Daily Prelims Notes 4 January 2024

Daily Prelims Notes

4 January 2024

Table Of Contents

1. From the moon to Europa, six space missions to be excited for in 2024
2. 50% of cybercrime plaints originate in China, pockets of Cambodia and Myanmar
3. PM open Lakshadweep optical fibre connection
4. CO a planet’s atmosphere could indicate habitability
5. Dip in yield, low protein content: PAU field experiment finds several problems with nano urea
6. Indian landfills — a source of microplastics?
7. In a first, a polar bear has died of avian flu in the Arctic, confirms Alaska
8. Namibian cheetah Aasha gives birth to 3 cubs in Kuno; ‘indicator that animals are acclimatising’
9. Great Nicobar Project phase to cost 18000 Cr
10. Vibrant Gujarat to seek investments for tourism
11. COP28 climate summit
12. A first in 100 years, Indian Science Congress postponed
13. India to launch G20 satellite on space X falcon 9 rocket
14. ArcelorMittal partners with IIT Madras to create Asia’s first hyperloop facility

1. From the moon to Europa, six space missions to be excited for in 2024

Subject: Science and Tech

Section: Space Technology

Context:

• The year 2023 proved to be an important one for space missions, with NASA’s OSIRIS­-REx mission returning a sample from an asteroid and India’s Chandrayaan­3 mission exploring the lunar south pole region, and 2024 is shaping up to be another exciting year for space exploration.

Six Major Mission for 2024

• Europa Clipper: Unveiling Jupiter’s Moon Europa
  • Mission Context: NASA’s Europa Clipper aims to explore Europa, one of Jupiter’s largest moons, known for its icy surface and potential subsurface saltwater ocean.
  • Scientific Goals: The mission will conduct close flybys to study Europa’s ice shell, geology, and subsurface ocean, seeking signs of habitability.
  • Launch Window: Scheduled for October 10, 2024, with 21 days, aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.
• Artemis II: NASA Plan To Return to the Moon
  • Program Background: Artemis II is part of NASA’s Artemis program, aiming to send humans back to the moon and establish a sustained presence for future Mars missions.
  • Mission Details: Artemis II will carry four astronauts on a 10-day mission orbiting the Moon, building upon the uncrewed Artemis I mission.
  • Launch Timeline: Planned for as early as November 2024, with potential delays to 2025.
• VIPER: Searching for Lunar Water
  • Mission Purpose: VIPER, a golf cart-sized rover, will explore the moon’s south pole to search for water and other volatiles.
  • Technical Challenges: The mission will navigate extreme lunar temperatures and shadowed regions during its 100-day mission.
  • Launch Schedule: Set for November 2024, following a delay for additional lander system tests.
• Lunar Trailblazer and PRIME-1: Water Mapping and Drilling
  • SIMPLEx Missions: As part of NASA’s low-cost planetary missions, Lunar Trailblazer will orbit the moon to map water locations, while PRIME-1 will test drilling technology.
  • Launch Dependencies: Both missions are secondary payloads, with their launch timing contingent on the readiness of primary payloads.
• JAXA’s Martian Moon eXploration (MMX) Mission
  • Mission Focus: MMX aims to study Mars’ moons, Phobos and Deimos, to determine their origin and collect a sample from Phobos.
  • Scientific Objectives: The mission will spend three years conducting science operations around Mars and its moons.
  • Launch Plan: Scheduled for around September 2024.
• ESA’s Hera Mission: Asteroid Defense Study
  • Mission Context: Hera will follow up on NASA’s DART mission to the Didymos-Dimorphos asteroid system, where DART tested the kinetic impact technique for planetary defense.
  • Research Goals: Hera will study the physical properties of the asteroids and assess the impact of the DART collision.
  • Launch and Arrival: Set for October 2024, with arrival at the asteroid system expected in late 2026.

2. 50% of cybercrime plaints originate in China, pockets of Cambodia and Myanmar

Subject: Science and Tech

Section: Awareness in IT

Context:

• Around 50% of cybercrime complaints received on the national cybercrime helpline every day have their origin in China and pockets of Cambodia and Myanmar.

