraft from the United Arab Emirates swung into orbit around Mars on Tuesday in a triumph for the Arab world’s first interplanetary mission.  

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  UAE's 'Hope' probe set to reach Mars orbit today

  February 09, 2021 10:43 IST

  The United Arab Emirates' first mission to Mars, the "Hope" probe is set to reach the Red Planet's orbit on Tuesday.

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  Experimental drug can speed up COVID-19 recovery: Study

  February 08, 2021 18:36 IST

  Scientists have found that an experimental antiviral drug can significantly speed up recovery in COVID-19 patients who do not need hospitalisation, an advance that may lead to better interventions to treat those infected with the novel coronavirus. 

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  Next stop Mars for UAE, China, NASA as 3 spacecraft arriving in quick succession

  February 08, 2021 11:27 IST

  After hurtling hundreds of millions of miles through space since last summer, three robotic explorers are ready to hit the brakes at Mars.

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  Study sheds light on coronavirus evolution during treatment of chronic infection

  February 07, 2021 10:33 IST

  Treatment of a COVID-19 patient who had a suppressed immune system with convalescent plasma coincided with the emergence of different variants of the novel coronavirus, says a new case study.

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  China's space probe captures first image of Mars

  February 07, 2021 8:13 IST

  China's space probe Tianwen-1 has sent back the first image of Mars that it captured from a distance of 2.2 million km from the Red Planet.

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  Japan scientists to study source of high heat on asteroid

  February 05, 2021 17:29 IST

  ​Japanese space experts said Thursday they will examine soil samples brought back from a distant asteroid in an attempt to find the source of heat that altered the celestial body, in their search for clues to the origin of the solar system and life on Earth.  

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  Brazilian, Indian startup satellite in ISRO's first mission in 2021 on February 28

  February 05, 2021 14:09 IST

  In its first mission in 2021, India's space agency ISRO planned to launch on February 28 Brazilian satellite Amazonia-1 and three Indian payloads, including one built by a home-grown start-up.

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  NASA plans to launch Mars ice mapping mission

  February 05, 2021 8:03 IST

  NASA, in collaboration with three international partners, is planning to launch a robotic Mars ice mapping mission, which could help the agency identify potential science objectives for initial human missions to Mars.

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  Scientists decode how coronavirus mutates, escapes antibodies

  February 04, 2021 18:29 IST

  The spike protein is the part of the coronavirus which enables it to infect host cells, and is also the segment of the virus against which the body produces neutralising antibodies.

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  SpaceX’s 2nd Starship test flight ends with another kaboom

  February 04, 2021 17:09 IST

  The full-scale stainless steel rocket reached its intended altitude of 6.2 miles (10 kilometers), slightly lower than the last one. Everything seemed to be going well as the 160-foot (50-meter) Starship flipped on its side and began its descent. But it did not manage to straighten itself back up in time for a landing and slammed into the ground.

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  Study finds COVID-19 vaccine may reduce virus transmission

  February 04, 2021 7:58 IST

  AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine shows a hint that it may reduce transmission of the virus and offers strong protection for three months on just a single dose, researchers said Wednesday in an encouraging turn in the campaign to suppress the outbreak.

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  Multi-year effort to upgrade space station batteries bears fruit

  February 04, 2021 7:15 IST

  After 13 different astronauts conducted 14 spacewalks over several years, the primary power system of the International Space Station (ISS) has now been fully upgraded to lithium-ion technology, NASA has said.

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  SpaceX Mars prototype rocket explodes upon landing

  February 03, 2021 7:25 IST

  The rocket's three engines ignited, turned off, and then re-ignited for the landing as planned, however, the rocket burst into a fireball when it returned to the launch pad. 

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  UK variant of Covid-19 has mutated again: Scientist

  February 02, 2021 19:43 IST

  Scientists have found that the Kent variant of Covid-19, which has been spreading around the UK, appears to be undergoing some worrying new genetic changes.

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  Antarctica's ice melt isn't consistent: Study

  February 02, 2021 12:52 IST

  Models that predict sea-level rise are typically built around the assumption that ice is melting from the world's largest ice fields in Antarctica and Greenland at a consistent rate.

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  US billionaire to buy SpaceX flight to orbit with 3 others, take crew on mountain expedition

  February 02, 2021 10:55 IST

  While Isaacman and his wife, Monica, managed to keep his space trip hush-hush over the months, their daughters couldn’t. The girls, ages 7 and 4, overheard their parents discussing the flight last year and told their teachers.

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  SpaceX to launch world's first all-civilian astronaut mission to orbit in late 2021

  February 02, 2021 6:31 IST

  SpaceX announced on Monday that it will launch four private individuals on a Crew Dragon capsule into orbit around the Earth, dubbed as "the world's first all-civilian mission." It is scheduled to launch in the fourth quarter of 2021. 

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  Indian-American Bhavya Lal appointed Acting Chief of Staff of NASA

  February 02, 2021 12:15 IST

  Indian-American Bhavya Lal was on Monday appointed by NASA as the Acting Chief of Staff of the US space agency. Lal served as a member of the Biden Presidential Transition Agency Review Team for the agency and oversaw the agency’s transition under the administration of President Joe Biden.

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  Budget 2021: Govt allocates Rs 13,949 crore to Space Dept as India preps up for Gaganyaan launch

  February 01, 2021 17:43 IST

  After a steep cut last year, the Department of Space has been allocated Rs 13,949 crore in this Budget, of which Rs 8,228 crore have been earmarked for capital expenditure.

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  NASA's Perseverance rover to land on Mars next month

  January 31, 2021 17:05 IST

  Launched on July 30 last year, the rover is currently closing that distance at 2.5 kilometres per second, NASA said.

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  Scientists decode how coronavirus damages lung cells within hours

  January 31, 2021 16:48 IST

  In the research, published in the journal Molecular Cell, the scientists simultaneously infected tens of thousands of lab-grown human lung cells with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and tracked what happens in these cells during the moments after infection.

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  SpaceX targets April 20 to launch 4 astronauts to space station

  January 31, 2021 14:50 IST

  SpaceX is targeting April 20 for the launch of the second crew rotation mission for NASA that will launch four astronauts aboard a Crew Dragon spacecraft on a Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station.

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  First private space station crew paying $55 million each to fly on a SpaceX rocket

  January 27, 2021 18:17 IST

  The first private space station crew was introduced Tuesday: Three men who are each paying $55 million to fly on a SpaceX rocket. They’ll be led by a former NASA astronaut now working for Axiom Space, the Houston company that arranged the trip for next January.  

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  ‘Next-gen’ COVID-19 vaccines may be needed to tackle emerging variants, say scientists 

  January 27, 2021 17:57 IST

  The spread of COVID-19 variants is not an immediate problem but it’s time already for next-gen preventives to tackle them, say scientists as countries fine-tune their vaccine dissemination programmes and the race to put more vaccines in the market gathers pace.