1. SpaceX's Starship, the world's largest rocket, exploded during the first test flight
Tags: Science and Technology
SpaceX’s next-generation Starship, the world’s biggest rocket, exploded during its first test-flight to space near Brownsville, Texas.
About Starship
SpaceX’s Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket – collectively referred to as Starship.
Super Heavy rocket is the first stage, or booster, of the Starship launch system.
It is powered by 33 Raptor engines using sub-cooled liquid methane (CH4) and liquid oxygen (LOX).
The Raptor engine is a reusable methane-oxygen staged-combustion engine that powers the Starship system.
Super Heavy is fully reusable and will re-enter Earth’s atmosphere to land back at the launch site.
It is a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry both crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
It is the world’s most powerful launch vehicle ever developed, capable of carrying up to 150 metric tons fully reusable.
Objectives
To establish a self-sustaining human settlement on Mars.
To make Starship reusable, reducing the cost of spaceflight.
To carry both astronauts and cargo to Earth’s orbit, the Moon, Mars, and maybe even beyond.
About SpaceX
It is a private spaceflight company that sends satellites and people to space, including NASA crews to the International Space Station (ISS).
The company sent its first two astronauts to the ISS on May 30, 2020, aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon.
As of mid-2022, it is the only commercial spaceflight company capable of sending astronauts into space.
SpaceX was founded by Alan Musk, a South African-born businessman and entrepreneur.
2. ISRO to launch Singapore's TeLEOS-2 satellite on April 22
Tags: Science and Technology
ISRO will launch Singapore's TeLEOS-2 satellite using the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota.
An Overview of the news
TeLEOS-1, Singapore's first commercial Earth observation satellite, was launched by ISRO in 2015 and since then, ISRO has launched nine satellites for Singapore.
TeLEOS-2 is an Earth observation satellite built by ST Engineering that will carry a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) capable of providing 1-metre resolution data. The satellite will have a 500 GB onboard recorder and 800 Mbps downlink.
The satellite will provide valuable data to various sectors, including hotspot monitoring, haze management, aviation accidents, search and rescue operations, and enhance Singapore's earth observation capabilities and boost its economy, among others.
PSLV, the launch vehicle used for the mission, is the first Indian launch vehicle with liquid stages and is known as the 'workhorse of ISRO'. It has continuously delivered various satellites into low Earth orbits and can carry a payload of up to 1,750 kg into a Sun-synchronous polar orbit at an altitude of 600 km.
ISRO has chosen to use the XL variant of the PSLV launcher for the upcoming C-55 mission. This version is a more powerful version of PSLV and is capable of handling heavier payloads. Its enhanced capabilities will enable TeLEOS-2 to be successfully placed in the desired orbit.
This will be ISRO's third launch of the year, with the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) and LVM3 being used in the previous two launches. ISRO to launch three Singapore satellites in June 2022 in PSLV C-53 mission.
About Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)
It was established on 15 August 1969.
It is the national space agency of India. It launched its space rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
Headquarters - Bengaluru
Chairman - S. Somnath
Founder - Vikram Sarabhai
3. China launched Fengyun-3 satellite
Tags: Science and Technology International News
On 16th April 2023, China successfully launched the Fengyun-3 meteorological satellite using Chang Zheng-4B carrier rocket from Jiuquan Cosmodrome in Gansu Province.
An Overview of the News
The primary objective of the Fengyun-3 satellite is to monitor and provide information on severe weather conditions, especially heavy rainfall, which can cause natural disasters such as floods and landslides.
This was the 471st mission for the Chang Zheng rocket family.
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC)
It is a state-owned organisation that serves as the primary contractor for China's space program.
CASC has several subsidiaries that specialise in the design, development and manufacture of a variety of space-related technology, including spacecraft, launch vehicles, missile systems and ground equipment.
The organisation is responsible for overseeing all aspects of China's space program, from research and development to mission planning and execution.
Establishment - 1 July 1999
Headquarters - Beijing, China
President - Zhang Zhongyang
About China
Government - Unitary Marxist-Leninist One Party Socialist Republic
President -Xi Jinping
Capital -Beijing
Official language - Standard Chinese
Currency - Renminbi
4. Kenya Launched Its First Operational Earth Observation Satellite "Taifa-1"
Tags: Science and Technology International News
Kenya launched its first operational Earth observation satellite "Taifa-1" on a rocket of Elon Musk's rocket company ‘SpaceX’ from Vandenberg Base in California on 15 April 2023.