Various Initiatives Regarding Cyber Security

• National Cyber Security Policy:
  • This policy aims to build a secure and resilient cyberspace for citizens, businesses, and the government.
  • It outlines various objectives and strategies to protect cyberspace information and infrastructure, build capabilities to prevent and respond to cyber attacks, and minimise damages through coordinated efforts of institutional structures, people, processes, and technology.
• Cyber Surakshit Bharat Initiative: 
  • This initiative was launched to raise awareness about cyber crimes and create safety measures for Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) and frontline IT staff across all government departments.
• Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C):
  • This centre was established to provide a framework and eco-system for law enforcement agencies to deal with cyber crimes in a comprehensive and coordinated manner. 
  • It has seven components, namely:National Cyber Crime Threat Analytics Unit,National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal,National Cyber Crime Training Centre,Cyber Crime Ecosystem Management Unit,National Cyber Crime Research and Innovation Centre,National Cyber Crime Forensic Laboratory Ecosystem,Platform for Joint Cyber Crime Investigation Team.
• Cyber Swachhta Kendra (Botnet Cleaning and Malware Analysis Centre):
  • This centre was launched in 2017 to create a secure cyberspace by detecting botnet infections in India and notifying, enabling cleaning and securing systems of end users to prevent further infections.
• Computer Emergency Response Team – India (CERT-In):
  • It is an organisation of the MeitY which collects, analyses and disseminates information on cyber incidents, and also issues alerts on cybersecurity incidents.
• Critical information infrastructure (CII):
  • It is defined as a computer resource, the destruction of which, shall have debilitating impact on national security, economy, public health or safety.
  • The government has established the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) to protect the CII of various sectors, such as power, banking, telecom, transport, government, and strategic enterprises.
• Defence Cyber Agency (DCyA):
  • The DCyA is a tri-service command of the Indian Armed Forces that is responsible for handling cyber security threats. 
  • It has the capability to conduct cyber operations, such as hacking, surveillance, data recovery, encryption, and countermeasures, against various cyber threat actors.

IT searches, a form of extra-constitutional power

Important Highlights:

• The 2017 Supreme Court decision affirmed the fundamental right to privacy but hasn’t significantly impacted the interpretation of related statutes.
• Section 132 of the Income Tax Act grants broad powers to tax authorities, allowing searches without judicial warrants.
• Recent incidents, like a lawyer’s raid, raise concerns about the abuse of these powers and the lack of safeguards.
• It focuses on the unchecked power granted to tax authorities under Section 132 of the Income Tax Act, highlighting the need for proportionality and stricter judicial review in executive actions.

Major Issues:

• The persistence of a culture of judicial deference to executive authority in interpreting statutes.
• The broad and unchecked powers granted to tax authorities under Section 132 of the Income Tax Act.
• Lack of proportionality and strict judicial review in executive actions, risking potential abuse of power.

3. PM open Lakshadweep optical fibre connection

Subject: Science and Tech

Section: Awareness in IT

Context:

• PM inaugurates Kochi-Lakshadweep Islands Submarine Optical Fibre Connection

About Kochi-Lakshadweep Islands Submarine Optical Fibre Connection (KLI-SOFC):

• The KLI-SOFC project, a Submarine Optic Fibre Cable connection to Lakshadweep, marks a significant advancement, promising faster and more reliable internet services.
• Total link distance: 1,868 kilometres.
• It has the potential to transform communication infrastructure, enabling telemedicine, e-governance, education, digital banking, and more.
• The initiative aims to boost Lakshadweep’s development, enhancing services like healthcare, education, and digital banking while strengthening its potential as a logistics hub.
• The government pledges ongoing support for the people of Lakshadweep, aiming for improved living standards, travel convenience, and business opportunities, envisioning a developed India.

Background:

• In the Kochi-Lakshadweep Islands Submarine Cable (KLI) project submarine cable connectivity from Mainland (Kochi) to eleven Lakshadweep Islands namely, Kavaratti, Agatti, Amini, Kadmat, Chetlet, Kalpeni, Minicoy, Androth, Kiltan, Bangaram and Bitra has been extended.
• The project is funded by the Universal Services Obligation Fund (USOF), Department of Telecommunication.
• Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) was the Project Executing Agency.

Benefits of the KLI Project:

• It will play a significant role in achieving the objective of ‘Digital India’ and ‘National Broadband Mission’ and in rolling out various e-governance projects of the Government of India in Lakshadweep Islands.
• E-Governance, Tourism, Education, Health, Commerce and Industries will get a boost.
• High-speed broadband will be provided through FTTH and 5G/4G Mobile networks.

Optical Fibre Communication:

• Fibre-optic communication is a method of transmitting information from one place to another by sending pulses of infrared or visible light through an optical fibre.
• The light is a form of carrier wave that is modulated to carry information.
• Fibre is preferred over electrical cabling when high bandwidth, long distance, or immunity to electromagnetic interference is required.
• This type of communication can transmit voice, video, and telemetry through local area networks or across long distances.

