1. ISRO successfully launches its heaviest rocket LVM3-M2
Tags: place in news Science and Technology
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully launched its heaviest rocket LVM3-M2, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota spaceport, Andhra Pradesh on 23 October 2022. The mission, which was named LVM3-M2/OneWeb India-1, carried 36 broadband communication satellites of OneWeb Company.
It was the first commercial launch of the GSLV Mk3 now called LVM3 (Launch Vehicle Mark 3). M2 means that it is the second mission of the rocket.
The launch was part of the contract between OneWeb, a London-based company, and NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), a central public sector enterprise under the Department of Space, to launch One Web LEO satellite launches on board ISRO's LVM3.
Satellite carried by the Rocket
It carried 36 broadband communication satellites of the United Kingdom based company OneWeb. OneWeb is a private satellite communications company, in which India's Bharti Enterprises (Airtel) is a major investor and shareholder.
The satellites were later successfully placed in the Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
The company’s constellation of satellites will be used to beam internet connectivity to terrestrial regions, in a service that will compete with Elon Musk-backed Starlink by SpaceX, Jeff Bezos-backed Project Kuiper.
LVM3-M2 Rocket
The LVM3-M2 is a three-stage launch vehicle that has two strap-on solid propellant stages (S200) on its sides and a core stage that consists of an L110 liquid stage and a C25 cryogenic stage.
The rocket was earlier called GSLV (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle) MkIII and ISRO had successfully carried out four missions.
The current rocket has the ability to launch 8 tonnes satellite into the LEO and satellites weighing up to 4,000 kg into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO)
What is LEO?
A low Earth orbit (LEO) is an orbit that is relatively close to Earth’s surface. It is normally at an altitude of 2000 km but could be as low as 160 km above Earth. The satellite placed in this orbit is used for communication, spying, remote sensing etc.
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
It was set up on 15 August 1969
It is India's national space agency.
Headquarters: Bengaluru
Chairman: S.Somanath
2. Chandrayaan-3 launch in June next year : ISRO chairman
Tags: Science and Technology
The Indian Space Research Organisation is planning to launch Chandrayaan-3, its third mission to the Moon, in June next year.
Important facts
It has a more robust lunar rover on board which is vital for future inter-planetary explorations.
The space agency has also planned the first test flight of the 'abort mission' for the country's first manned spacecraft Gaganyaan early next year.
Chandrayaan-3 (C-3) launch will be in June next year onboard the Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3).
ISRO plans to send Indian astronauts into orbit by the end of 2024 after carrying out abort missions and unmanned test flights.
India's first attempt to land a rover on the Moon had failed after the Vikram lander on the Chandrayaan-2 mission crashed on the lunar surface in September 2019.
ISRO’s Moon Exploration Mission
Chandrayaan 1
Chandrayaan-2
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) recently announced India's third lunar mission Chandrayaan-3, which will consist of a lander and a rover.
About ISRO
It is India's leading space exploration agency, headquartered in Bangalore.
ISRO was formed in the year 1969 with a view to develop and exploit space technology while pursuing planetary exploration and space science research.
The first Indian satellite Aryabhata was built by ISRO which was launched on 19 April 1975 with the help of the Soviet Union.
Chairman - S Somnath
3. Union Home Minister Amit Shah launches Hindi version of MBBS book in Bhopal
Tags: place in news Science and Technology State News
Union Minister for Home Affairs and Cooperation Home Minister Amit Shah, who is on a day-long visit to Madhya Pradesh launched India’s first Hindi version of MBBS course books in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh on 16 October 2022. The Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, was also present during the launch event.
First medical college to offer bilingual MBBS course
Gandhi Medical College Bhopal became the first medical college in Madhya Pradesh and India to offer MBBS courses in both Hindi as well as in English medium, starting 2022-23 session. The book which has been launched in will be first used in the Gandhi Medical College.
Initially, three subjects have been selected to be studied in Hindi which includes anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry.
First State to offer bilingual MMBS course
Madhya Pradesh is the first state in the country to start the MBBS course in Hindi language. The state government intends to extend the bilingual medium of education in the medical field to all the medical colleges in the state.
In 2021 on a visit to Assam Prime Minister Modi has called to establish at least one medical college and one technical college in every Indian state which would impart higher education in regional languages.
Madhya Pradesh State
- Madhya Pradesh, with an area of 3, 08, 000 sq.km. Is the second largest state in India after Rajasthan.
- After Independence 25 princely states were merged to create a Madhya Bharat State on May 28, 1948.
- After the reorganization of states in 1956 it was renamed as Madhya Pradesh on 1 November 1956.
- On 1 November 2000, Chhattisgarh state was formed by dividing the state of Madhya Pradesh
- It is bounded by the states of Uttar Pradesh to the northeast, Chhattisgarh to the southeast, Maharashtra to the south, Gujarat to the southwest, and Rajasthan to the northwest.
