1. India's first observatory to be set up in Uttarakhand to monitor space activity
Tags: Science and Technology
India's first commercial space observatory will be built in the Garhwal division of Uttarakhand by Digantara, a startup started in the field of space.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- It will also be able to keep an eye on an object as small as 10 cm orbiting the Earth.
With the help of this observatory, scientists will be able to keep an eye on every movement of deep space. In particular, monitoring of deep activity in geostationary, middle-Earth and high-Earth orbits will be possible.
This observatory will also give India indigenous capability to monitor space activity on the subcontinent. For example, if Chinese satellites are observed over a particular area of India for a long period of time, it is an advantage for India to have indigenous capability without relying on countries like the US to monitor these activities.
With the help of the information received from this observatory, collisions between satellites and other spacecraft can be avoided. A more accurate estimate can be made about their location, speed and trajectory.
At present, the US dominates the region. It has the most such observatories to monitor space activities. Its observatories are stationed at various places and commercial companies provide inputs for them from all over the world.
Startup Digantara :
Its full name is Digantara Research and Technology Private Limited.
Launched in December 2018, the main focus of this startup is to track the waste being collected due to satellites in space and find solutions.
Its headquarter is in Jalandhar, Punjab.
2. DRDO test fire indigenous Vertical Launch Short Range surface-to-air missile
Tags: Science and Technology
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Navy successfully flight tested Vertical Launch Short Range Surface to Air Missile (VL-SRSAM) on 23 August.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- The missile was test fired from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur off the coast of Odisha.
The flight test was conducted from an Indian Navy ship against a high speed unmanned aerial target.
During the test launch, flight path and vehicle performance parameters were monitored using flight data captured by various instruments such as Radar, Electro-Optical Tracking System (EOTS), and Telemetry System deployed by ITR, Chandipur.
Short Range Surface to Air Missile (VL-SRSAM) :
It is a ship-borne weapon system capable of neutralising various airborne threats at close range, including sea-skimming targets.
The strategy of sea skimming is used by various anti-ship missiles and some fighter aircraft to avoid detection by radar on warships.
They fly very close to the ocean surface and thus are difficult to detect and neutralise.
Design of VL-SRSAM Missile :
This missile is indigenously designed and developed by DRDO.
Its design is based on Astra missile which is a Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air missile.
Astra is India's first air-to-air missile, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION -
Main features of VL-SRSAM Missile :
It has two key features - cruciform wings and thrust vectoring.
The cruciform has four small wings arranged like a cross on all four sides and provides a stable posture to the projectile.
Thrust vectoring, on the other hand, helps to change the angular velocity from its engine and the direction of thrust that controls the missile.
The missile weighs 154 kg and its length is about 12.6 feet.
It is designed to strike high-speed air targets at a range of 40 to 50 km and at an altitude of about 15 km.
3. Tomato flu spreading in India - Lancet warns
Tags: Science and Technology
Following the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing monkeypox, the Lancet has warned India about a new infectious disease, Tomato Flu or Tomato Fever.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- It was first identified in the Kollam district of Kerala on May 6, 2022.
On July 26 in local government hospitals, more than 82 children under the age of 5 have been confirmed to be infected with the disease.
This endemic viral disease has put the neighbouring states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka on alert.
In addition, 26 children (1-9 years of age) have been confirmed for the disease by the Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneswar in Odisha.
What is Tomato Flu ?
It is a rare viral disease that causes red blisters, skin irritation and dehydration.
The blisters that occur in this disease look like a tomato, hence it is called tomato flu.
It is a form of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD).
It is caused by Coxsackie virus A 16. It belongs to Enterovirus family.
The disease is rare in adults because they usually have an immune system strong enough to defend against the virus.
Symptoms of the disease :
Blisters
Diarrhoea
Dehydration
In some cases, the discoloration of the hands and knees also fades.
Treatment of the disease :
It is a self-limiting disease and there are no specific drugs for it.
It is similar to chikungunya and dengue, utensils, clothes and other items used by the infected persons must be sanitised to prevent the flu from spreading.
Fluid intake should be increased to counter dehydration.
4. New species of bent-toed gecko found at Agasthyamalai
Tags: Science and Technology
A group of researchers has discovered a new species of bent-toed gecko from Agasthyamalai hills in the Western Ghats recently.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
About the new Species :
Scientific name - Cyrtodactylus aravindi
The species has been given the common name Aravind’s ground gecko after noted malacologist (a branch of zoology that deals with molluscs) N A Aravind.
It has been described on the basis of variation and its specificity in molecular DNA data.
