chandrayaan 3 latest update batillipes chandrayaani what is tardigrade - India Hindi News

read on app Chandrayaan 3 Update: Now a special species of animal will also be known by the name of Chandrayaan-3, which has immortalized India’s name in space. It is reported that a university in Tamil Nadu has named a new species of marine tardigrade as ‘Batillipes Chandrayaani’. Researchers have taken this decision after the success of Chandrayaan-3 mission of ISRO i.e. Indian Space Research…

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Tagged by @auds-and-evens 🌻💘

You can call me: Drish <3

Pronouns: she/her

Sun sign+favourite flower: Capricon and Sunflower 🌻

What time did you wake up today?: 8:47am

What kind of phone do you have: Redmi Note 11 Pro+

Pick one: Beach, mountain, desert or forest?: I can't choose between beach and mountains 😭

Favourite vegetable: ladyfinger!

You're at the smoothie shop, what are you getting: out the door 😬

You're at the zoo, which exhibit are you seeing first?: Pandas <33

Last movie you saw in theaters: OMG 2

Last movie you watched at home: I don't even remember lol it's been so long

Something that sparks joy: The moon 🌙 (India's Chandrayaan-3 made a safe landing on the moon today!! The first country to reach the lunar south pole btw 😇), cats leaning into your touch, when my guy holds his arm out to me so I can loop my arm through his 🩷

And finally, what's your current obsession: Jhumkas <3 Here's a cute one:

India's moon rover completes its walk and enters "sleep mode."

India’s moon rover has been switched off after completing its walk on the lunar surface two weeks after its historic landing near the lunar south pole, the country’s space agency has said.

The Pragyan rover from the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft, which took off on July 14, was “set into Sleep mode”, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, late on Saturday.

The rover’s payloads are turned off and the data it collected has been transmitted to the Earth via the lander, the statement said.

The Chandrayaan-3 (“Mooncraft-3” in Sanskrit) lander and rover were expected to operate only for one lunar day, which is equal to 14 days on Earth. ISRO hopes that the rover may reawaken for another set of assignments when the next lunar day starts on September 22.

There was no word on the outcome of the rover searches for signs of frozen water on the lunar surface that could help future astronaut missions, as a potential source of drinking water or to make rocket fuel.

Last week, the space agency said the moon rover confirmed the presence of sulfur and detected several other elements. The rover’s laser-induced spectroscope instrument also detected aluminium, iron, calcium, chromium, titanium, manganese, oxygen and silicon on the surface, it said.

The Indian Express newspaper said the electronics on board the moon mission were not designed to withstand very low temperatures, less than -120C (-184F) during the nighttime on the moon.

Pallava Bagla, a science writer and co-author of books on India’s space exploration, said the rover has limited battery power.

The data is back on Earth and will be analysed by Indian scientists as a first look and then by the global community, he said.

By sunrise on the moon, the rover may or may not wake up because electronics can die at such cold temperatures, Bagla said.

“Making electronic circuits and components that can survive the deep cold temperature of the moon – that technology doesn’t exist in India,” he said.

After a failed attempt to land on the moon in 2019, India last week joined the United States, the Soviet Union and China as only the fourth country to achieve this milestone.

The successful mission showcases India’s rising standing as a technology and space powerhouse and dovetails with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s desire to project an image of an ascendant country asserting its place among the global elite.

The mission began more than a month ago at an estimated cost of $75m.

India’s success came just days after Russia’s Luna 25, which was aiming for the same lunar region, spun into an uncontrolled orbit and crashed. It had been intended to be the first successful Russian lunar landing after a gap of 47 years.

The head of Russia’s state-controlled space corporation Roscosmos attributed the failure to a lack of expertise because of the long break in lunar research that followed the last Soviet mission to the moon in 1976.

Active in space exploration since the 1960s, India has launched satellites for itself and other countries, and successfully put one in orbit around Mars in 2014.

India is planning its first mission to the International Space Station next year, in collaboration with the US.

Chandrayaan-3 rover and lander in sleep mode but might wake up later this month | Space

The two vehicles have completed their primary mission goals.

India's Chandrayaan-3 lunar rover and lander have completed their primary mission goals and are now preparing for the upcoming two-week lunar night. The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) hopes the two iconic vehicles might wake up when the sun rises again above the moon's south pole.

The Chandrayaan-3 mission, India's first successful attempt to land on the moon and the world's first successful landing in the southern lunar region, spent a little under two weeks exploring the promising area where deposits of frozen water might exist trapped inside permanently shadowed craters.

On Sunday, Sept. 2, ISRO announced that Chandrayaan-3's Pragyan rover had completed its assignments and had been "set into sleep mode" with its scientific instruments turned off.

"Currently, the battery is fully charged," ISRO said in a post on X, previously known as Twitter. "The solar panel is oriented to receive the light at the next sunrise expected on September 22, 2023. The receiver is kept on."  ...