Capital: Bhopal
- State Symbol of the Madhya Pradesh
- The State bird of Madhya Pradesh is “Dhudraj” the Asian Paradise Flycatcher.
- The State tree of Madhya Pradesh is the “Banyan”.
- The State animal of Madhya Pradesh in the “Barasingha” also called swamp deer.
- The State fish of Madhya Pradesh is “Mahasheer”, locally known as Mahasheer Baudas.
4. NGT impose a fine of Rs 2900 crore on Karnataka government for damaging the environment
Tags: Environment Science and Technology State News
A National Green Tribunal (NGT) bench headed by Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel has held the Karnataka government guilty of causing harm to the environment by its failure in management of solid and liquid waste.
The bench has fined the government Rs 2,856 crore for its failure in liquid waste/sewage management and Rs 540 crore for its failure in solid waste management.
The NGT said that the state government having already deposited Rs 500 crore the state will have to deposit Rs 2900 crore as fine in a separate fund within two months.
The fund will be under the Chief Secretary of the Karnataka government and will be utilized for the restoration of the environment.
The NGT in recent months has imposed fines on a number of states like Telangana, Punjab, West Bengal and the Union Territory of Delhi for their mismanagement of municipal waste.
The NGT is monitoring compliance with the Municipal Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 and other environmental aspects by the states and Union territories.
The National Green Tribunal was established in 2010 under the National Green Tribunal Act 2010. It deals with matters related to environmental protection and conservation of forest.
Its headquarters is in New Delhi.
Chairperson of NGT : Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel
5. ISRO to launch 36 satellites of UK’s global communications network OneWeb
Tags: Defence Science and Technology
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch 36 satellites of OneWeb, the UK's global communications network, on October 23, 2022.
Important facts
The name of the rocket is LVM3, it was earlier called GSLV Mk III.
It is India’s heaviest satellite, and is being facilitated by Space PSU NewSpace India Limited (NSIL).
NSIL has signed two launch service contracts with OneWeb for launching the firm’s LEO (low Earth orbit) broadband communication satellites onboard the GSLV-Mk3.
The space PSU has at least six commercial missions planned in the next few months.
This is the first time that India’s heaviest rocket is being used for a commercial launch.
What is OneWeb?
It is a global communications company that aims to distribute broadband satellite Internet worldwide through a fleet of LEO satellites.
The OneWeb satellites are built at a OneWeb and Airbus joint venture facility in Florida that can produce two satellites a day.
The launch roll-out of the satellites has been facilitated by the French company Arianespace using Russian-made Soyuz rockets.
Moreover, this will be the first time that a rocket other than India's workhorse – the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) is being used for a commercial launch.
6. CSIR-NAL in Bengaluru successfully conducts Drone-based magnetic survey
Tags: Science and Technology National News
The CSIR National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) in Bengaluru successfully conducted the Drone based magnetic survey near Magnetic Hill and Puga Chumthang region of Leh-Ladakh on 14 October 2022.
Important facts
The survey was conducted last month in association with Hyderabad-based CSIR National Geophysical Research Institute.
NAL deployed its octa-copter drone which has a payload capacity of 20 kg at sea level.
NAL's OCTA-copter drone performed as designed at an altitude of more than 3600 metres, withstanding the harsh flight conditions of strong winds.
The magnetometer integrated with the drone received the magnetic data and is being analysed by scientists from the National Geophysical Research Institute.
The Director of NAL Dr.Abhay A Pashilkar said that the data will help to plan developmental activities in Ladakh region.
National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL)
It is a constituent of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), established in the year 1959.
It is the only government aerospace R&D laboratory in the country's civilian sector.
It is a highly-technology-oriented institute focusing on advanced subjects in aerospace.
7. PM Modi to chair the meeting of CSIR Society
Tags: Science and Technology National News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair a meeting of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Society in New Delhi on 15 October 2022.
Important facts
The meeting will set goals for the next 25 years for CSIR which is a world class body in the field of science and research.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, 13 secretaries of central ministries and all secretaries of science-based ministries will also attend the meeting.
CMDs of four PSUs, NTPC, BHEL, GAIL and HAL, three industry leaders and 12 academicians and members of the scientific community will also participate in the meeting.
The Society meets annually to review CSIR activities and consider future programmes.
Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)
It is the largest research and development organisation in India in the field of science and technology.
It has a dynamic network of 37 national laboratories, 39 outreach centres, 3 innovation complexes and 5 units.
It is ranked 37th out of 1587 government institutions around the world.
The Chairman (ex-officio) of CSIR is the Prime Minister and the Union Minister of Science and Technology is the Vice President (ex-officio).
It is funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology.
Established - September 1942
Located - New Delhi
Director-General of CSIR - N Kalaiselvi
Union Science and Technology Minister - Jitendra Singh
8. INS Arihant carries out successful launch of Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile
Tags: Defence Science and Technology
India's submarine INS Arihant carried out a successful launch of a ballistic missile on 14 October, 2022.