4. CO a planet’s atmosphere could indicate habitability

Subject: Science and Tech

Section: Space technology

In the news:

• An international team led by the University of Birmingham (UK) and MIT (USA), developed a ‘habitability signature.’

Details:

• The findings published in Nature Astronomy introduce a practical method for habitability detection.
• Past attempts to identify habitable planets lacked certainty about liquid water’s existence.
• Comparing CO2 levels among planets helps identify those likely to support life due to oceans.
• Earth’s CO2 dissolved in the ocean, enabling life support for about four billion years.
• Analyzing CO2 levels on other planets reveals insights into Earth’s environmental tipping points.
• High carbon levels on Venus might have led to its uninhabitable state despite similarities to Earth.
• Carbon dioxide in a planet’s atmosphere absorbs infrared light; this measurement aids habitability assessment.
• Planets in the habitable zone (not too hot or cold relative to their star) could retain liquid water on their surface.
• Lower carbon dioxide levels in a planet’s atmosphere compared to its neighbours suggest potential liquid water presence.
• Reduction in carbon dioxide levels might indicate gas absorption by an ocean or isolation by planetary biomass.
• The team’s ‘habitability signature’ could also act as a biosignature, as living organisms capture CO2.

5. Dip in yield, low protein content: PAU field experiment finds several problems with nano urea

Subject: Environment

Section: Pollution

Context:

• A two-year field experiment by Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) studied nano urea’s efficacy compared to conventional nitrogen fertilizers on rice and wheat yields.

Impact of Nano Urea on crops:

• Nano urea led to a substantial decrease in grain nitrogen content and yields for both crops.
• Research showed a 21.6% decline in wheat yield and a 13% decrease in rice yield compared to conventional fertilizers.
• IFFCO launched nano liquid urea claiming it could replace conventional urea, heavily promoted by the central government.
  • Nano urea, a foliar spray, exhibited reduced grain nitrogen content, worrying for India’s staple food sources.
• Despite claims of equivalent yield to conventional urea, nano urea’s cost was ten times higher and raised farmers’ cultivation costs.
• Field experiments revealed decreased above-ground and root biomass after nano urea application, affecting nutrient uptake processes.
• Reduction in yield was sequential over two years, suggesting continued nano urea use may further diminish production.
• The study, published in PAU’s journal, emphasizes the need for long-term evaluation; current results discourage nano urea use for rice and wheat.

Source: Down To Earth

6. Indian landfills — a source of microplastics?

Subject: Environment

Section: Pollution

Context:

• If the landfills are not scientifically constructed and operated, they can act as a hub of numerous kinds of contaminants including plastics.

Details:

• Organic waste such as food waste and greens at landfill sites decomposes faster with microbial activities under aerobic and predominantly anaerobic conditions, producing leachate and gaseous emissions.
• Plastic items are mainly non-biodegradable and remain intact in landfills.
• The main sources of plastic in landfills are disposable diapers, sanitary pads, carry bags, multi-layered packaging items, packaging sheets, container bottles, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes, footwear, disposable cups and plastic utensils.

Formation of microplastics:

• Microplastics are plastics of size ranging from greater than or equal to 1 micrometre to less than 5 millimetres and can be categorised as primary microplastics (virgin or manufactured) and secondary microplastics (emitted by the degradation of larger plastics).
• Inside a landfill or a dumpsite, complex biochemical reactions result in temperature fluctuations, high salinity, low pH and the generation of gases such as methane, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, ammonia and hydrogen sulphide.
• These contribute to creating an environment conducive to the disintegration of plastic items into smaller pieces.
• In addition, physical processes such as weathering of larger plastic particles through photo-degradation, thermal degradation, mechanical fragmentation and biodegradation are also responsible for the formation of microplastics.
• They enter landfills primarily through waste disposal of personal care products and pharmaceuticals, artificial textiles and raw industrial products, as well as through improper management practices such as the lack of a perimeter barrier around the landfills and the use of improper waste cover materials.
• Source of microplastics: Nylon, pellets, foam, fragments, fibres / polyvinyl chloride and polyethene.

Solution:

• The Solid Waste Management Rules (2016), Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2022 and the recent ban on single-use plastics and extended producer responsibility policy in India ensure that plastic waste generation is minimised and prohibits the cities from disposing of any combustible waste including plastics into the landfills.

