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Astronomers from India have observed an X-ray binary system in space, known as GRS 1915+105, using the AstroSat, the first dedicated Indian astronomy mission. At a distance of some 28,000 light-years away from the Earth, this system is a superluminal low-mass X-ray binary (LMXB). It was first detected in August 1992. But AstroSat observations confirmed it exhibits various types of variability classes. It can transition from one class to another within just a few hours. The system has an orbital period, the time it takes to complete one revolution, of 33.5 days.

Its black hole is estimated to be around 13 times more massive than the Sun. X-ray binary (XRB) systems comprise a normal star or a white dwarf transferring mass onto a small neutron star or a black hole. Based on the mass of the companion star, XRBs are classified as low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) and high-mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs).

Astronomers found the X-ray intensity variations of GRS 1915+105 resembled the light curve of a “canonical” outbursting black hole. However, they also found that this system does not follow the exemplary ‘q’-diagram in the hardness-intensity diagram (HID), unlike canonical sources, according to a report on Phys.org, an online science, research, and technology news aggregator.

Previous observations have shown that GRS 1915+105 displays diverse variability in its light curve — 15 classes so far. To learn more about the system, a team of astronomers led by Athulya Menon of Dayananda Sagar University, Bengaluru, decided to investigate the source with AstroSat.

“In this paper, we perform an in-depth analysis of 31 AstroSat observations of GRS 1915+105 during the period of November 2016 to June 2019 by studying the broadband ‘spectro-temporal’ features of the source,” the researchers stated.

According to them, the behaviour of GRS 1915+105 indicates it will evolve towards an obscured low-luminosity phase, with a decrease in the intrinsic bolometric luminosity of the source due to obscuration.


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Quantum Leap: Scientists Achieve Magic State Distillation on Logical Qubits for the First Time

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Quantum Leap: Scientists Achieve Magic State Distillation on Logical Qubits for the First Time

Scientists have shown the elusive phenomenon of quantum computing that could create the way for fault-tolerant machines, which are much powerful than any of the supercomputers. Magic state distillation is the process which was proposed 20 years ago; however, the use of logical qubits has puzzled scientists since then. It has long been considered crucial for making high-quality resources, called magic states, required to complete the quantum computer’s potential. It has been possible on plains, till now, by which the high-quality magic states are purified so that the complex algorithms can use them. It has not been possible on the logical qubits.

According to Science Daily, the groups of physical qubits sharing the same data are configured for detecting and correcting the errors which frequently disturb the quantum computing operations. However, the scientists with QuEra said that they have demonstrated magic state distillation for the first time on logical qubits. The findings were published on July 14, 2025, in the journal Nature.

Path to Fault-tolerant Quantum Computing

Quantum computers would not be fulfilling their promise without this process. They use qubits as their building blocks and make use of quantum logic, the set of rules and operations that control how quantum information is processed for running the algorithms and processing data. It is challenging to run the complex algorithms together with maintaining amazingly low error rates.

Physical qubits are noisy, which implies that the calculations are often disrupted by factors such as temperature fluctuations and electromagnetic radiation. This is the reason why so much research has taken place on Quantum Error Correction.

With the distillation process, the faithfulness of the magic state increased for any input. This shows that the fault-tolerant magic state distillation has worked in practice. Further, it implies that the quantum computer uses both logical qubits and magic states of higher quality for running non-Clifford gates.

Scientists say that the shift has been observed for a few years. It was challenging to make the quantum computers, with the detection and correction of errors. However, the scientists have successfully done it.

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NASA and ISRO Prepare to Launch NISAR Earth-Mapping Satellite

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NASA and ISRO Prepare to Launch NISAR Earth-Mapping Satellite

NASA’s NISAR Earth-observing satellite (concept image shown) will carry an advanced dual-band radar system to map Earth’s land and ice in 3D. NASA will host a news conference at 12 p.m. EDT on Monday, July 21, to preview this mission and its science objectives. The NISAR satellite is a first-of-its-kind collaboration between NASA and India’s ISRO and is designed to deliver unprecedented 3D views of Earth and detect movements down to the centimeter. Launch is targeted for no earlier than late July from ISRO’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory streaming the briefing live online.

Mission Overview

According to NASA, NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) is an Earth-observing satellite being developed jointly by NASA and India’s ISRO. For the mission hardware, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) provided the L-band radar and key electronics, while ISRO contributed the S-band radar, spacecraft bus and launch vehicle. The satellite carries these twin radar systems to systematically map the planet’s land and ice surfaces. Using synthetic aperture radar (SAR), it will scan nearly all land and ice twice every 12 days. Managed by JPL, NISAR is set to lift off from ISRO’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota no earlier than late July 2025. After deployment, it will orbit Earth regularly, relaying high-resolution radar imagery for scientists worldwide.

Advanced Radar Technology and Applications

NISAR will make centimeter-precise measurements of Earth’s surface dynamics. Its dual-band radar design is key: the L-band radar (25 cm wavelength) can penetrate vegetation and soil, while the shorter S-band (10 cm) is more sensitive to fine surface details. Each frequency’s return reveals different features — moisture levels, surface roughness and motion. Combined, they can detect tiny elevation changes across wide areas, helping scientists monitor natural hazards and environmental change.

For example, NISAR data will map ground deformation before and after earthquakes or volcanic eruptions. And because the radar can see through clouds, it will be invaluable for disaster response, mapping floods and storm damage even during hurricanes or heavy rain.

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China’s Tianwen 2 sends back breathtaking views of Earth and the moon

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China’s Tianwen 2 sends back breathtaking views of Earth and the moon

China’s Tianwen 2 probe, en route to collect samples from a near-Earth asteroid, has captured striking images of Earth and the moon shortly after launch. The snapshots, taken using the spacecraft’s narrow field of view navigation sensor, show our planet and its natural satellite as viewed from approximately 590,000 kilometers away. Launched aboard a Long March 3B rocket from Xichang on May 28, the spacecraft is now on a multi-year journey to the small asteroid Kamo’oalewa, one of Earth’s known quasi moons, where it will conduct scientific surveys and sample collection.

Tianwen 2 Probe Sends Images from Deep Space, Prepares for Asteroid Sample Return and Beyond

According to a July 1 statement from the China National Space Administration (CNSA), the Earth photo was also taken on May 30, while the moon was photographed a few hours later from approximately the same position. Tianwen 2 had been in orbit around Earth for more than a month and had already traveled more than 12 million kilometers by then. Officials have reportedly assured that the spacecraft is now in stable condition. The CNSA also shared an earlier picture of the probe’s circular solar array, also taken by an onboard engineering camera, showing the spacecraft from an angle that is seldom seen in flight.

China’s first asteroid sample-return mission, the 2nd in the Tianwen series, will reach Kamo’oalewa in July 2026. The probe will map the asteroid, collect samples, and carry them back to Earth in a capsule by late 2027, helping researchers learn more about the origins of planets and the history of the solar system.

It’s the undisturbed ingredients in the asteroid that make it so valuable, according to Han Siyuan, a deputy director at CNSA’s Lunar Exploration and Space Engineering Centre, and it likely still carries original information from the birth of the solar system, he mentioned.

China’s solar system program now has Earth’s gravity to use as a slingshot as it aims toward a chance encounter with 311P/PANSTARRS in 2035, marking another advance for China’s deep-space exploration capability after the successful orbit of Mars, achieved with Tianwen 1 in 2020.

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