  Daily Current Affairs Dated On 15-July-2019 GS-2 NIA (Amendment) Bill: Why in News? The Lok Sabha on July 15, 2019 passes The National Investigative Agency (Amendment) Bill, 2019. This Bill gives NIA officers power to investigate offences committed outside India too, and mandates the setting up of Special Courts. The NIA was set up in 2009 in the wake of the Mumbai terror attack that had claimed 166 lives. What are changes introduced in the NIA (Amendment) Bill? According to PRS Legislative Research, there are three major amendments to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Act of 2008.  The first change is the type of offences that the NIA can investigate and prosecute. Under the existing Act, the NIA can investigate offences under Acts such as the Atomic Energy Act, 1962, and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 1967. According to PRS, the latest amendments will enable the NIA to additionally investigate offences related to human trafficking, counterfeit currency, manufacture or sale of prohibited arms, cyber-terrorism, and offences under the Explosive Substances Act, 1908.  The second change pertains to NIA‟s jurisdiction. Under the Act, for the offences under its purview, NIA officers have the same power as other police officers and these extend across the country. The Bill amends this to give NIA officers the power to investigate offences committed outside India. Of course, NIA‟s jurisdiction will be subject to international treaties and domestic laws of other countries.  The third change relates to the special trials courts for the offences that come under NIA‟s purview or the so-called “scheduled offences”. Daily Current Affairs Dated On 15-July-2019 The existing Act allows the Centre to constitute special courts for NIA‟s trials. But the Bill enables the Central government to designate sessions courts as special courts for such trials. GS-3 Overseas bond: The story so far: The government, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced in the Budget speech, plans to raise a portion of its gross borrowing from overseas markets. The government and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will reportedly finalise the plans for the overseas issue of sovereign bonds by September. While several commentators have argued that this is a risky move, the government itself is convinced that it will help boost private investment in the country. What is an overseas bond issue?  A government bond or sovereign bond is a form of debt that the government undertakes wherein it issues bonds with the promise to pay periodic interest payments and also repay the entire face value of the bond on the maturity date.  So far, the government has only issued bonds in the domestic market.  India‟s sovereign external debt to GDP ratio is among the lowest around the world, at less than 5%. Daily Current Affairs Dated On 15-July-2019  Against this background, the government will start raising a part of its gross borrowing programme in external markets in external currencies.  This,would also have a beneficial impact on the demand for government securities in the India.  The market estimates that the government will only test the waters and borrow about $10 billion, which works out to about 10% of its gross market borrowing. What are the benefits of an overseas bond issue?  The government has been arguing that the quantum of its borrowing within India is „crowding out‟ the private sector.  In other words, it is saying that government borrowing is at such a level that there are not enough funds available for the private sector to adequately meet its credit and investment needs.  If the private sector cannot borrow adequately, then it cannot invest as it wants to, and that cripples one major engine of economic growth.  Therefore, borrowing overseas allows the government to raise funds in such a way that there is enough domestic credit available for the private sector. The appetite of the international market for Indian bonds and their price will also say a lot about how India is viewed globally on the risk factor. For example, if the rate at which India can borrow overseas is low, then this would mean the global market assigns a low risk to India defaulting. What are the risks?  Several economists have expressed their concerns over the fact that India might follow the path of some Central and South American countries such as Mexico and Brazil.  In the 1970s, several of these countries borrowed heavily overseas when the global market was flush with liquidity.  But then, when their currencies depreciated sharply a decade later, these countries were in big trouble as they could not repay their debt.  India is not likely to be viewed as a risky proposition by the international market and so is likely to fetch an attractive rate for the bonds.  Cheap and plentiful funds, however, should not encourage the government to borrow too heavily from abroad. Daily Current Affairs Dated On 15-July-2019  Another risk to India from overseas borrowings is that this would lead to a quicker increase to its foreign exchange reserves, which would lead to a stronger rupee at a time when it is already appreciating against the dollar.  This, many experts say, would be an adverse outcome. A stronger rupee would encourage imports at a time when the government is trying to curb them, and discourage exports at a time when they are being encouraged.  On the other hand, a rupee depreciation for whatever external reason would prove even more disastrous as it would make it far more expensive for India to repay its external debt.  The third problem with an overseas bond issue is that the government would not be able to inflate itself out of trouble.  That is, in the domestic market, if the government does ever reach the stage where it is finding it difficult to repay its debt, it can simply print more money, let inflation rise quickly and repay its debt.  This is not an option in an overseas bond issue. The Indian government cannot print foreign currency to repay its debt. What does it mean for the domestic market?  According to the government‟s own reasoning, there are not enough funds in the domestic market to cater to its needs as well as those of the private sector.  This shallowness of the bond market is not a good thing, especially at a time when the government needs the bond market to finance several of its commitments.  Ideally, the government should have enough revenue that it does not need to borrow as much.  However, at a time when both direct and indirect tax collections have disappointed, the government is forced to borrow to finance its expenditure.  In such a scenario, it is a welcome move for the private sector that the government is leaving it room to borrow in the domestic market. Daily Current Affairs Dated On 15-July-2019 Chandrayaan 2 The story so far: When Chandrayaan 1, India‟s first moon mission was launched on October 22, 2008, from Sriharikota, using the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), India became the fourth country to plant its flag on the lunar surface. On the moon, the mission conclusively detected traces of water along with magnesium, aluminium and silicon. Now, close to a decade later, India will launch its second lunar mission, Chandrayaan 2, on July 15, 2019, again from Sriharikota, using the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) Mark III rocket. How will the launch work?  