NASA spots silent Opportunity rover on Mars
Washington, Sep 26 : A NASA Mars orbiter has spotted the agency's Opportunity rover on the Red Planet for the first time since it went into hibernation after a dust storm swept over the region a little more than 100 days ago and blocked sunlight from reaching the rover.
A high-resolution camera aboard NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) captured the image of the rover on the slopes of the Red Planet's Perseverance Valley, NASA said in a statement on Tuesday.
But the future of Opportunity is still in limbo as NASA has still not heard from the 14-year-old solar-powered rover. The image of the rover, taken on September 20, was produced from about 267 kilometres above the Martian surface.
The image showed that the dust storm over Perseverance Valley has substantially cleared.
NASA scientists estimated that the tau -- a measurement of how much sunlight reaches the surface -- over Opportunity to be a little higher than 10 during some points during the dust storm.
The higher the tau, the less sunlight is available.
The tau has steadily fallen in the last several months. On September 20, tau was estimated to be about 1.3 by MRO's Mars Color Imager camera.
According to scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California, Opportunity will need a tau of less than 2.0 before the solar-powered rover will be able to recharge its batteries.
No signal from Opportunity has been heard since june 10.
In an attempt to talk to the rover, the Opportunity team is increasing the frequency of commands it beams to the rover via the dishes of NASA's Deep Space Network from three times a week to multiple times per day.
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K'taka govt, Taiwan's Allegiance Group sign MoU to establish industrial technology innovation park
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka government on Friday signed an MoU with Allegiance International Co Ltd of Taiwan to establish an Indo-Taiwan Industrial Technology Innovation Park (ITIP) in the state, with a proposed investment of around Rs 1,000 crore.
The MoU was signed by Rahul Sharanappa Sankanur, Director, Department of Electronics, IT, BT and Lawrence Chen, VP, Allegiance Group in the presence of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Minister for Electronics, IT & BT Priyank Kharge, and senior officials.
The project will be undertaken by the Allegiance Group with a proposed investment of around Rs 1,000 crore, leading to the creation of about 800 direct jobs via the companies setting up operations in ITIP over a period of 5 years, the IT&BT Minister's office said in a statement.
The ITIP will serve as a dedicated hub for Taiwanese companies in electronics and semiconductors, fostering advanced manufacturing, R&D, and innovation. This collaboration aims to strengthen Karnataka's position as India's leading destination for Electronics System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM) and accelerate the growth of the semiconductor ecosystem in the state.
Key highlights of the MoU include establishment of a world-class industrial park to house Taiwanese firms in electronics and semiconductor sectors; development of a robust supply chain ecosystem for components, PCBs, and chip design; creation of high-value jobs and skill development programmes in collaboration with academic institutions; and promotion of technology transfer and global best practices to enhance India's competitiveness in electronics manufacturing.
CM Siddaramaiah said this partnership marks a significant step towards realising Karnataka's vision of becoming a global hub for electronics and semiconductor innovation.
"The ITIP will attract cutting-edge technology and investments, creating opportunities for our youth and strengthening India's position in the global value chain," he said.
Minister Priyank Kharge said Karnataka has led India's technology revolution and continues to dominate in innovation, deep-tech talent, and semiconductor design.
"This partnership will accelerate our efforts to build a robust electronics and semiconductor ecosystem. We are committed to creating a level playing field and ensuring that Karnataka remains the preferred destination for global investors in advanced technologies," he said.
Lawrence Chen said, "We are excited to collaborate with Karnataka, a state known for its technology leadership. The ITIP will be a catalyst for Taiwanese companies to expand in India and contribute to the growth of the semiconductor and electronics ecosystem."
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