An Overview of the News
The launch rocket carried 50 payloads from various countries, including Turkey, under SpaceX's 'rideshare programme'.
Taifa-1 was designed and developed by SayariLabs and EnduroSat and the satellite was built over two years at a cost of 50 million Kenyan shillings ($372,000).
The satellite's primary purpose is to collect agricultural and environmental data, including floods, droughts and wildfires, to help Kenya deal with disaster management and food insecurity.
Taifa-1
It is an optical camera that can take pictures in both multispectral and panchromatic modes.
The satellite can operate in and out of the visible light spectrum, allowing it to capture images even in low light conditions.
Taifa-1 is capable of capturing images in five different multispectral bands.
The Ground Sampling Distance (GSD) of Taifa-1 is 32 m for the multispectral band and 16 m for the panchromatic band.
About Kenya
Republic -12 December 1964
Capital -Nairobi
Official languages - Swahili, English
Currency - Kenyan shilling (Kesia)
Government -Unitary presidential republic
President - William Ruto
Deputy President - Rigathi Gachagua
Senate President - Amason Kingi
Assembly Speaker - Moses Wetangula
Chief Justice - Martha Koome
5. Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh launches ‘YUVA PORTAL’
Tags: Science and Technology National News
Union Minister for Science and Technology Dr.Jitendra Singh launched the Youth Portal in New Delhi.
An Overview of the News
It aims to connect and identify potential youth start-ups.
Science and Technology Minister Dr Jitendra Singh also launched the One Week - One Laboratory programme.
The event emphasises the need for broad-based participation from stakeholders in the industry for startups to remain sustainable.
Each of the 37 CSIR (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research) laboratories is dedicated to a different specialised area of work.
The One Week - One Lab program will provide an opportunity to CSIR laboratories to showcase their work.
About Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)
The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, or CSIR, is an autonomous body established by the Government of India in September 1942.
Its primary goal is to promote scientific and industrial research in India.
Its research activities cover a wide range of fields, including aerospace, biotechnology, chemistry, earth science, electronics, engineering, information technology, materials science and physics.
It operates a network of laboratories and research institutes across India, which conduct cutting-edge research in their respective fields.
Establishment - 26 September 1942
Founder - Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar, Arcot Ramasamy Mudaliar
President - Narendra Modi
Director General - Dr. N. Kalaiselvi
Parent Organization - Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India
Motto - CSIR-The Innovation Engine of India
6. New species of frog discovered in Meghalaya cave
Tags: Science and Technology State News
The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) recently discovered a new species of frog, Amolops siju, in the South Garo Hills district of Meghalaya.
An Overview of the News
Researchers found the frog inside a cave in Meghalaya and named it Amolops siju after the cave in which it was found.
Three new species of cascade frog (Amolops) were also found in Arunachal Pradesh.
About Zoological Survey of India (ZSI)
The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) was established in 1916 with the objective of survey, exploration and promotion of research on various aspects of animal life in India.
The primary objective of the ZSI is to study and document the biodiversity of India, including the classification, distribution and abundance of animal species.
ZSI is responsible for preparing national and regional animal databases, which serve as important tools for conservation planning and management.
Apart from its research activities, ZSI also plays an important role in providing taxonomic expertise and training to researchers, students and conservationists.
The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) is the administrative ministry of the ZSI, and it redefined the objectives of the ZSI in December 1987 to focus on the conservation and management of biodiversity.
Formation - 1 July 1916
Objective - Animal Classification and Conservation
Headquarters - Kolkata
Place - West Bengal, India
Director - Dr. Dhriti Banerjee
Parent Organization - Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
7. A new Uranium Isotope 'Uranium-241' discovered
Tags: Science and Technology
A team of nuclear physicists of Japan has discovered a previously unknown uranium isotope with atomic number 92 and mass 241.
An overview of the news
The study has been published in the journal Physical Review Letters and the new isotope has been named Uranium-241.
How was uranium-241 found?
To discover uranium-241, researchers accelerated uranium-238 nuclei into plutonium-198 nuclei using the KEK Isotope Separation System (KISS).
In a process called multinucleon transfer, two isotopes exchange protons and neutrons, resulting in nuclear fragments with different isotopes.
The researchers identified uranium-241 and measured the mass of its nuclei using time-of-flight mass spectrometry.