Source: Down To Earth

7. In a first, a polar bear has died of avian flu in the Arctic, confirms Alaska

Subject: Environment

Section: Species in news

In the news:

• The Arctic region recorded the first case of a polar bear death due to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), confirming a concerning development.

Details:

• The polar bear, found deceased near Utqiagvik in Alaska, highlights the vulnerability of these bears, listed as “vulnerable” due to habitat loss—specifically, diminishing sea ice—on the IUCN Red List.
• The death of the polar bear was confirmed in December 2023 after samples collected in October tested positive for the virus.
• Although polar bears primarily hunt seals, scavenging on dead birds likely exposed this bear to the influenza virus, this case emphasizes the virus’s survival on deceased animals in cold conditions.

Highly pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI):

• The viral disease HPIA or avian influenza, especially the H5 and H7 strains, mostly affects birds.
• These strains are highly pathogenic and have been reported in domestic poultry, resulting in high mortality if they manage to reach wild bird populations.
• It spreads among birds and mammals due to predators and scavengers feeding on infected birds. Marine mammals have also been found to be infected.
• Threatened species from HPAI:
  • Avian groups like gulls and skuas, birds of prey such as hawks and caracaras, terns and shorebirds.
  • Among marine mammals, fur seals, sea lions, southern elephant seals and dolphins.

HPAI in the polar region:

• The HPAI strain 2.3.4.4b, causing widespread mortality among birds and mammals worldwide, emerged in the Arctic in April 2023.
• Initially detected among birds and a fox, it quickly spread, infecting chickens, ducks, and various bird species in different regions, including bald eagles and Canada geese.
• HPAI, initially reported in poultry in 2021, spread rapidly among wild birds and reached the Antarctic region by October 2023, infecting brown skuas.
• Scientists fear the virus could spread among dense penguin populations during the Southern Hemisphere’s spring, potentially causing a significant ecological disaster.

About the Polar bear:

• Native to the Arctic, is the largest bear species and land carnivore.
• Close relative to the brown bear, they’re sexually dimorphic, with males significantly larger than females.
• Their white or yellowish fur, black skin, and fat layer help adapt to Arctic conditions.
• They have specialized teeth and large paws for walking on ice and swimming.
• They’re terrestrial and ice-dependent, considered marine mammals due to their reliance on marine ecosystems.
• Prefer annual sea ice but live on land when it melts; primarily carnivorous, specializing in preying on seals.
• Classified as a “vulnerable” species due to threats like climate change, pollution, habitat loss and energy development.
• Increased time on land raises conflicts with humans; historically hunted for their coats and other items.

Source: Down To Earth

8. Namibian cheetah Aasha gives birth to 3 cubs in Kuno; ‘indicator that animals are acclimatising’

Subject: Environment

Section: Species in news

In the news:

• Aasha, a Namibian cheetah at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, has given birth to three cubs.
• Aasha, known for her confident nature, arrived at the park in September 2022 and has adapted well, travelling over 200 km in the wild. Suspected to be pregnant after interaction with a male cheetah, Aasha has faced challenges in the past, including an encounter with villagers.
• The government is hailing it as a success for Project Cheetah. Wildlife officials see the cubs’ birth as a positive sign, indicating the cheetahs’ acclimatization to the Indian habitat, and expressing confidence in their survival.
• However, concerns arise regarding the birth occurring in an enclosure rather than in the wild, limiting exposure to natural pressures and potential learning experiences. The birth marks a significant milestone amid the relocation of 20 cheetahs to Kuno National Park from Namibia and South Africa, despite six deaths since March 2023.

About Cheetah:

• The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is a large cat native to Africa and central Iran.
• It is the fastest land animal, estimated to be capable of running at 80 to 128 km/h.
• There are four recorded subspecies of Cheetahs.
• The cheetah is threatened by several factors such as habitat loss, conflict with humans, poaching and high susceptibility to diseases.

Details about the Cheetah Reintroduction Plan in India

Source: Indian Express

9. Great Nicobar Project phase to cost 18000 Cr

Subject: Geography

Section: Places in news

Greenfield port at Galathea Bay:

• Greenfield port at Galathea Bay’s first phase is estimated at 18,000 crore.
• Phase 1 to have 4 million TEUs capacity and a draft of over 20 meters.
• Overall project in four phases aiming at 16 million TEUs by 2058;43,000 crore estimated cost.