It has so far been found only at two locations, Muppanddal and Thuckalay, in Kanyakumari district within the Agasthyamalai biosphere reserve in Tamil Nadu.
This new species has been described in the journal Vertebrate Zoology.
About Gecko :
Geckos are reptiles and are found on all continents except Antarctica.
These are colorful lizards adapted to habitats ranging from rainforests, desserts to cold mountain slopes.
Most geckos are nocturnal, they are active at night.
Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve :
It was established in 2001.
It straddles the border of Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram Districts in Kerala and Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari Districts in Tamil Nadu, South India at the southern end of the Western Ghats.
It consists mostly of tropical forests.
5. Researchers develop 3D printed artificial cornea
Tags: Science and Technology
A team of researchers from Hyderabad have successfully 3D-printed an artificial cornea and transplanted it into a rabbit eye for the first time in the country.
Important facts
This 3D printed cornea has been made by scientists from LV Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI), IIT Hyderabad (IITH) and Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB).
This cornea is made from the corneal tissue of the human eye.
This cornea has been completely made by the country's scientists with indigenous technology.
It does not contain any synthetic components and can be applied to patients as well.
How was the 3D cornea made?
Scientists have created a biomimetic hydrogel by extracting decellularized corneal tissue and stem cells from the human eye.
Scientists have said that this 3D printed cornea has been prepared from the corneal tissue of the human eye, so it is completely biocompatible and natural.
This will be helpful in treating diseases like corneal scarring (in which the cornea becomes opaque) and keratoconus (in which the cornea becomes thin).
Many times the cornea of army soldiers gets damaged due to injury, in such a situation the light of those soldiers can be brought back with 3D printed cornea.
What is Cornea?
The cornea is the transparent part of the eye that covers the front of the eye.
It covers the pupil (the centre of the eye), iris (the colored part of the eye), and anterior chamber (the fluid-filled inside of the eye).
The main function of the cornea is to refract or bend light.
The cornea is responsible for focusing most of the light that enters the eye.
What is 3D Printing?
3D printing uses computer aided design (CAD) to create three-dimensional objects through the layering method.
The model to be printed with the help of software is first developed by the computer, which then instructs the 3D printer.
6. Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh unveils India’s first Saline Water Lantern
Tags: Science and Technology National News
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh on 13 August launched India’s first Saline Water Lantern.
About Saline Water Lantern
It uses the sea water as the electrolyte between specially designed electrodes to power the LED lamps.
It is the first-of-its kind lantern named “Roshni”.
The Roshni Lamp has been invented by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai.
This technique can also be used in areas where sea water is not available, as any saltwater or normal water mixed with common salt can be used to power lanterns.
Significance
It will bring "ease of living" to the poor and needy, especially the fishing community living along India's 7500 km long coastline.
It will also give a boost to and complement Prime Minister Narendra Modi's UJALA scheme launched in 2015 for the distribution of LED bulbs across the country.
It is not only cost-effective, but very easy to operate.
7. PM Modi dedicate to nation 2nd Generation Ethanol Plant at Panipat in Haryana
Tags: Science and Technology State News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation the 2nd Generation (2G) Ethanol Plant at Panipat in Haryana on 10 August.
Important facts
This is part of a long series of steps taken by the government over the years to promote the production and use of biofuels in the country.
This is in line with the Prime Minister's efforts to make the energy sector more affordable, accessible, efficient and sustainable.
About the Plant
It has been built at an estimated cost of over Rs 900 crore by Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL).
It is located close to the Panipat Refinery.
The project will use about two lakh tonnes of rice straw (straw) annually to generate about 30 million litres of ethanol annually.
Farmers will be empowered for better use of agro-crop residues and additional income generation opportunities will be provided to them.
The project will have zero liquid discharge.
Reduction in burning of rice straw (stubble) will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 3 lakh tonnes per year and reduce greenhouse gases.
About ethanol
Ethanol is a kind of alcohol, it is also called ethyl alcohol.
It can be used as fuel in vehicles by mixing it with petrol.
After sugarcane, the central government is now focusing on preparing ethanol from rice.
By producing ethanol, farmers can make their economic condition better by earning good profits.
Ethanol is mainly produced from the sugarcane crop, but it can also be prepared from different types of sugar crops.
Ethanol blending programme (EBP) in India
Under this programme 5 per cent ethanol-blended petrol will be supplied to retail outlets.
It aims to popularize 5 per cent ethanol-blended petrol in 9 states and 4 union territories.
Its aim is to reduce the country’s dependence on crude oil imports, cutting carbon emissions and boosting farmers’ incomes.
8. Indian army launches “him- drone-a-thon”
Tags: Defence Science and Technology
Indian Army in collaboration with Drone Federation of India has launched 'Him Drone-a-thon' program on 8 Aug 22.
