[PDF] Science & Technology Current Affairs 2025–2026

written by Ranjan

This post provides important Science & Technology Current Affairs 2025–2026, including major missions, discoveries, research developments, and technological updates. These topics are especially useful for candidates preparing for SSC, RRB NTPC, UPSC, Railway, State PSC, and other competitive exams in India. These Science & Technology Current Affairs notes help in quick revision and understanding of important exam-relevant developments.

SpaDeX (Space Docking Experiment)

SpaDeX (Space Docking Experiment) is a low-cost technology demonstration mission developed by ISRO to test rendezvous, docking, and undocking technologies in space.

Two small spacecraft were used in this mission:

  • SDX01 (Chaser)
  • SDX02 (Target)

Each satellite weighs around 220 kg.

They were placed in a Low Earth Orbit at an altitude of 474 km with a 55° inclination.

Launch

  • 30 December 2024 – Launched using the PSLV-C60 rocket.
  • The two satellites were initially separated by 10–20 km and later performed rendezvous.

Docking

  • 16 January 2025 – Docking was successfully completed from a distance of 15 meters through precise maneuvering.

Undocking

  • 13 March 2025 – Successful undocking was carried out.

The mission was monitored from ground stations in Bengaluru, Lucknow, and Mauritius.

Payload

  • PS4-Orbital Experiment Module (POEM) was used, which is developed using the spent fourth stage of the PSLV rocket.

Significance

  • With this mission, India became the 4th country in the world to achieve space docking technology.
  • Previously, this capability existed only with USA, Russia, and China.

Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4)

Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) is a private crewed spaceflight mission sent to the International Space Station (ISS).

The mission was operated by Axiom Space in collaboration with SpaceX and NASA.

Launch

  • 25 June 2025, from Kennedy Space Center.

Crew Members

  • Commander: Peggy Whitson (USA) – Fifth spaceflight
  • Pilot: Shubhanshu Shukla (ISRO, India) – First spaceflight
  • Crew: Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland)
  • Crew: Tibor Kapu (Hungary)

Rocket: Falcon-9

Key Highlight

  • The mission tested the Crew Dragon Grace capsule, which will help in future Moon and Mars exploration missions.

Third Launch Pad

ISRO is developing a Third Launch Pad (TLP) at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.

It will be used for launching Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV) and other heavy rockets.

Objectives

  • Increase launch capacity
  • Support advanced rocket launches
  • Support the Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission

SSLV Launch Complex

A dedicated launch complex is being developed for the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV).

Location: Kulasekarapattinam, Tuticorin District, Tamil Nadu.

NISAR Mission

NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) is a joint satellite mission developed by NASA and ISRO.

Launch

  • 30 July 2025
  • Launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre.

Details

  • Weight: 2392 kg
  • Rocket: GSLV Mk II (GSLV-F16)

Special Features

  • It is the first Earth observation satellite with dual-frequency radar.
  • Uses L-band (24 cm) and S-band (12 cm) radar.

Orbit

  • 747 km Sun-synchronous orbit
  • Orbital period: 100 minutes
  • Repeat cycle: 12 days

ISRO Major Launches 2025

100th Launch

  • Mission: GSLV-F15 / NVS-02
  • Date: 29 January 2025
  • Payload: NavIC Navigation Satellite
  • Orbit: GTO
  • Mass: 2250 kg

101st Launch

  • Mission: PSLV-C61 / EOS-09
  • Date: 18 May 2025
  • Orbit: Sun-Synchronous Polar Orbit
  • Mass: 1696 kg

CROPS (Compact Research Module for Orbital Plant Studies)

CROPS is an unmanned experimental module developed to study plant growth in space.

CROPS-1 Mission

  • Aim: Study seed germination and plant growth in microgravity.

Platform

  • POEM-4
  • PSLV-C60 mission

Plant Used

  • Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata)

Space Analog Mission

ISRO conducted a Space Analog Mission in the Tso Kar Valley of Ladakh.