• Includes breakwaters, dredging, berths, storage areas, utilities, equipment procurement, and port colony development.
• Landlord model supported by the government; scheduled completion in 2028.

Strategic Importance:

• The Galathea Bay Port, due to its strategic location in proximity to the East-West shipping corridor of the world, is suitable to attract both gateway and trans-shipped cargo located strategically between Singapore and Colombo – two major trans-shipment ports on the international sea trade/shipping Route.
• Aims to handle trans-shipment cargo, acting as a feeder to major ports and facilitating trade with Bangladesh and Myanmar.

Improvement in Other Ports:

• Plans to enhance draft capacity in Deendayal, Vadhavan, Tuticorin, Paradeep, Navi Mumbai, Cochin, and Jawaharlal Nehru Port for larger vessel access by 2030 and 2047.

Details about the Great Nicobar Development Project

Great Nicobar is home to:

• Two national parks (Galathea Bay and Campbell Bay NPs),
• A biosphere reserve (Great Nicobar BR), and
• The Shompen and Nicobarese tribal peoples, and
• Ex-servicemen from Punjab, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh who were settled on the island in the 1970s.

Galathea Bay National Park:

• It is a national park located in the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. It is located on the island of Great Nicobar in the Nicobar Islands, which lie in the eastern Indian Ocean (Bay of Bengal).
• Flora:
  • The vegetation consists largely of tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests.
• Fauna:
  • Notable animal species found in the park include the giant robber crab, megapode and Nicobar pigeon.
  • The largest turtle in the world, the leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), nests here.

10. Vibrant Gujarat to seek investments for tourism

Subject: Geography

Section: Places in news

Context:

• The 10th Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit (VGGS) is scheduled to be held from January 10 to 12, 2024, at the Mahatma Mandir Convention and Exhibition Centre in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India.

Details:

• For floating villas, Gujarat has identified two dam sites, Kadana and Dharoi, and the island of Beyt Dwarka in the DevBhumi Dwarka district.
• Dharoi dam is on Sabarmati river and Kadana dam is on Mahisagar river. Both are hotspots for birdwatchers.
• The Glass viewing or observation decks over the Kadana and Dharoi dams are planned on the lines of the Grand Canyon of the USA.

Island of Beyt Dwarka:

• Beyt Dwarka or Shankhodhar is an inhabited island at the mouth of the Gulf of Kutch, situated 2 km (1 mi) off the coast of the town of Okha, Gujarat, India, and 25 km (16 mi) north of the city of Dwarka.
• The island’s name “Shankhodhar” derives from the fact that the island is a large source of conch shells.
• The island of Beyt Dwarka is currently accessible only through ferry services from Okha on the mainland.
• A 2.3 Km Signature bridge is being built over the sea to connect Okha with Beyt Dwarka.

Sabarmati River:

• Major west-flowing river in India, originating in Aravalli Range, Udaipur District, Rajasthan.
• Travels 371 km in a south-westerly direction, meeting the Gulf of Khambhat of the Arabian Sea.
• Spans 48 km in Rajasthan and 323 km in Gujarat.
• Course:
  • Enters Gujarat, joined by left bank tributary Wakal near Ghonpankhari.
  • Joins the right bank tributary Sei River, followed by the left bank tributary Harnav River.
  • Flows into Dharoi reservoir, meeting left bank tributary Hathmati River.
  • Passes Ahmedabad, joined by left bank tributary Watrak River.
  • Finally drains into the Gulf of Khambhat, Arabian Sea.

Mahisagar River:

• Located in western India, originating in Madhya Pradesh, flowing through Rajasthan, and reaching Gujarat before entering the Arabian Sea.
• Among the few west-flowing rivers in India, alongside the Luni, Sabarmati, Tapi, and Narmada rivers.
• Geographical Features:
  • Originates near Minda Village in Dhar district, Madhya Pradesh.
  • Begins in the western Vindhya Range, south of Sardarpur, flowing northward through Madhya Pradesh, then turning northwest into Rajasthan, and finally southwest through Gujarat.
  • Empties into the sea through a wide estuary before Khambhat after a 360-mile (580-km) course.
• Impact and Characteristics:
  • Silt deposited by the Mahi contributes to the shallowing of the Gulf of Khambhat, impacting the region’s ports.
  • Despite its size, the riverbed’s lower elevation compared to land limits its usefulness for irrigation.
• Notably crosses the Tropic of Cancer twice.
• Known as “Mais” in Ancient Greek.