What is the 'Him Drone-a-thon’ programme?
It is a pan-India continuous interaction between all stakeholders including industry, academia, software developers and drone product manufacturers.
It will be conducted in different phases with quantitative parameters (like height, weight, range, stability etc.), which will be progressively enhanced based on the demonstrated abilities.
The wide range of activities planned under this include interactions and ideas among users, development agencies, academicians etc., seeking industry feedback, visits to operational locations by development agencies.
Development in the following categories are included under this programme
Logistics/ Load carrying Drone in High Altitude Areas
Autonomous Surveillance/ Search & Rescue Drone
Micro/ Nano Drones for Fighting in Built Up Areas
What is a drone?
Drones are also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or unmanned aircraft.
A drone is a flying robot that can be controlled remotely or can fly independently using software-controlled flight technology in its embedded systems.
It works in conjunction with onboard sensors and a global positioning system (GPS).
Drones first came to the market in the 1990 and were developed by the military.
Drones can be used for surveillance, situational analysis, crime control, VVIP security, disaster management, etc.
It offers benefits to almost every sector of the economy, including national defence, agriculture, law enforcement, and mapping, among others.
The Central Government has approved the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme of Drones and Drone Components.
9. ISRO's first SSLV mission fails, satellites placed in wrong orbit
Tags: Science and Technology
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) on 7 August placed its first Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) satellites in the wrong orbit.
Important facts
After this the earth observation satellite and AzadiSat satellite are “no longer usable”.
SSLV has placed the satellites on an elliptical orbit instead of a circular one.
When satellites are placed in such an orbit, they cannot stay there for long and come down.
SSLV-D1 placed the satellites into 356 km x 76 km elliptical orbit instead of 356 km circular orbit.
The space agency said a committee would analyze why it failed and ISRO would soon be back with SSLV-D2.
SSLV had suffered 'data loss' in its terminal phase, after performing "as expected" in all phases.
EOS-02
Earth observation satellite EOS-02 and co-passenger student satellite AzadiSat are important payloads for SSLV.
EOS-02 is an experimental optical remote sensing satellite and has high spatial resolution.
It aims to realize and fly an experimental imaging satellite with a short turnaround time and demonstrate launch-on-demand capability.
EOS-02 belongs to the family of microsatellite series of spacecraft.
AzaadiSAT
It is a 8U CubeSat weighing around 8 kilograms.
It carries 75 different types of payloads each weighing around 50 grams.
The Guidance for manufacturing these payloads was provided to girl students from rural areas of India.
The payload has been integrated by the student team of 'Space Kidz India'.
The ground system developed by 'Space Kids India' will be used to receive data from this satellite.
What is SSLV?
The Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) is 34 metres long, which is about 10 metres less than PSLV.
Its vehicle diameter is two metres as compared to PSLV's 2.8 metres.
Objectives of SSLV
To provide inputs on thermal anomalies for ancillary applications in the fields of geo-environmental studies, forestry, hydrology, agriculture, soil and coastal studies etc.
To create greater synergy between the government space sector and private Indian industries and institutions.
10. Nallathambi Kalaiseelvi became the first woman Director General of CSIR
Tags: Science and Technology Person in news
Senior electrochemical scientist Nallathamby Kalaiselvi has become the first woman director general of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
Important facts
She will succeed Shekhar Mande, who retired in April.
After Mande's retirement, Rajesh Gokhale, Secretary, the Department of Biotechnology, was given additional charge of CSIR.
Known for her work in the field of Li-ion batteries, Kalaiseelvi is the Director of CSIR-Central Electrochemical Research Institute in Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu.
She will also take over as the Secretary, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.
Kalaiseelvi begins her job at CSIR and built a good reputation at the institute and became the first woman to head CSIR-CECRI in February 2019.
Kalaiselvi's research work for more than 25 years has focused primarily on the development of electrochemical power systems, especially electrodes.
She is currently working on the development of sodium-ion/lithium-sulphur batteries and supercapacitors.
Hailing from the town of Ambasamudram in Tirunelveli district in Tamil Nadu, Kalaiseelvi did her schooling in Tamil medium.
What are Lithium Ion Batteries?
It is also called as Li-ion battery is a type of rechargeable battery.
These are commonly used for portable electronics and electric vehicles and are growing in popularity for military and aerospace applications.
It is also used in handy consumer electronics goods such as mobile phones, laptops, cameras and many other portable consumer gadgets apart from industrial applications and aerospace.
China dominates the Li-ion battery market.
The majority of current domestic demand is met by imported batteries from China, South Korea and Taiwan.
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
