Soumya Pillai covers environment and traffic in Delhi. A journalist for three years, she has grown up in and with Delhi, which is often reflected in the stories she does about life in the city. She also enjoys writing on social innovations.
Articles by Soumya Pillai
Chandrayaan-3: As dust settles, Pragyan rover prepares to explore Moon
India's space agency, ISRO, has successfully landed its Vikram lander on the moon's south pole, making it the first craft to achieve this feat.
Updated on Aug 25, 2023 05:09 AM IST
Soumya Pillai, Bengaluru
Lessons from 2019 play out in 18 mins
Isro chief S Somanath said scientists working on Chandrayaan-3 spent years analysing each contingency and rectifying the errors of Chandrayaan-2
Updated on Aug 24, 2023 05:40 PM IST
Now, ISRO sets eyes on Aditya L-1, Gaganyaan
Isro is also working on some other big-ticket projects that are lined up for the coming months
Updated on Aug 24, 2023 07:29 AM IST
Soumya Pillai, Bengaluru
Chandrayaan-3: History, etched in space
For 18 minutes (that’s how long the landing process actually lasted), a nation held its collective breath
Updated on Aug 24, 2023 04:55 AM IST
India makes history, lands near south pole of Moon
The two robotic explorers Vikram and Pragyan will now take readings and images of Earth’s satellite, with the primary objective of uncovering hidden lunar secrets
Updated on Aug 24, 2023 12:20 AM IST
Soumya Pillai, Bengaluru
Our systems are better tested, our craft is sturdier... We are ready: ISRO chief
The success of Chandrayaan-3 is crucial for future missions and collaborations with international agencies.
Updated on Aug 23, 2023 02:16 PM IST
All eyes on Chandrayaan-3: It’s D-day for Moon mission
The lander module, Vikram, will perform a controlled descent and is equipped with scientific payloads to carry out experiments on the lunar surface.
Updated on Aug 23, 2023 04:27 AM IST
Soumya Pillai, New Delhi
Vikram sends images of the far side of Moon ahead of landing
The lander module of Chandrayaan-3 established communication with its predecessor, Chandrayaan-2, confirming the spacecraft's good health.
Updated on Aug 24, 2023 08:40 PM IST
Soumya Pillai, New Delhi
Chandrayaan-3 steady as Russia exits moon race
On Sunday, the Indian agency confirmed the lander had now been placed in a 25km x 134km orbit.
Updated on Aug 21, 2023 05:01 AM IST
Soumya Pillai, New Delhi
Chandrayaan-3 final de-boosting completed, ISRO preparing for landing on Aug 23
This is the final leg of the mission. Now the lander module will undergo some internal checks while it hovers over the landing site waiting to make a soft landing near the south-polar region of the moon on August 23, around 5.45pm, according to ISRO
Updated on Aug 20, 2023 09:41 AM IST
Chandrayaan-3 healthy, everything going as planned, say Isro officials
A senior official at the Indian Space Research Organisation said that the current position and movement of the spacecraft is being monitored continuously by their teams
Updated on Aug 19, 2023 09:48 PM IST
First de-boosting operation of Chandrayaan-3 successfully conducted: ISRO
The next de-boosting operation will be carried out on August 20, before the landing scheduled for August 23 between 5:30pm and 6pm
Updated on Aug 18, 2023 04:31 PM IST
Chandrayaan-3 releases lander for touchdown
Expressing confidence in the mission, Union minister of science and technology and space said, Isro will attempt the landing between 5.30pm and 6pm on August 23
Updated on Aug 18, 2023 02:00 AM IST
Propulsion module successfully separated from Chandrayaan-3’s lander: ISRO
The space agency will now be conducting a de-boosting manoeuvre before the spacecraft attempts to land on the surface of the moon on August 23
Updated on Aug 17, 2023 02:18 PM IST
Indian and Russian lunar missions vastly different: Isro scientist
While Chandrayaan-3 was launched on July 14, Russia successfully launched its inaugural moon-landing spacecraft on Friday
Updated on Aug 13, 2023 05:47 AM IST
AAP hits out as K’taka min calls mohalla clinics ‘overhyped’ after praising them
AAP said comparing Delhi’s mohalla clinics to Bengaluru’s namma clinics was misleading, as the latter only provide basic care for small ailments.