This mission simulates space-like environments on Earth to test technologies and conduct experiments for future space missions.

CMS-03 Communication Satellite

  • Launch Vehicle: LVM3-M5
  • Date: 2 November 2025
  • Satellite: CMS-03 (GSAT-7R)

Details

  • Weight: Approximately 4400 kg

Significance

  • It is the heaviest communication satellite launched from India.

Coverage

  • Covers the Indian Ocean Region and surrounding areas.

Operational Life

  • 15 years

New Exoplanet Discovery

Scientists at Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad discovered a new exoplanet.

Planet

TOI-6038A b

Features

  • Sub-Saturn sized planet
  • Mass: 78.5 Earth masses
  • Radius: 6.41 Earth radii

Samudrayaan Mission

Samudrayaan Mission is India’s deep ocean exploration mission.

Goal

  • Send 3 humans to a depth of 6000 meters underwater.

Operational Endurance

  • 12 hours

Emergency Support

  • 96 hours

Vehicle

MATSYA-6000

Developed By

NIOT (National Institute of Ocean Technology), Chennai

Scramjet Engine Test

DRDL Hyderabad successfully tested an Active-Cooled Scramjet combustor.

  • Ground testing lasted more than 1000 seconds.

India Space Vision

  • 2027: Gaganyaan – First human spaceflight
  • 2028: Chandrayaan-4 lunar sample return mission
  • 2032: NGLV reusable launch vehicle
  • 2035: Bharatiya Antariksha Station
  • 2040: Plan to send Indian astronauts to the Moon

SPHEREx Telescope

NASA plans to launch the SPHEREx Space Telescope.

Goal

  • Study the evolution of the universe after the Big Bang.

Mission

  • Map 450 million galaxies.

Awards & Achievements

Dr Tessy Thomas, known as the “Missile Woman of India”, received the 8th Dr Paulos Mar Gregorios Award 2025.

Skyroot Space Developments

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Skyroot Infinity Campus in Hyderabad.

The Vikram-I orbital rocket was also unveiled.

Earlier Development

  • 2022: Launch of Vikram-S sub-orbital rocket.

DRDO Rocket Sled Test

A high-speed rocket sled test was conducted for a fighter aircraft escape system.

Location

Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory, Chandigarh

Climate Research

Scientists from ARIES (Nainital) and ISRO SPL (Thiruvananthapuram) studied vertical air motion during the Asian Summer Monsoon.

BlueBird Block-2 Satellite

Launched using ISRO LVM3-M6 rocket.

Purpose

Provide direct-to-mobile satellite connectivity.

Hansa-3 (NG) Aircraft

Dr Jitendra Singh launched the indigenous trainer aircraft Hansa-3 (NG).

Features

  • Two-seater aircraft
  • Used for pilot training (PPL & CPL)

Galaxy Discovery

Scientists from NCRA-TIFR Pune discovered a new galaxy named Alaknanda.

GlowCas9

Scientists at the Bose Institute, Kolkata developed GlowCas9.

Feature

The protein glows during gene editing, helping scientists track the process.

Hydrogen Water Taxi

India’s first hydrogen-powered water taxi was launched.

Location

Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh

Built By

Cochin Shipyard Ltd

Indigenous Microprocessor

DHRUV64 – India’s first 1.0 GHz 64-bit RISC-V microprocessor.

Developed By

C-DAC

NASA MAVEN Mission

NASA’s MAVEN orbiter lost communication on 6 December 2025 while moving behind Mars.

Supercomputers

  • PARAM Rudra – IIT Patna
  • PARAM Shakti – IIT Madras

Other Important Updates

  • India Mobile Congress 2025 – New Delhi
  • International Astronautical Congress 2025 – Sydney
  • ACOSTI – Blue Economy projects launched
  • CSIR Scheme approved – ₹2277.397 crore
  • Dr Geetha Vani Rayasam – Director, CSIR-NIScPR
  • India’s space economy is projected to reach $44 billion by 2033