Want your name to float around in space? Log on to NASA

Want your name to float around in space? Log on to NASA

Washington: For people who want their names to float around in space, NASA has created a website that would enable anyone to place their name on the agency’s Glory satellite. The “Send Your Name Around the Earth” Web site enables everyone to take part in the science mission and place their names in orbit for years to come.

Chennai and India’s first ‘spy glass’

The Web site, where participants can submit their information, is located at: http://polls.nasa.gov/utilities/sendtospace/jsp/sendName.jsp Participants will receive a printable certificate from NASA and have their name recorded on a microchip that will become part of the spacecraft. NASA’s Glory satellite is the first mission dedicated to understanding the effects of particles in the atmosphere and the sun’s variability on our climate.

US scientists unveil world’s thinnest balloon

The Glory satellite will allow scientists to measure airborne particles more accurately from space than ever before. The particles, known as “aerosols,” are tiny bits of material found in Earth’s atmosphere, like dust and smog. “Undoubtedly, greenhouse gases cause the biggest climatic effect,” said Michael Mishchenko, the Glory project scientist at NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York. “But, the uncertainty in the aerosol effect is the biggest uncertainty in climate at the present,” he added. Glory will carry two scientific instruments, the Aerosol Polarimetry Sensor, or APS, and the Total Irradiance Monitor, or TIM, and two cameras for cloud identification.

The APS instrument will help quantify the role of aerosols as natural and human-produced agents of climate change more accurately than existing measurement tools. The TIM instrument will continue 30 years of measuring total solar irradiance, the amount of energy radiating from the sun to Earth, with improved accuracy and stability. Understanding the sun’s energy is an important key to understanding climate change on Earth. Glory is scheduled for launch in June 2009 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Glory will orbit as part of the Afternoon Constellation, or “A-Train,” a series of Earth-observing satellites.
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Chandrayaan-1 may be launched on Oct 19
http://sify.com/news/scitech/fullstory.php?id=14761398

Weather permitting, India's maiden moon mission, Chandrayaan-1, may lift off on October 19 from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh, scientists associated with the odyssey indicated on Thursday.
"The tentative date is October 19," they said in Bangalore after completing all the work on the cuboid-shaped 590 kg spacecraft that will carry 11 payloads.
Also read: Centre fails to take a stand on homosexuality
Meanwhile, the government on Thursday approved a sequel to the mission few years down the line.
"The Union cabinet today gave its approval for undertaking lunar mission Chandrayaan-2 and upgrading the associated existing ground segment at a total cost of Rs 425 crores (Rs 4.25 bn)," Information and Broadcasting Minister P R Dasmunsi told reporters in New Delhi after a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Chandrayaan-1 will be launched by indigenous Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and will carry payloads of six foreign countries - the US, Britain, Germany, Sweden and Bulgaria - apart from those of India.
Scientists said that the Chadrayaan-1 spacecraft would be shipped later this month, most likely on September 30, to the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota for the launch.
Foreign news magazines can have Indian editions
"We have completed the integration of the satellite," Chandrayaan-1 director M Annadurai told reporters at ISRO Satellite Centre in Bangalore.
Chandrayaan-1, estimated to cost nearly Rs 4 billion, will beam back digital elevation maps of the moon and its mineral concentration, as also carry out environmental studies and measure radioactivity on the lunar surface.
It will try to find the traces of atomic elements such as Radon, Uranium and Thorium.


Source:Sify

Pvt Equity, MnA Deals

HCL Tech Makes Counter Bid For Axon; Infosys On Defensive

HCL has offered to pay 650 pence a share, 8.3% more than the 600 pence offer by Infosys.