Updated on Aug 05, 2023 04:21 AM IST
National Research Foundation Bill introduced in Lok Sabha
The National Research Foundation will be an apex body to provide high-level strategic direction of scientific research in the country as per recommendations of the National Education Policy (NEP)
Updated on Aug 04, 2023 02:13 PM IST
Dengue ‘emergency’ in Delhi’s hospitals
On Wednesday, health minister Saurabh Bharadwaj called for a meeting with officials to review the dengue situation in the Capital
Updated on Aug 04, 2023 03:44 AM IST
Chandrayaan-3 successfully leaves Earth's orbit, heads towards Moon
Isro officials said that the Chandryaan-3 mission has stuck to schedule and the spacecraft’s health is currently normal.
Updated on Aug 01, 2023 07:25 AM IST
Russian, Indian institutes eye partnership in quantum tech
An official proposal is expected to be presented before India to explore possible collaborations in the upcoming BRICS meeting to be hosted by Russia.
Updated on Jul 31, 2023 03:51 AM IST
Soumya Pillai, Moscow
Trend shows dip in rains in 5 states: Centre to Lok Sabha
Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Meghalaya and Nagaland have been seeing a reduction in south-west monsoon rainfall over the past 30 years, earth sciences minister Kiren Rijiju said in a reply to a question in Parliament
Updated on Jul 30, 2023 12:10 AM IST
Isro completes two more hot tests for Gaganyaan
During tests, the thrusters were operated in both continuous and pulse mode, in sync with the mission profile, Isro official said
Updated on Jul 28, 2023 03:42 AM IST
Soumya Pillai, New Delhi
July this year set to be the hottest month on record, finds analysis
On July 6, the daily average global mean surface air temperature surpassed the record set in August 2016, making it the hottest day on record
Updated on Jul 28, 2023 03:40 AM IST
PSLV to launch on July 30 with six more satellites
The 360 kg satellite will be inserted into a near- equatorial orbit 535 km above the earth’s surface
Updated on Jul 25, 2023 12:19 AM IST
Soumya Pillai, New Delhi
Isro successfully completes key Gaganyaan test
Isro has successfully completed the service module propulsion system test for Gaganyaan at its Propulsion Complex (IPRC) at Mahendragiri.
Updated on Jul 21, 2023 03:11 AM IST
Soumya Pillai, New Delhi
Delhi govt restricts sale of common painkillers during dengue season
The pharmacies can sell these medicines only against the prescription issued by a registered medical practitioner.
Updated on Jul 21, 2023 12:25 AM IST
Engine calibration, landing site expansion for Chandrayaan-3: Lessons from 2019
India successfully launched Chandrayaan-3, its third lunar mission, on Friday.
Updated on Jul 15, 2023 01:45 AM IST
Chandrayaan-3 sets off on a long journey to the Moon
Mission director S Mohana Kumar said the LVM3 rocket once again proved to be the most reliable heavy-lift vehicle of ISRO.
Updated on Jul 15, 2023 04:46 AM IST
Soumya Pillai, New Delhi
Isro launches Chandrayaan-3 for another attempt at soft landing on moon
With the success of its third lunar mission, India hopes to become the fourth country in the world to land on the moon’s surface and the first to land near the lunar south pole
Updated on Jul 14, 2023 03:24 PM IST
Moonshot moment: India’s stakes claim as space power
Leading up to the launch, HT takes a look at why the third lunar mission is significant for furthering India’s space ambitions
Updated on Jul 14, 2023 02:21 AM IST