Chandrayaan-2 DFSAR Detects Subsurface Ice in Lunar South Polar Craters Using Advanced Radar Polarimetry

ISRO to Launch EOS-05 (GISAT-1A) via GSLV F17 on Sept 4; Replaces Failed GISAT-1

ISRO ends a seven-month launch hiatus with the launch of EOS-05 (GISAT-1A) on September 4, 2026 via GSLV-F17. This earth observation satellite, a replacement for the failed GISAT-1 (2021), will provide critical real-time imagery for disaster monitoring, agriculture, and forestry — a key upgrade for India's space-based surveillance capabilities.

ISRO's Oceansat-3 Captures Sharp Drop in Pacific Marine Productivity as El Niño Warms Ocean

ISRO's Oceansat-3 satellite has detected a sharp decline in chlorophyll-a in the equatorial Pacific Ocean during April-June 2026, linked to the developing El Niño. This reduction in marine productivity threatens the ocean food chain and serves as an early climate indicator ahead of a forecast strong El Niño event from September 2026 to February 2027.

18th BRICS Summit New Delhi Declaration: RSSC Expansion, Space Debris, PAROS Working Group

The 18th BRICS Summit adopted the New Delhi Declaration, underscoring progress in expanding the BRICS Remote Sensing Satellite Constellation (RSSC) to include new space agencies, strengthening space debris mitigation efforts, and advancing discussions on the Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space (PAROS) via an open-ended working group. This highlights deepening BRICS cooperation in space technology and security, a key area for UPSC International Relations and Science & Technology segments.

ISRO Launches EOS-05: India's First Geosynchronous Earth-Imaging Satellite for Strategic & Disaster Monitoring

ISRO has successfully launched EOS-05, India's first earth-imaging satellite placed in geosynchronous orbit. Unlike polar-orbiting satellites, it can continuously observe the same area, making it invaluable for real-time disaster response (floods, cyclones, forest fires), agricultural monitoring, and strategic security applications. This marks a significant leap in India's space-based surveillance capabilities.

NASA Invites ISRO to Join Moon Base Program Under Artemis Accords for Lunar South Pole Outpost

NASA has formally invited ISRO to join its ambitious Moon Base programme, aiming to build humanity's first lunar outpost near the South Pole. This invitation, extended during the 9th India-U.S. Civil Space Joint Working Group meeting in Bengaluru, deepens bilateral space collaboration under the Artemis Accords and the TRUST initiative. For UPSC aspirants, this is a crucial topic for Science & Tech and International Relations, with potential prelims questions on the Artemis Accords, CSJWG, and lunar South Pole.

CAQM-ISRO to Re-Test Burnt Area Protocol as Satellite-Ground Data Diverge in Punjab-Haryana

CAQM's burnt area assessment protocol, used to monitor stubble burning, is under validation due to divergence between satellite and ground data. This impacts air quality enforcement in Delhi-NCR and has been questioned in the Supreme Court, making it critical for environment and governance exams.

NASA Invites ISRO to Moon Base Programme; Target 2030 Near Lunar South Pole

NASA has invited ISRO to join its Moon Base programme, aiming to build a human outpost near the Moon’s south pole by ~2030. This deepens India-U.S. space ties under the Artemis Accords but also creates a strategic dilemma as China’s rival ILRS (target 2035) pulls India into competing technological ecosystems.

SC Applies Section 498A to Live-in Relationships; NOTTO Launches Real-Time Organ Transplant Portal with Aadhaar Pledges

The Indian Express UPSC Key for August 4, 2026, covers multiple crucial topics: the Supreme Court's ruling extending Section 498A cruelty protection to live-in relationships, the launch of a real-time organ transplant portal by NOTTO, the Vikram Sarabhai Medal awarded to Annapurni Subramaniam, India's resilient fertiliser supply amid the Iran war, the science behind Europe's wildfires, and the Ceuta migrant crisis. These topics span Polity, Health, Science, Environment, and International Relations, offering direct material for UPSC Prelims and Mains.