Important facts
The missile was test fired to a predetermined range and was successful in hitting the target area in the Bay of Bengal with high accuracy.
All operational and technical parameters of the weapon system have been validated.
The successful user training launch of the SLBM by INS Arihant is critical to proving crew competency and validating the SSBN programme, a key element of India's nuclear deterrence.
About INS Arihant
It is India’s first indigenously-designed, developed and manufactured nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine.
It was designed in the 1990s and its development project was officially accepted in 1998.
Its design is based on the Russian Akula-1 class submarine.
It was launched on 26 July 2009, the anniversary of Vijay Diwas (Kargil War Victory Day) by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
It is a 6,000 ton submarine with a length of 110 meters and a width of 11 meters.
It is powered by an 83 MW pressurized light water nuclear reactor with enriched uranium fuel.
It was built under the Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project at the Ship Building Centre in the port city of Visakhapatnam.
9. President Droupadi Murmu inaugurates ‘PARAM KAMRUPA’ Supercomputer facility at IIT Guwahati
Tags: Science and Technology State News
President of India, Droupadi Murmu, inaugurated ‘PARAM KAMRUPA’ Supercomputer facility and a high-power active and passive component laboratory of at Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati on 13 October, 2022.
Important facts
The President inaugurated the Dhubri Medical College and Hospital, and laid the foundation stone of regional institutes of the National Institute of Virology at Dibrugarh in Assam and Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh.
She urged the science and technology institutions to lay emphasis on research and technology.
The program was also addressed by Assam Governor Professor Jagdish Mukhi, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Bharati Praveen Pawar.
About ‘PARAM KAMRUPA’ Supercomputer
PARAM Kamrup, a one of its kind supercomputer in the North East region, has been set up under the National Supercomputing Mission.
National Supercomputing Mission (NSM) is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
It will provide advanced computing, healthcare techniques along with solutions for many issues to this region.
Many components of this supercomputer are indigenously developed.
Such technological development will make India a world leader in super computing and enhance India's capability in solving the challenges of the country as well as the world.
The National Supercomputing Mission (NSM) has deployed Supercomputer PARAM Ganga at IIT Roorkee in March 2022.
What are supercomputers?
A supercomputer can perform high-level processing at a faster rate than a normal computer.
They work together to perform complex operations that are not possible with normal computing systems.
Fast speed and fast memory are the characteristics of supercomputers.
The performance of a supercomputer is generally evaluated in petaflops.
National Supercomputing Mission
The National Supercomputing Mission was launched In 2015.
The aim of the mission was to enhance the research capacities in the country to form a Supercomputing grid.
It supports the government's vision of 'Digital India' and 'Make in India' initiatives.
The mission is being jointly operated by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
It is implemented by Center for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Pune and IISc, Bengaluru.
Some important facts about supercomputer
China has the maximum number of supercomputers followed by the US, Japan, France, Germany, Netherlands, Ireland and the United Kingdom..
India’s first supercomputer - PARAM 8000
first supercomputer assembled indigenously - PARAM Shivay, installed in IIT (BHU)
PARAM Shakti, PARAM Brahma, PARAM Yukti, PARAM Sanganak are some name of india's supercomputers
India's PARAM-Siddhi AI, has been ranked 63rd in the Top 500 list of most powerful supercomputers in the world.
10. Maharatna Coal India to set up 1190 MW Solar Power Project in Rajasthan
Tags: Economy/Finance Science and Technology State News
The Government of India owned Maharatna Company, Coal India Limited (CIL) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Rajasthan Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Ltd (RUVNL), for setting up a 1,190-MW solar power plant in the Bikaner district of Rajasthan on 13 October 2022. The plant will be installed in a 2,000-MW solar park being developed by RVUNL in Poogal, Bikaner.
RVNUL CMD R K Sharma and Technical Director of Coal India Limited, V Reddy signed the MoU in the presence of Union Minister of Coal Prahlad Joshi and Chief Minister of Rajasthan Ashok Gehlot in Jaipur.
Recently the e-commerce giant Amazon announced to set up its first solar plant in Rajasthan.
Rajasthan as an attractive destination for solar power
Rajasthan with Thar Desert is suitable for generation of solar power using the desert's intense heat. Furthermore, in comparison to the rest of the country, the state is thinly populated. Solar power plants in less populated areas enable clean energy to reach isolated communities that do not have access to electricity.
Rajasthan has the world's largest solar plant with a capacity of 2,245 MW in Bhadla of the Jodhpur district of the state.
In March this year the state government announced two new solar parks of 1,800 MW to be developed in the Jaisalmer and Bikaner districts of the state.
For the 800 MW project in Jaisalmer RNVUL was the developing agency while the 1,000 MW solar power project in Bikaner will be developed by Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation in the first phase.
Private solar project developer Rays Experts also announced in May this year that they will develop the world's largest solar park in Rajasthan with a capacity of 3000 MW. The project will be set up in Bikaner.