The GSLV Mark III rocket will first launch the spacecraft into an Earth Parking Orbit (170 km X 40,400 km).  Then the height of the orbit will be enhanced until the spacecraft can reach out to the Lunar Transfer Trajectory.  On entering the moon‟s sphere of influence, on-board thrusters will slow down the spacecraft, allowing it to be captured by the moon.  Then it will be eased into a circular orbit (100 km X 100 km).  From this orbit, the lander and rover will separate as a unit from the orbiter, and, through a series of braking mechanisms, the duo will “soft-land” on the moon, on September 6, 2019. What is special about Chandrayaan 2?  Chandrayaan 2 will be the first mission to reach and study the south pole of the moon.  It is made up of an orbiter, a lander named ��Vikram‟, after Vikram A. Sarabhai, the founding father of space science research in India, and a rover named „Pragyan‟, which means „wisdom‟.  At about 3,877 kg, the spacecraft weighs nearly four times its predecessor, Chandrayaan 1.  While Chandrayaan 1 sent its lander crashing into the moon, Chandrayaan 2 will use rocket technology to soft land „Vikram‟, carrying its „Pragyan‟ rover in a suitable high plain on the lunar surface, between two craters, Manzinus-C and Simpelius N, at a latitude of about 70º South. Daily Current Affairs Dated On 15-July-2019  The lander-rover combo has an expected lifetime of 14 days, while the orbiter will continue for a year. How does the „Pragyan‟ rover operate and what determines its lifetime?  The time taken for the moon to complete one rotation on its axis is approximately equal to 29.5 earth days.  This is also equal to the time it takes to complete one orbit around the earth.  That is why the same side always faces the earth. But because it takes 29.5 earth days to complete one rotation, every point on its surface experiences daylight for about half the time, or a little more than 14 days at a stretch.  Moon days are nearly 14 earth days long.  This point will receive light for nearly another fortnight which will match the expected lifetime of the lander-rover combo.  Since the „Vikram‟ lander and „Pragyan‟ rover are powered by solar energy, they will be energised during this period by sunlight on the moon.  Once night falls, this energy will not be available as they are plunged into a dark and cold -180º Celsius environment.  If the lander-rover duo should kickstart after another half-rotation when day breaks once again, it will be a bonus for the ISRO.  The mission is not designed to survive this extreme cold, unlike some U.S. and Chinese missions which survived on the “dark” side of the moon using special sources of warmth. How will the mission study the moon?  Using the Terrain Mapping Camera 2 which is on board the orbiter, the mission will produce images of the moon remotely from a 100 km lunar polar orbit.  While the moon rotates about its axis, along its east-west direction, say, the lunar polar orbit will be in the perpendicular direction, along the lunar north-south direction.  Thus, as the moon rotates, the orbiter gets a view of its entire surface from overhead.  The rover will carry two instruments or payloads which will collect and test samples from the moon‟s surface to identify what elements they contain. Daily Current Affairs Dated On 15-July-2019  The rover moves on six wheels and once let down on the moon, can travel about 500 m from the lander. What is the success rate of “soft-landing” on the moon?  There have been 38 attempts so far at “soft-landing” on the moon, with a success rate of 52% according to the ISRO website. Why should we have this mission? Why should we study the moon?  The moon offers a pristine environment to study. It is also closer than other celestial bodies.  Understanding how it formed and evolved can help us better understand the solar system and even earth itself.  With space travel taking shape and exoplanets being discovered everyday, learning more about earth‟s celestial neighbour can help in advanced missions.  Finally, it is a piece of the larger puzzle as to how the solar system and its planets have evolved. Great Indian Bustard: Why in News? With just 130 great Indian bustards left in the country, the Centre has initiated a project worth ₹33.85 crore for their conservation and protection. Details of Measures taken:  The ministry was providing funds to states and Union Territories for conservation and protection of 21 critically endangered species, including the great Indian bustard.  “The ministry, through its Centrally Sponsored Scheme-Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats (CSS-IDWH), provides funds to states or Union Territories under the component „Species Recovery Programme‟ for conservation and protection of 21 critically endangered species, including the great Indian bustard. Daily Current Affairs Dated On 15-July-2019  Ministry has also initiated a project, titled „Habitat Improvement and Conservation Breeding of Great Indian Bustard-An Integrated Approach‟,  It will povided with financial support from the ad hoc Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) for conservation, breeding of the Indian bustard with technical support from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII). Objectives:  To build up captive population of great Indian bustard and to release the chicks in the wild for increasing the population.  Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra are the important range states involved in this programme. Currently, there are two centres for breeding and hatching -- one in Jaisalmer and the other in Kota, both in Rajasthan, he said. Climate change: Why in News? In Greenland, climate change isn‟t just a danger to ecosystems but also a threat to history, as global warming is affecting archaeological remains, according to a study. Reasons Behind:  There are more than 1,80,000 archaeological sites across the Arctic, some dating back thousands of years, and previously these were protected by the characteristics of the soil.  Because the degradation rate is controlled by the soil temperature and moisture content, rising air temperatures and changes in precipitation during the frost-free season may lead to a loss of organic key elements such as archaeological wood, bone and ancient DNA.  In addition to organic elements, such as hair, feathers, shells and traces of flesh, some of the sites contain the ruins of Viking settlements. Daily Current Affairs Dated On 15-July-2019 Future Changes:  Projections used in the study, which are based on different warming scenarios, predict that average temperature could increase by up to 2.6 degrees Celsius, leading to “higher soil temperatures, a longer thaw season, and increased microbial activity within the organic layers”.  Around 30 to 70% of the archaeological fraction of organic carbon (OC) could disappear within the next 80 years.  This means that these remains, some of which provide a glimpse into the lives of the first inhabitants of Greenland from around 2,500 BC, are at risk.  When findings were compared with previous surveys, they found evidence of ongoing degradation.  At some sites, we did not find any intact bones or pieces of wood, suggesting that these have disintegrated within the last decades.  In regions such as Alaska, ancient artefacts are emerging as the permafrost thaws due to rising temperatures.