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ASK Realty and Schroders Investment Hire Real Estate Heads
J.P. Morgan & Chase Announces $10 Billion Capital Raise
SEBI Gives Nod To DSP Merrill's New Name
Autoline Industries Acquires Italian Companies For $13 Million
Piramal Appoints Murari Rajan To Head M&A, Strategy
Govt Starts Rs 10 Crore Fund For Budding Designers

Avigo To Close Third Fund of $300M By Year End; IFC To Invest $30M
J.P. Morgan & Chase Announces $10 Billion Capital Raise
Deal Slowdown: 3i Group Cuts Investments By 40%
BPL Gets Deutsche Banks "Vote of Confidence"

Mayfield Closes Fund XIII At $395 Million
RTVL, Norwest Ventures Invest In E-transaction Firm Suvidhaa
Govt Starts Rs 10 Crore Fund For Budding Designers
Connectiva Systems Lands $17M Funding From NEA IndoUS, Others

HCL Tech Makes Counter Bid For Axon; Infosys On Defensive
SEBI Gives Nod To DSP Merrill's New Name
Autoline Industries Acquires Italian Companies For $13 Million
Hedge Fund Gets Sterlite To Drop Its Restructuring Plans

Job Listings
Associate - TVS Capital
Associate Principal Level - TVS Capital
AVP/ VP – Investment Banking/ Private Equity - Ariston Advisors
Associate/Analyst - Private Equity/M&A
Associate Vice President - Corporate Finance - Intellecap
AVP/VP - A Top Notch Indian Investment Bank
Associate - TresVista
Associate Level - Private Equity Opening - Mumbai

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Tata Motors in talks with PE funds to offload up to 25 percent stake
Indian firm in takeover talks with Arden Partners
IFC to acquire shares of Modern Dairies
Actis Biologics taps PE firms to raise Rs 125 cr
Three major firms eye 51% in NTPC-BHEL JV

HCL Tech makes counter bid for Axon of U.K.
Fidelity PE Fund plans pharma foray with $200-400 m investments
IFC Commits $30M To India Buyout Fund
YES Bank to add buyout fund to PE portfolio
Moser Baer unit gets PE Funding worth Rs 415 crore

Balaji Tele may buy stake in 9X
Autoline acquires 49 pc stake in two Italian firms
Sebi may ease foreign venture capital investment norms
JPMorgan Plans to Double Private Equity in India to $1 Billion
Reliance Technology Ventures and Norwest Venture Partners Invests in ‘S-commerce’ Pioneer, ‘Suvidhaa’

SOurceS:IndiaPE,VCcircle.com

Investment World articles from BL

Investment World

TECHNICAL ANALYSIS: Index OutlookAs analysts across the globe debate over whether the beginning is ending or the end is beginning, there is definitely a consensus on the fact that this is not the end of the credit and financial market muddle. The unending tales of debacles ...

STOCKS: OnMobile Global: BuyInvestors with a one-two year perspective can buy the shares of OnMobile Global, considering its strong focus in the domestic mobile value added services (VAS) market. An expanding product offering, increasing global footprint through ...

STOCKS: Simplex Infrastructures: BuySimplex Infrastructures is among the few pure contracting companies in the infrastructure space that has managed to move up the value chain in terms of higher profitability while at the same time preserving the status of being contractors ...

STOCKS: Tanla Solutions: BuyThe crisis in the global financial markets has taken a toll on several of the key banking, financial services and insurance clients of Indian IT majors. The top-tier companies may yet pull through, thanks to the breadth and depth of their ...

STOCKS: Bank of India: BuyInvestors can consider buying the Bank of India stock with at least a two-year horizon. Valuations are quite attractive, but the stock can be re-rated only when sentiment towards the banking sector improves on a rend reversal in interest ...

TECHNICAL ANALYSIS: Query Corner: What the charts sayI am holding shares of HCL Infosys and Sesa Goa bought at Rs 110 and Rs 145 respectively. Shall I hold these shares or switch. What is the anticipated bottom ...

TECHNICAL ANALYSIS:

DERIVATIVES MARKETS: Range-bound movement seen in Nifty futureThere was no let up from bear hammering last week, as the Nifty October future finished at 3998.15, registering a fall of 6.4 per cent over its last week’s ...