Theoretical calculations suggest that uranium-241 may have a half-life of 40 minutes.
Significance of the discovery
The technique used by the team will help to better understand the shape of large nuclei associated with heavier elements.
The method of discovery can be used for more information on other heavy isotopes.
About Uranium Element
Uranium is a naturally occurring chemical element with the symbol U and atomic number 92.
It is a heavy metal that is radioactive and is found in small amounts in rocks and soil around the world.
Uranium has many isotopes, which are atoms that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons.
Uranium has three isotopes in its natural state, U-234, U-235 and U-238.
Other isotopes that are not found in natural uranium are U-232, U-233, U-236, and U-237.
8. Union govt approves Indian Space Policy 2023 to enhance role of Department of Space
Tags: National Science and Technology National News
The Union government has approved the Indian Space Policy 2023 on 6th April.
An overview of the news
The Union Cabinet also approved the revised domestic gas pricing guidelines.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Singh Thakur said, the price of natural gas should be 10 percent of the monthly average of the Indian crude basket.
This step has been taken to ensure stable pricing in the regime and to provide adequate protection to the producers from adverse market movements.
This would provide an incentive to increase production.
Indian Space Policy 2023
Its aim is to boost the country's space department's role and give a larger participation to research, academia, startups, and industry.
The policy sets out the roles and responsibilities of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and private sector entities.
The policy will enhance the role of India's Department of Space, promote research, education, start-ups and industry.
The policy is expected to provide a framework for the country's space sector for the next decade.
Within 3 years, the number of startups has reached 150 in ISRO.
India's progress in the field of space exploration
India has been making significant progress in the field of space exploration in recent years, with the successful launch of the Chandrayaan-2 mission and the development of the Gaganyaan mission, which aims to send astronauts into space.
The country is also working on developing its own satellite navigation system, the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS).
9. Skyroot Aerospace test-fires advanced fully 3D-printed cryogenic engine
Tags: Science and Technology National News
In Nagpur, private space vehicle company Skyroot Aerospace test-fired its 3D-printed Dhawan II engine for a duration of 200 seconds on 4 April.
An overview of the news
This is the second cryogenic rocket that has been successfully test-fired by Skyroot, following the Dhawan-I engine that was tested in November 2021.
The achievement comes after the November 2022 launch of Vikram-S, making Skyroot the first Indian private company to send a rocket into space.
The engine has been developed by the company for its heavy vehicle Vikram II.
This cryogenic engine will be used as an advanced stage of the updated version of Vikram-II.
The cryogenic engine series is named after Dr. Satish Dhawan, a renowned Indian rocket scientist who played a key role in the development of the Indian space programme.
Utilisation of Skyroot’s cryogenic rocket engines
Skyroot's cryogenic rocket engines use two high-performance rocket propellants, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and liquid oxygen (LOX), which require cryogenic temperatures (below -150 °C) for storage and operation .
Fully cryogenic engines are ideal for rocket upper stages due to their high specific impulse, which increases payload carrying capacity.
Skyroot Aerospace
Skyroot Aerospace is a spacetech start-up that aims to address growing concerns in the global space industry.
It provides low cost launch solutions to reach space in short time.
The startup's three launch vehicles - Vikram I, II and III - can carry payloads ranging from 200 kg to 700 kg to low Earth orbit.
Currently, the team is testing a 3D printed liquid propellant engine and a fully composite (carbon fiber) and high-performance solid rocket motor.
Headquarters - Hyderabad, Telangana
10. Indigenous Anti Tank Guided Missile, Amogha-III tested successfully
Tags: Defence Science and Technology
Bharat Dynamics (BDL) has successfully conducted a field firing test of its latest 3rd generation man-portable Anti Tank Guided Missile (ATGM), Amogha-III.
About Amogha-III Missile
The Amogha-III Missile has been developed indigenously under Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP).
It is a third generation fire-and-forget Anti-Tank Guided Missile.
Developed by the Research and Development Division of BDL, the missile also has a dual-mode IIR seeker with a range of 200 to 2500 metres.
The missile can be fired in lock-on-before launch (LOBL) mode and its anti-armour tandem warhead can penetrate in excess of 650 mm beyond Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA).
About Anti-tank Guided Missile (ATGM)
An anti-tank guided missile is a guided missile designed primarily to hit and destroy heavily armored military vehicles.
These missiles can be carried by a single soldier as a large tripod-mounted weapon.
