Why a ‘Cosmic Dust Particle’ Hits Earth Every 16 Minutes

Interpreting data gathered from its Dust EXperiment (DEX), on 5th January 2026, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) confirmed that an interplanetary dust particle (IDP) enters Earth’s atmosphere roughly every 1,000 seconds, or about once every 16 minutes.

What is the Dust EXperiment (DEX)?

  • DEX (Dust EXperiment) is a 3-kg scientific instrument developed by the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL).
  • It was launched aboard XPoSat on January 1, 2024.
  • DEX is India’s first instrument designed to detect high-speed, short-lived (high-transient) interplanetary dust particles.

What is interplanetary dust?

  • These are tiny solid particles originating from comets, asteroids, meteors, and other celestial bodies.
  • Though microscopic, they ....
Do You Want to Read More?
Subscribe Now
To get access to detailed content

Already a Member? Login here

Take Annual Subscription and get the following Advantage
The annual members of the Civil Services Chronicle can read the monthly content of the magazine as well as the Chronicle magazine archives.
Readers can study all the material since 2018 of the Civil Services Chronicle monthly issue in the form of Chronicle magazine archives.
Be an Annual Subscriber

Science & Technology