STOCK MARKETS: Hope wilts on bailout uncertaintyThe week beginning September 22 saw the Sensex start on a positive note opening close to 200 points above its previous ...

Source:BL
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Other HEadlines:
Inflation data based on monthly WPI series from new year
New WPI index to be less ‘aam aadmi’ centred
Will Chinese banks make Wall Street buys?
US financial crisis shows the perils of inclusive loans

Congress, White House reach financial bailout deal
Outline of US Congress' draft bailout plan
Promising sectors for long term
On billionaire row, it's simple, veggie fare

Source:ET,BL

Nuke deal approved by US House, moves into last lap

Nuke deal approved by US House, moves into last lap

The Indo-US nuclear deal has moved into the last lap clearing a major hurdle when the House of Representatives approved a legislation on it that will now go to the Senate before the two countries can implement the civil nuclear agreement. After a lot of drama and suspense, the House passed the Bill on an unusual extra day of sitting on Saturday with bi-partisan support but a considerable number of Democrats were still opposed to it. The Berman Bill H R 7081, named after Howard Berman, a Democrat strongly opposed to the deal on non-proliferation grounds and who converted only a couple of days ago, was adopted with 298 voting for and 117 against.

One lawmaker merely voted present. The deal just needs the backing of the Senate which may vote next week on the issue. But the Senate vote appears to be a formality given the fact that an identical Bill has already been approved by its Foreign Relations Committee earlier this week.

Though a Congressional consent eluded the deal when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President George W Bush when they met on Thursday, the House approval came hours before the Prime Minister left the US shores winding up his five-day visit on his way to France. Once the Senate gives its nod, the nuclear agreement between the two countries will be ready for signing between External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Secretary o State Condoleezza Rice, who is slated to visit New Delhi on October 3. The Administration is keen on signing the deal before the end of the term of Bush who had entered into the agreement with Singh more than three years ago that will end three decades of nuclear apartheid against India. National Security Advisor M K Narayanan welcomed the adoption of the deal by the House saying it was a matter of great satisfaction. He expressed the hope that the Bill would get cleared in the Senate sooner than later rather than wait for the next session. Hailing the House action, Indian Ambassador to US Ronen Sen said it would now be the last lap of a historic step for both the countries. The deal enjoyed bi-partisan support and was good for both India and the US. South Carolina Republican Joe Wilson, one of the strongest supporters of the legislation and the agreement, hailed the vote saying it moved the US one step forward in strengthening the partnership with people of India. Despite the US Congress being busy in the midst of clearance of a package for the financial institutions gone bankrupt, the House met unusually on a Saturday for conducting business. The vote on the nuclear Bill was suspended yesterday after another opponent Ed Markey demanded a recorded vote instead of a voice vote after the debate was completed. Berman had originally introduced a Bill that was slightly different from the measure approved by the Senate Committee and adoption of it would have delayed implementation of the nuclear deal. Berman was talked to by Rice after which he withdrew his original Bill and introduced a legislation identical to the Senate Committee that ensured its quick passage.


Joe Wilson said he was grateful for the work of President Bush, Prime Minister Singh and Rice for their steadfast support in seeing this agreement implemented. Earlier, the House completed a lively debate that saw Markey putting up a stiff opposition to the deal with India. However in the Senate, an anonymous lawmaker put a "hold" on consideration of the bill which must be lifted before the agreement is brought to the Senate floor or approved by a unanimous consent agreement. The latest hiccup in the Senate is actually a counter to the attempt of the leadership to "hotline" the Senate Bill through unanimous consent without debate and vote. The schedule of the Senate is still fluid but it is meeting tomorrow and re-convening on Wednesday after taking a break on Monday and Tuesday on account of Jewish holidays.

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Bush welcomes US-India civilian nuclear deal
US House of Representatives approves nuclear pact with India
Historic N-deal on verge of fruition, says PM
Rice to visit India next week, may sign nuclear deal

Source:ET,BS