Japan launches rocket carrying lunar lander and X-ray telescope to explore origins of universe
[6:28 am, 07/09/2023] umer sattar MI: TOKYO (AP) —
Japan successfully launched a rocket on Thursday, carrying both an X-ray telescope aimed at unraveling the mysteries of the universe and a compact lunar lander. The momentous event was broadcast live by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, also known as JAXA.
As the HII-A rocket ascended from the Tanegashima Space Center in southwestern Japan, viewers around the world witnessed a spectacular liftoff, accompanied by plumes of smoke, before the rocket soared over the Pacific Ocean.
Approximately thirteen minutes after liftoff, the rocket placed the X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) satellite into orbit around Earth. XRISM's primary mission is to analyze the velocity and composition of the intergalactic space, shedding light on the formation of celestial objects and potentially uncovering the enigma of the universe's origin, according to JAXA.
In collaboration with NASA, JAXA plans to examine various aspects of space, including the intensity of light at different wavelengths, the temperature of celestial bodies, and their shapes and luminosity, all contributing to our deeper understanding of the cosmos.
David Alexander, the director of Rice Space Institute at Rice University, underscores the significance of this mission in unlocking insights into hot plasma, the superheated matter prevalent in the universe. Plasmas hold vast potential for diverse applications, from wound healing to semiconductor manufacturing and environmental cleanup.
"Understanding the spatial and temporal distribution of hot plasma, along with its dynamic behavior, will illuminate a wide range of phenomena, including black holes, the evolution of chemical elements in the universe, and the formation of galactic clusters," noted Alexander.
Accompanying this Japanese rocket is the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM), a lightweight lunar lander. SLIM won't reach lunar orbit until three or four months after the launch and is likely to attempt a landing early next year, as per the space agency's schedule.
The lander successfully separated from the rocket approximately 45 minutes after liftoff and is on course for a moon landing. JAXA workers celebrated with applause and exchanged bows at their observation facility.
JAXA is actively developing "pinpoint landing technology" for future lunar and planetary probes. While previous landings have often missed their targets by more than 10 kilometers (6 miles), the Smart Lander aims to be highly precise, within about 100 meters (330 feet) of the intended landing site, according to JAXA official Shinichiro Sakai.
This precision allows for safer landings by finding more suitable locations.
This mission coincides with a renewed global interest in lunar exploration. Only four nations have successfully landed on the moon: the U.S., Russia, China, and India. India recently achieved a moon landing near the south pole, while Russia faced difficulties in its moon return attempt. A Japanese private company, ispace, had a lunar lander crash during an April landing attempt.
Japan's space program has encountered recent setbacks, including an aborted H3 rocket launch due to a glitch in February. However, Japan's ambitions to send a Japanese astronaut to the moon are evident as they recruit astronaut candidates for the first time in 13 years.
The allure of lunar exploration has captivated humanity for decades, with the historic Apollo moonwalk by astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin in 1969. Following NASA's last human mission to the moon in 1972, human lunar missions seemed to diminish, giving way to robotic exploration.
[7:17 am, 07/09/2023] Nasir Abbas Shah: Sir @Ahmed Awan Multan 2 please share news as early as possible.
[7:23 am, 07/09/2023] Ahmed Awan Multan 2: 1st Revised Economic News
By Ahmed Awan
FBR sets ambitious target for tax net expansion
ISLAMABAD: Paki¬stan’s top tax machinery has set new ambitious targets for the current fiscal year to expand the taxpayer base and get more retailers integrated into the Point-of-Sale (POS) system of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).
In FY23, the FBR claimed that 182,000 new taxpayers had joined the tax system.
In a briefing to the Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar on Wednesday, the FBR held out an assurance to the premier that it would bring one million new taxpayers on the tax roll and 20,000 retailers to the POS system by the end of June 2024.
It was further stated that the POS coverage is also being extended to more cities.
The meeting was further told that a strategy is being made for the Integrated Transit Trade Management System. The work on customs digitization is going on and the Pakistan Single Window is being connected with more government institutions. The government has set a revenue target of Rs9.415 trillion for FY24. In the first two months, it collected Rs1.207tr exceeding the projected target of Rs1.182tr by 2.11pc.
Regarding domestic tax collection, the meeting was informed that 38.7pc growth was seen in FY24 as compared to the previous fiscal year.
An official announcement issued after the meeting said that the premier directed that all relevant institutions should work together for tax reforms. He emphasized the need to improve relations between the federation and the provinces regarding tax documentation.