All four NFC divisions reviewed and graded for their 2016 season

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Critical Shifts in India’s Outer Space Policy

While the planet has been concentrated on China’s impressive place firsts, notably the Chang’e-4 landing on the far side of the moon, and U.S. proposals for a Room Drive, India is seeing continual progress on its very own complete room software.

A quantity of crucial coverage modifications have been manufactured and are in the will work. These adjustments mirror both a switching intercontinental surroundings wherever nation states are competing throughout groups of prestige, navy functionality, and economics, as perfectly as India’s expanding content wealth and technological capability. A Regular Chartered report forecasted that India will overtake the U.S. overall economy ($31 trillion) in nominal GPD phrases by 2030, to develop into the world’s 2nd premier economic climate at $46.3 trillion, only behind China ($64.2 trillion), projected to be the prime financial state.

Because its inception, India’s area method has been guided by the eyesight of its founder, Vikram Sarabhai:

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There are some who query the relevance of space routines in a creating nation. To us, there is no ambiguity of objective. We do not have the fantasy of competing with the economically innovative nations in the exploration of the moon or the planets of manned space-flight. But we are persuaded that if we are to perform a significant function nationally, and in the community of nations, we should be second to none in the application of state-of-the-art systems to the true issues of man and modern society.

Obtaining prolonged eschewed non-enhancement missions, found as unconnected to the supreme reason of national enhancement, India’s modern announcement (and acceptance of a budget) for a manned area mission in 2022 marked a sizeable shift in coverage. A different shift in India’s area policy was demonstrated on March 27, when India done its very first anti-satellite (ASAT) check. Code-named Mission Shakti, the anti-satellite interceptor ballistic missile included 300 kilometers and strike and wrecked India’s live satellite in low-Earth orbit in a few minutes. The interceptor missile was designed by India’s Defense Investigation and Growth Group (DRDO). New Delhi has been traditionally wary to be found as an assertive big ability in outer space, nevertheless the ASAT exam saw India make the most of its area method for demonstrating house electrical power, defined by Brent Ziarnick in his e book, Developing National Electric power in Place: A Theoretical Model, as “anything a country can do in or via house.”

The ASAT exam demonstrated India’s ability to strike adversary objects in room, a ability the DRDO has possessed considering that 2012 but showcased only now immediately after yrs of restraint. Problems that China could hold its crucial infrastructure at risk prompted India to showcase its very own retaliatory capacity as a deterrent to any Chinese coercion. This was the first time that we have viewed the DRDO associated in a room mission, and the initial time that the Indian Room Investigate Organization (ISRO) has participated in a weapons take a look at.

What’s more, in the wake of the take a look at, Key Minister Narendra Modi directed Nationwide Security Advisor Ajit Doval to produce a draft area doctrine. That, alongside with modern moves by China, Russia, and the United States to generate dedicated Room Forces, could give impetus to wishes to go from a modest built-in house cell to a committed army area business. We can be expecting further more cooperation involving the ISRO and DRDO. Previously the ISRO has released payloads on Microsat-R and EMISAT, and it has just been introduced that beginning in Could, the ISRO is envisioned to launch a string of defense satellites.

An additional big change is the expansion of India’s non-public house sector. For the incredibly initial time, India has succeeded in its need to have the ISRO transfer satellite making engineering to the Indian non-public sector, with a latest thriving start of a consortium-made navigation satellite. It is predicted that the first non-public consortium-developed variation of the Polar Satellite Start Auto (PSLV) will be shipped and fly in 2020. The PSLV, which already retains the history for the most selection of satellites on a solitary start (104 in February 2017), just realized a new record of launching 29 satellites to three various orbits. Among the satellites introduced was India’s armed forces intelligence gathering satellite, the 436 kilogram EMISAT intelligence satellite.

Most likely a lot more spectacular in the extensive run, completely non-public Indian house commence-up Exceed Room successfully designed and released the first NewSpace satellite on a SpaceX Falcon 9. The Indian house business also broke new floor with the ISRO, for the initially time spinning in technology from a start-up, Bellatrix Aerospace. Those people are landmark achievements setting up self esteem for the Indian house industry, which hopes to company a world-wide current market. The field now involves at minimum seven businesses, which includes Bellatrix, Astrome, Satsure, Earth2Orbit, ReBeam, TeamIndus, SmartEnovations, and many others. India even now has a youth-focused rocketry club (these types of golf equipment were vital in making an initial talent pool in the initially place age).

India’s most well known personal house corporation, the a person that started off it all, TeamIndus (Orbit Past), which competed in the Google Lunar X-Prize, just lately was picked as one particular of the providers in a position to provide Industrial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) to NASA. The exhilaration created by these gains and the activism of the NewSpace community have succeeded in acquiring the ISRO to interact extra greatly with youth and the populace, which includes environment up a visitor heart, letting the public to observe rocket launches, and establishing space museums throughout the nation.

India’s state-dependent lunar system, Chandrayaan 2 Lunar Mission however getting seasoned some delays, is anticipated to launch its individual lunar rover to the moon future thirty day period. It will be trying to land on an historical higher airplane just 600 km from the Lunar South Pole, joining a important volume of lunar exercise. Both of those India’s upcoming lunar mission (Chandrayaan-2) and its manned mission (Gaganyaan) count on India’s new significant lift rocket, GSLV-Mk 3, which released efficiently in November of 2018 and is capable of placing massive interaction satellites (4 metric tons) into geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) or 10 metric tons to reduced-Earth orbit (LEO). Prior house missions are also giving substantial returns. India’s Mars probe, Mangalyaan, is assisting understand methane mysteries on Mars that might be the initial evidence of simple daily life on that earth.

The new global place aggressive setting also appears to be to be forcing India to contemplate better regulation of its business house activities.  The Indian Parliament is at this time taking into consideration a draft Space Things to do Invoice.

