NASA astronaut Anil Menon and Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk completed a six-hour, 59-minute spacewalk to install the final solar array on the International Space Station (ISS). The operation marks the completion of a solar power upgrade programme launched in 2021 to increase the Station’s electricity generation capacity. The additional power will support more scientific research and help extend the ISS’s operational capabilities. The technology could also provide valuable insights for developing solar power systems for future space missions. NASA astronauts Luke Delaney and Jessica Watkins operated the Canadarm2 robotic arm during the operation, while Canadian astronaut Jenni Gibbons served as capsule communicator from NASA’s Johnson Space Centre.

India on Thursday successfully test-fired its indigenously developed quasi-ballistic missile Pralay from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast, the Defence Ministry said. Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the short-range surface-to-surface missile can carry conventional warheads weighing 500–1,000 kg. The solid-propellant missile uses advanced guidance and navigation systems for high-precision strikes and can carry multiple warhead types against different targets. The test, conducted at 11:10 am as part of user evaluation trials, met all stipulated objectives, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said. He called the successful trial another significant milestone in strengthening India’s indigenous defence capabilities and praised DRDO, the armed forces and industry partners. (PC: Times Now)

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched its next-generation navigation satellite NVS-03 aboard the GSLV-F18 rocket, strengthening India's indigenous satellite navigation system, NavIC. The launch took place at 11:51 pm on Friday from the Second Launch Pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. More than 20 minutes after liftoff, the rocket deployed NVS-03 into its intended orbit. ISRO chief Dr V Narayanan, who monitored the mission, announced its successful completion and congratulated the engineers and industry involved. The launch marks a step towards enhancing India's independent navigation capabilities, with potential significance for national security, preparedness and reliable positioning services.

Indian theoretical physicist Ashoke Sen has won the 2026 Oskar Klein Medal, becoming the first Indian to receive the honour. Sen is a professor at the International Centre for Theoretical Sciences in Bengaluru. He was recognised for his pioneering work on string theory, black hole entropy and string field theory. The medal is awarded annually by Stockholm University and the Nobel Committee for Physics of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. Sen received the award and delivered a lecture titled “Gravity from Strings and Strings from Gravity” in Stockholm on October 22. Previous recipients include Stephen Hawking and Peter Higgs. (PC: India Today)

Indian theoretical physicist Ashoke Sen has become the first Indian to receive the 2026 Oskar Klein Medal for his contributions to string theory. Sen is a professor at the International Centre for Theoretical Sciences (ICTS) in Bengaluru. His research helped show how 5 string theories, once considered separate, could be different forms of a single underlying theory. He received the medal and delivered a lecture titled “Gravity from Strings and Strings from Gravity” at Stockholm’s AlbaNova University Centre on October 22. Established in 1988, the award has previously honoured scientists including Stephen Hawking, Peter Higgs and Kip Thorne. (PC: India Today)

NASA has released more than 11,000 images and videos from its Artemis II mission, offering a closer look at the Moon’s surface. The data includes over 800 gigabytes of material and 8.5 hours of audio recordings. Astronauts observed shades of brown, green, yellow and blue on the lunar surface, which often appears grey from Earth. These colours can provide clues about the Moon’s minerals, rocks and volcanic history. The crew captured the images during its lunar flyby on April 6, 2026. NASA said the data will support scientific research and help prepare for future Moon missions.  

Professor Suneel Kateriya of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) played an important role in the scientific journey behind the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. During his PhD research in Germany in 2001, Kateriya identified 2 genes for light-sensing proteins in the single-celled alga Chlamydomonas. The genes were later named channelrhodopsin-1 and channelrhodopsin-2. His work became part of the foundation for optogenetics, a technique that allows scientists to control selected nerve cells using light. The 2026 Nobel Prize was awarded to Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel for discoveries involving light-gated ion channels and optogenetics. (PC: India Today)

Light-controlled brain cells are in the spotlight after the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine went to Karl Deisseroth of Stanford, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel for optogenetics. The technique began with light-sensitive proteins in a tiny alga and lets researchers switch specific neurons on or off with light. Deisseroth's lab published the seminal paper in 2005. Now an Indian scientist is using the tool to study pain. Dr Arnab Barik of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru works in mice to map the brain circuits behind pain, itch and stress, and to study what happens when those sensations fade. (PC:  X)

The 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel for discoveries that enabled scientists to control cells using light. Their work on light-gated ion channels helped establish optogenetics, a technique now widely used in neuroscience. Hegemann and Nagel discovered channelrhodopsin, a protein that makes cells respond to light. Deisseroth later introduced the protein into nerve cells and showed that blue light could trigger nerve signals. He also demonstrated that the technique could control nerve activity in living mice. The laureates will share a prize of 12 million Swedish crowns. (PC: HT)

The International Space Station has emerged as a contender for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, with experts citing it as a symbol of global cooperation amid weakening multilateralism. Other names mentioned include US President Donald Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Ukrainian children’s advocate Mykola Kuleba, Save the Children, Sudan’s Emergency Response Rooms, the Committee to Protect Journalists, and the International Court of Justice and International Criminal Court. The Norwegian Nobel Committee received 287 candidates, with slightly more than a quarter being organisations. Experts stress that predictions are speculative. Trump has openly sought the prize, while critics point to the US-Israel war in Iran. The winner will be announced October 9. (PC: X)