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Pslv-C17 to launch Gsat-12 on 15 July
BANGALORE: The launch of Pslv-C17/Gsat-12 mission is targeted for 15 July. Preparations for the forthcoming launch of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (Pslv-C17) carrying India‘s communication satellite Gsat-12 are progressing well at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, Isro said.
The vehicle is going through various levels of electrical checkout operations and reviews.
The Gsat-12 communication satellite with a mass of 1410 kg at lift-off, has 12 Extended C-band transponders. The launch vehicle will inject the satellite into an elliptical transfer orbit (Sub-GTO) of 284 km perigee and 21,000 km apogee. Subsequently, the liquid apogee motor of the satellite will be
used to raise both apogee and perigee of the Satellite to place it in a circular orbit of 36,000 km altitude.
All the four stages of the launch vehicle have been fully assembled at the Vehicle Assembly Building at Shriharikota. Isro’s schedule of the launch is here below:
Presently, Gsat-12 satellite has already undergone necessary testing at Shriharikota before commencing the filling of propellants in the satellite on 28 June.
On 3 July, Isro plans to integrate the satellite with the launch vehicle at the vehicle assembly building, after clearance by the Launch authorisation board.
On 10 July, PSLV-C17 Vehicle (with the GSAT-12 Satellite onboard) is planned to be moved from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the Second Launch Pad.
On 13 July, the 52.5 hour Countdown for the launch is expected to commence after launch rehearsals, clearance from Mission Readiness Review Teams and Launch Authorisation Board.
The lift-off of PSLV-C17 from the Second Launch Pad is scheduled on 15 July between 1648 and 1708 hours.
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With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