Responding to what seems to be to be a global scramble for space means, India’s elite discourse is also shifting. In the very last couple of several years, several of India’s space and nuclear scientists, to consist of Dr. Sivathanu Pillai, professor and previous chief of BrahMos Aerospace, specify that, “there are ideas to mine Helium-3 loaded lunar dust, deliver electrical power and transport it again to Earth.” This viewpoint is supported by Dr. Srikumar Banerjee, former director of Bhabha Atomic Exploration Centre (BARC), who asserts that the long run lies in minerals wealth mining in house. Technological innovation Data, Forecasting, and Assessment Council (TIFAC) Govt Director Prabhat Ranjan thinks that the prospective exploitation of moon and asteroids as a mineral resource can be a huge game-changer. Even believe tanks these kinds of as CSTEP have been on the lookout at area-primarily based photo voltaic ability. When the discourse on place-based mostly resources has not achieved the amount of countrywide level articulation as we see in the United States or China, it is not unrealistic to forecast that it will turn out to be an integral part of India’s place coverage provided its developing potential for place obtain and energy projection.  As noticed by India’s recent ASAT exam, India’s fears of getting shut out from a governance regime (as occurred with the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty) are probable to pressure enough techniques before the emergence of a technology governance regime to make sure New Delhi will at least have a seat at the desk.

In summary, we can notice significant shifts each in India’s observed abilities and procedures given that 2018. These contain successful commercialization development on the two start autos and satellites (and the introduction of a Area Things to do Invoice), a large lifter able of manned missions to LEO and robotic missions to the lunar surface area, an introduced human spaceflight program, and maybe the most significant change, the involvement of the DRDO and ISRO in an ASAT examination. That check signifies that India’s area plan has entered into the realm of armed service counterspace capabilities.

For a country earlier cautious to challenge by itself as a peaceful, dependable nation on the global arena, and its place method as fully peaceful, India’s ASAT check marks a significant shift in plan. Its willingness to accept considerable reputational hazards associated with some 400 items of place debris or prices that it could have potentially violated Outer House Treaty (OST) obligations point out that India now prioritizes the security of its critical infrastructure from adversary assaults more than this kind of normative worries. Moreover, there is an more novel element to India’s ASAT exam.  Whilst most of the latest focus on “space warfighting” assumes armed service targets for ASAT weapons (referred to as “counterforce” focusing on), reporting suggests that India is pursuing a retaliatory ability to concentrate on an enemy country’s overall economy, inventory marketplaces, navigation, and weather infrastructure  (called “countervalue” concentrating on).  These kinds of a focusing on doctrine implies that India views the ASAT weapon considerably less as a warfighting weapon and much more as a deterrent.

The ASAT check, coupled with India’s recent cross-border air raid into nuclear-armed Pakistan, counsel that India has gone through a change in its strategic lifestyle.  Traditionally cautious of becoming found as an assertive main power, India’s transforming space policy suggests that India is pretty willing to show up at to its safety pursuits even presented normative expenditures, and inclined to job by itself as a technological electric power in an exceptional club, even if it means pursuing arms and prestige projects.

Dr. Namrata Goswami is a senior analyst and writer. Her operate on “Outer House and Good Powers” was supported by the MINERVA Initiative Grant for Social Science Investigate. Presently, she is doing work on a e book on “Great Powers and Source Nationalism in Space” to be posted by Lexington Push, an imprint of Rowman and Littlefield. 

Peter Garretson is Deputy Director of the Schriever Students Area Tactic and Coverage Method at the Air Command and Employees College (ACSC).

The sights expressed in this posting are people of the authors and do not automatically reflect the official plan or placement of the Air Force, the Division of Defense, or the U.S. Governing administration.

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Daily Current Affairs Dated On 15-July-2019

Daily Current Affairs Dated On 15-July-2019 GS-2 NIA (Amendment) Bill: Why in News? The Lok Sabha on July 15, 2019 passes The National Investigative Agency (Amendment) Bill, 2019. This Bill gives NIA officers power to investigate offences committed outside India too, and mandates the setting up of Special Courts. The NIA was set up in 2009 in the wake of the Mumbai terror attack that had claimed 166 lives. What are changes introduced in the NIA (Amendment) Bill? According to PRS Legislative Research, there are three major amendments to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Act of 2008.  The first change is the type of offences that the NIA can investigate and prosecute. Under the existing Act, the NIA can investigate offences under Acts such as the Atomic Energy Act, 1962, and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 1967. According to PRS, the latest amendments will enable the NIA to additionally investigate offences related to human trafficking, counterfeit currency, manufacture or sale of prohibited arms, cyber-terrorism, and offences under the Explosive Substances Act, 1908.  The second change pertains to NIA‟s jurisdiction. Under the Act, for the offences under its purview, NIA officers have the same power as other police officers and these extend across the country. The Bill amends this to give NIA officers the power to investigate offences committed outside India. Of course, NIA‟s jurisdiction will be subject to international treaties and domestic laws of other countries.  The third change relates to the special trials courts for the offences that come under NIA‟s purview or the so-called “scheduled offences”. Daily Current Affairs Dated On 15-July-2019 The existing Act allows the Centre to constitute special courts for NIA‟s trials. But the Bill enables the Central government to designate sessions courts as special courts for such trials. GS-3 Overseas bond: The story so far: The government, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced in the Budget speech, plans to raise a portion of its gross borrowing from overseas markets. The government and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will reportedly finalise the plans for the overseas issue of sovereign bonds by September. While several commentators have argued that this is a risky move, the government itself is convinced that it will help boost private investment in the country. What is an overseas bond issue?  A government bond or sovereign bond is a form of debt that the government undertakes wherein it issues bonds with the promise to pay periodic interest payments and also repay the entire face value of the bond on the maturity date.  So far, the government has only issued bonds in the domestic market.  India‟s sovereign external debt to GDP ratio is among the lowest around the world, at less than 5%. Daily Current Affairs Dated On 15-July-2019  Against this background, the government will start raising a part of its gross borrowing programme in external markets in external currencies.  This,would also have a beneficial impact on the demand for government securities in the India.  The market estimates that the government will only test the waters and borrow about $10 billion, which works out to about 10% of its gross market borrowing. What are the benefits of an overseas bond issue?  The government has been arguing that the quantum of its borrowing within India is „crowding out‟ the private sector.  In other words, it is saying that government borrowing is at such a level that there are not enough funds available for the private sector to adequately meet its credit and investment needs.  If the private sector cannot borrow adequately, then it cannot invest as it wants to, and that cripples one major engine of economic growth.  Therefore, borrowing overseas allows the government to raise funds in such a way that there is enough domestic credit available for the private sector. The appetite of the international market for Indian bonds and their price will also say a lot about how India is viewed globally on the risk factor. For example, if the rate at which India can borrow overseas is low, then this would mean the global market assigns a low risk to India defaulting. What are the risks?  Several economists have expressed their concerns over the fact that India might follow the path of some Central and South American countries such as Mexico and Brazil.  In the 1970s, several of these countries borrowed heavily overseas when the global market was flush with liquidity.  But then, when their currencies depreciated sharply a decade later, these countries were in big trouble as they could not repay their debt.  India is not likely to be viewed as a risky proposition by the international market and so is likely to fetch an attractive rate for the bonds.  Cheap and plentiful funds, however, should not encourage the government to borrow too heavily from abroad. Daily Current Affairs Dated On 15-July-2019  Another risk to India from overseas borrowings is that this would lead to a quicker increase to its foreign exchange reserves, which would lead to a stronger rupee at a time when it is already appreciating against the dollar.  This, many experts say, would be an adverse outcome. A stronger rupee would encourage imports at a time when the government is trying to curb them, and discourage exports at a time when they are being encouraged.  On the other hand, a rupee depreciation for whatever external reason would prove even more disastrous as it would make it far more expensive for India to repay its external debt.  The third problem with an overseas bond issue is that the government would not be able to inflate itself out of trouble.  That is, in the domestic market, if the government does ever reach the stage where it is finding it difficult to repay its debt, it can simply print more money, let inflation rise quickly and repay its debt.  This is not an option in an overseas bond issue. The Indian government cannot print foreign currency to repay its debt. What does it mean for the domestic market?  According to the government‟s own reasoning, there are not enough funds in the domestic market to cater to its needs as well as those of the private sector.  This shallowness of the bond market is not a good thing, especially at a time when the government needs the bond market to finance several of its commitments.  Ideally, the government should have enough revenue that it does not need to borrow as much.  However, at a time when both direct and indirect tax collections have disappointed, the government is forced to borrow to finance its expenditure.  In such a scenario, it is a welcome move for the private sector that the government is leaving it room to borrow in the domestic market. Daily Current Affairs Dated On 15-July-2019 Chandrayaan 2 The story so far: When Chandrayaan 1, India‟s first moon mission was launched on October 22, 2008, from Sriharikota, using the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), India became the fourth country to plant its flag on the lunar surface. On the moon, the mission conclusively detected traces of water along with magnesium, aluminium and silicon. Now, close to a decade later, India will launch its second lunar mission, Chandrayaan 2, on July 15, 2019, again from Sriharikota, using the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) Mark III rocket. How will the launch work?  The GSLV Mark III rocket will first launch the spacecraft into an Earth Parking Orbit (170 km X 40,400 km).  Then the height of the orbit will be enhanced until the spacecraft can reach out to the Lunar Transfer Trajectory.  On entering the moon‟s sphere of influence, on-board thrusters will slow down the spacecraft, allowing it to be captured by the moon.  Then it will be eased into a circular orbit (100 km X 100 km).  From this orbit, the lander and rover will separate as a unit from the orbiter, and, through a series of braking mechanisms, the duo will “soft-land” on the moon, on September 6, 2019. What is special about Chandrayaan 2?  Chandrayaan 2 will be the first mission to reach and study the south pole of the moon.  It is made up of an orbiter, a lander named „Vikram‟, after Vikram A. Sarabhai, the founding father of space science research in India, and a rover named „Pragyan‟, which means „wisdom‟.  At about 3,877 kg, the spacecraft weighs nearly four times its predecessor, Chandrayaan 1.  While Chandrayaan 1 sent its lander crashing into the moon, Chandrayaan 2 will use rocket technology to soft land „Vikram‟, carrying its „Pragyan‟ rover in a suitable high plain on the lunar surface, between two craters, Manzinus-C and Simpelius N, at a latitude of about 70º South. Daily Current Affairs Dated On 15-July-2019  The lander-rover combo has an expected lifetime of 14 days, while the orbiter will continue for a year. How does the „Pragyan‟ rover operate and what determines its lifetime?  The time taken for the moon to complete one rotation on its axis is approximately equal to 29.5 earth days.  This is also equal to the time it takes to complete one orbit around the earth.  That is why the same side always faces the earth. But because it takes 29.5 earth days to complete one rotation, every point on its surface experiences daylight for about half the time, or a little more than 14 days at a stretch.  Moon days are nearly 14 earth days long.  This point will receive light for nearly another fortnight which will match the expected lifetime of the lander-rover combo.  Since the „Vikram‟ lander and „Pragyan‟ rover are powered by solar energy, they will be energised during this period by sunlight on the moon.  Once night falls, this energy will not be available as they are plunged into a dark and cold -180º Celsius environment.  If the lander-rover duo should kickstart after another half-rotation when day breaks once again, it will be a bonus for the ISRO.  The mission is not designed to survive this extreme cold, unlike some U.S. and Chinese missions which survived on the “dark” side of the moon using special sources of warmth. How will the mission study the moon?  Using the Terrain Mapping Camera 2 which is on board the orbiter, the mission will produce images of the moon remotely from a 100 km lunar polar orbit.  While the moon rotates about its axis, along its east-west direction, say, the lunar polar orbit will be in the perpendicular direction, along the lunar north-south direction.  Thus, as the moon rotates, the orbiter gets a view of its entire surface from overhead.  The rover will carry two instruments or payloads which will collect and test samples from the moon‟s surface to identify what elements they contain. Daily Current Affairs Dated On 15-July-2019  The rover moves on six wheels and once let down on the moon, can travel about 500 m from the lander. What is the success rate of “soft-landing” on the moon?  There have been 38 attempts so far at “soft-landing” on the moon, with a success rate of 52% according to the ISRO website. Why should we have this mission? Why should we study the moon?  The moon offers a pristine environment to study. It is also closer than other celestial bodies.  Understanding how it formed and evolved can help us better understand the solar system and even earth itself.  With space travel taking shape and exoplanets being discovered everyday, learning more about earth‟s celestial neighbour can help in advanced missions.  Finally, it is a piece of the larger puzzle as to how the solar system and its planets have evolved. Great Indian Bustard: Why in News? With just 130 great Indian bustards left in the country, the Centre has initiated a project worth ₹33.85 crore for their conservation and protection. Details of Measures taken:  The ministry was providing funds to states and Union Territories for conservation and protection of 21 critically endangered species, including the great Indian bustard.  “The ministry, through its Centrally Sponsored Scheme-Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats (CSS-IDWH), provides funds to states or Union Territories under the component „Species Recovery Programme‟ for conservation and protection of 21 critically endangered species, including the great Indian bustard. Daily Current Affairs Dated On 15-July-2019  Ministry has also initiated a project, titled „Habitat Improvement and Conservation Breeding of Great Indian Bustard-An Integrated Approach‟,  It will povided with financial support from the ad hoc Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) for conservation, breeding of the Indian bustard with technical support from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII). Objectives:  To build up captive population of great Indian bustard and to release the chicks in the wild for increasing the population.  Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra are the important range states involved in this programme. Currently, there are two centres for breeding and hatching -- one in Jaisalmer and the other in Kota, both in Rajasthan, he said. Climate change: Why in News? In Greenland, climate change isn‟t just a danger to ecosystems but also a threat to history, as global warming is affecting archaeological remains, according to a study. Reasons Behind:  There are more than 1,80,000 archaeological sites across the Arctic, some dating back thousands of years, and previously these were protected by the characteristics of the soil.  Because the degradation rate is controlled by the soil temperature and moisture content, rising air temperatures and changes in precipitation during the frost-free season may lead to a loss of organic key elements such as archaeological wood, bone and ancient DNA.  In addition to organic elements, such as hair, feathers, shells and traces of flesh, some of the sites contain the ruins of Viking settlements. Daily Current Affairs Dated On 15-July-2019 Future Changes:  Projections used in the study, which are based on different warming scenarios, predict that average temperature could increase by up to 2.6 degrees Celsius, leading to “higher soil temperatures, a longer thaw season, and increased microbial activity within the organic layers”.  Around 30 to 70% of the archaeological fraction of organic carbon (OC) could disappear within the next 80 years.  This means that these remains, some of which provide a glimpse into the lives of the first inhabitants of Greenland from around 2,500 BC, are at risk.  When findings were compared with previous surveys, they found evidence of ongoing degradation.  At some sites, we did not find any intact bones or pieces of wood, suggesting that these have disintegrated within the last decades.  In regions such as Alaska, ancient artefacts are emerging as the permafrost thaws due to rising temperatures.

Daily Current Affairs Dated On 25-Sep-2019

Daily Current Affairs Dated On 25-Sep-2019 GS-2 Coal gasification: Why in news? Last week, Odisha's Talcher fertiliser plant was awarded a contract for starting a coal gasification unit for the production of urea and Ammonia. It was part of the government’s initiative to revive closed fertiliser plants belonging to the Fertiliser Corporation of India Limited (FCIL) and the Hindustan Fertilisers Corporation Ltd (HFCL). Purpose According to a press release by the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, the decision is geared towards reducing India’s reliance on imports and helping the country meet its CoP-21 Paris Agreement commitments. What is coal gasification, the project at Talcher?  Coal gasification is the process of converting coal into synthesis gas (also called syngas), which is a mixture of hydrogen (H2), carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2).  The syngas can be used in a variety of applications such as in the production of electricity and making chemical products, such as fertilisers.  According to the International Energy Agency’s Energy Technology Systems Analysis Programme (ETSAP), the coal gasification process holds good potential in the future, with coal being the most abundantly available fossil fuel across the world, and that even low-grade coal can be used in the process.  According to the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, urea is currently produced using pooled natural gas, which comprises of both domestic natural gas and imported LNG.  The usage of locally available coal for making fertilisers would help reduce the import of LNG, the Ministry said. The Ministry also said that India currently imports 50 to 70 lakh tonnes of urea every year, and that the revival of the units would help increase the availability of domestically produced fertilisers. Daily Current Affairs Dated On 25-Sep-2019 Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) Why in news? The Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) health insurance scheme is set to offer teleconsultation services to its patients soon. The move is part of the Centre’s plans to widen the coverage of the scheme and thus reduce the incidence of catastrophic health expenditures, and improve access and quality of health services in the public and private sectors, About PMJAY  Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) or National Health Protection Scheme is a centrally sponsored scheme launched in 2018, under the Ayushman Bharat Mission of MoHFW in India.  The scheme aims at making interventions in primary, secondary and tertiary care systems, covering both preventive and promotive health, to address healthcare holistically.  It is an umbrella of two major health initiatives namely, Health and Wellness centres and National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS). GS-3 United in science Why in news? The average global temperature for 2015-2019 is on track to be the warmest of any equivalent period on record, and July 2019 was the hottest month on record globally, a report released ahead of the UN Climate Action Summit 2019 in New York has found. About the Report 1. The warmest five-year trend has especially affected large areas of the United States, including Alaska, eastern parts of South America, most of Europe and the Middle East, northern Eurasia, Australia and areas of Africa south of the Sahara. 2. The report ‘United in Science’ is a synthesis prepared by the Science Advisory Group of the summit. Daily Current Affairs Dated On 25-Sep-2019 3. It has also found that greenhouse gases have reached “new highs”, heatwaves were the “deadliest” meteorological hazard in this period, and tropical cyclones led to the largest economic losses. Among its key findings: GLOBAL TEMPERATURE:  The average global temperature for 2015-19 is currently estimated to be 1.1°C above preindustrial (1850-1900) times, the report said.  Widespread and long-lasting heatwaves, record-breaking fires and other devastating events such as tropical cyclones, floods and drought have had major impacts on socio-economic development and the environment. GREENHOUSE GASES:  Levels of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide have reached new highs.  The last time Earth’s atmosphere contained 400 parts per million carbon dioxide was about 3-5 million years ago.  In 2018, the report said, global carbon dioxide concentration was 407.8 parts per million (ppm), 2.2 ppm higher than 2017.  Preliminary data from a subset of monitoring sites for 2019 indicate that carbon dioxide concentrations are on track to reach or even exceed 410 ppm by the end of 2019.  However, the report notes that emissions from the US and the European Union have declined over the past decade, while growth in China’s emissions have slowed significantly compared to the 2000s.  Indian emissions are the fourth highest and are “growing strongly at annual rates in excess of 5%, albeit starting from a much lower base of per capita emissions.” HEATWAVES:  The report notes that heatwaves affected all continents and set many new national temperature records.  It also mentions the heatwave that struck the subcontinent in mid-2015 where 2,248 deaths were reported in India, and 1,229 in Pakistan. Daily Current Affairs Dated On 25-Sep-2019  “The 2019 summer saw unprecedented wildfires in the Arctic region with 50 megatons of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere in June alone,” the report says. PRECIPITATION:  The effects of climate change were also seen on precipitation levels in the 2015-2019 period when compared to the five years preceding that.  The average precipitation totals were higher in the latter period than in the former in large regions in southern South and North America, eastern Europe and most of Asia.  “In contrast, less precipitation fell in large parts of Europe, south-west and southern Africa, northern North America and a large part of South America, the Indian Monsoon region, and northern and western Australia,” the report states. SEA ICE:  Arctic summer sea-ice extent has declined at a rate of approximately 12% per decade during 1979-2018, the report said.  The four lowest values for winter sea-ice extent occurred between 2015 and 2019.  Overall, the amount of ice lost annually from the Antarctic ice sheet increased at least six-fold between 1979 and 2017.  Glacier mass loss for 2015-2019 is the highest for any five-year period on record. Agriculture app Why in news? Farmers will now have easy access to high value and technical agricultural equipments at their doorstep Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare said this while launching two mobile Apps – ‘CHC Farm Machinery and Krishi Kisan App for Geo Tagging’ in New Delhi today. Benefits  Through CHC Farm Machinery App, farmers can select and order the required machinery at the rates feasible for them from the Custom Hiring Centers located in the radius of 50 Kms.  Krishi Kisan App will provide farmers the information of best demonstration of high-yielding crops and seeds in their nearby area. Daily Current Affairs Dated On 25-Sep-2019  Any farmer with high quality of crops can utilise this platform to demonstrate best practices of cultivation to other farmers so that this will help other farmers also to adopt these methods.  The App will also help in geo-tagging and geo-fencing of crop and give weather forecast message to farmers.  Through this app, farmers, especially small and marginal farmers, will have easy access to high value and technical agricultural equipments which will facilitate optimum use of all types of inputs using these farming machines.  This will not only increase the income of the farmers, but it will also take mechanization to maximum farm holdings in a short time frame.  This app connects the farmers with Custom Hiring Service Centres in their area. The app can be downloaded on any android phone from Google Play Store. Mangalyaan mission Why in news? The Mangalyaan mission, which was initially meant to last six months, completed five years of orbiting Mars on Tuesday and is likely to continue for some more time, ISRO chief K. Sivan said. How has MOM helped?  The Mars orbiter has sent thousands of pictures totalling two terabytes, an Indian Space Research Organisation (IRSO) official explained.  Phobos and Deimos, the two moons of Mars, were also imaged from close distances by the Mars Colour Camera (MCC).  The MOM is the only Martian artificial satellite that could image the full disc of Mars in one view frame and also image the far side of Deimos, the ISRO ia.  The data from MOM has helped produced 23 publications in peer-reviewed journals, it added.  An important conclusion of the mission has been the finding that dust storms on the Martian can rise up to hundreds of kilometres.  The success of Mangalyaan, hailed for being cheaper than the Hollywood movie Gravity and much cheaper than NASA’s Maven Orbiter, comes in the wake of ISRO’s setback in the Chandrayaan 2 mission.  The Maven Orbiter was similar to India’s Mars mission. Mangalyaan is India’s first endeavour to cross the earth’s orbit successfully. The launch vehicle, spacecraft and ground segment cost ₹450 crore.