11. COP28 climate summit

Subject : Environment

Section: Int Convention

Some important initiatives/pledges launched during the COP28 climate summit:

12. A first in 100 years, Indian Science Congress postponed

Subject : Science and Tech

Section: Msc

Context:

• The 109th edition of the Indian Science Congress event which was scheduled on January 3rd,2024  has been postponed.

More on news

• Because of the disruption caused by Covid pandemic, the Indian Science Congress 2021 and 2022 could not take place.
• In the 108th edition of the event in 2023, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi could only make an online appearance at the inaugural event.
• Starved of funds, ISCA decided to shift the venue from Lucknow University to Lovely Professional University (LPU) 
• The Centre since 2015 has been promoting the India International Science Festival (IISF)

Reasons for discontinuance:

• Disagreement  between the Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA), organizer of the event and the Department of Science and Technology (DST), its main funder.
• In September last year ,the DST withdrew its funding support to ISCA citing “financial irregularities”.

About Indian Science Congress(ISC)

• It  is the annual gathering of researchers in the country .
• It is organized by the Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA).
• The first meeting of the Congress was held from January 15-17, 1914 at the premises of the Asiatic Society, Calcutta,
• There are now fourteen sections namely Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Animal, Veterinary and Fishery Sciences, Anthropological and Behavioural Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Earth System Sciences, Engineering Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Information and Communication Science & Technology, Material Sciences,Mathematical Sciences, Medical Sciences , New Biology, Physical Sciences, Plant Sciences and one Committee Science & Society.

About Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA)

• It is a premier scientific organization of India with headquarters at Kolkata, West Bengal. 
•  The Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA) owes its origin to the foresight and initiative of two British Chemists  namely  Professor J. L. Simonsen and Professor P.S. MacMahon.
• It is an independent professional body functioning under the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
• The association is aiming at making  people aware about the recent developments in Science & Technology and its impact on society.

About India International Science Festival(IISF)

• IISF is a collaborative endeavor between the Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Department of Space and Department of Atomic Energy in partnership with Vijnana Bharati.
• IISF’s primary objective is to commemorate the world of science, making it accessible to all.
• The first IISF was celebrated in New Delhi in 2015

13. India to launch G20 satellite on space X falcon 9 rocket

Subject : Science and Tech

Section: Space tech

Context: 

New Space India Ltd (NSIL), the ISRO’s commercial arm has announced its plans to launch communication satellite GSAT-20 on SpaceX’s Falcon-9 rocket.

More on news:

• The launch is likely to take place in the second quarter of 2024.
• NSIL  was mandated to build, launch, own and operate satellites in “Demand-driven mode” for meeting service needs of the user.
• NSIL  successfully undertook its 1st Demand-driven satellite mission, GSAT-24 during June 2022.
• This will be India’s first partnership with a venture led by billionaire Elon Musk to bring his Starlink satellite broadband to India.

About GSAT-20:

• GSAT-20 (renamed as GSAT-N2) is a high throughput Ka-band satellite. 
• GSAT-20 satellite will be fully owned, operated and funded by NSIL .
• Ka-band satellites deliver high-speed broadband internet connectivity and digital video and audio transmission.
  • The Kₐ band is a portion of the microwave part of the electromagnetic spectrum defined as frequencies in the range 26.5–40 gigahertz, i.e. wavelengths from slightly over one centimeter down to 7.5 millimeters. 
• GSAT-20 offers Ka-band HTS capacity with 32 beams having pan-India coverage including in Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands
• GSAT 20 will be 2nd Demand driven communication satellite mission of NSIL  after GSAT24.
• The satellite has been specifically designed to meet the demanding service needs of remote/unconnected regions.
• GSAT-20 satellite through the ISRO and will be launched onboard Falcon-9 under a launch service contract between the NSIL and the SpaceX, USA.

• According to NSIL Chairperson Radhakrishnan Durairaj Demand-driven mode basically means we need to have an anchor customer who is ready to lease the entire capacity.
• NSIL is the commercial arm of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) with the primary responsibility of enabling Indian industries to take up high technology space related activities and is also responsible for promotion and commercial exploitation of the products and services emanating from the Indian space.

About SpaceX’s Falcon-9 rocket

• Falcon 9 is a reusable, two-stage rocket designed and manufactured by SpaceX
• It is aimed at reliable and safe transport of people and payloads into Earth orbit and beyond
• Falcon 9 is the world’s first orbital class reusable rocket which allows SpaceX to re-fly the most expensive parts of the rocket, which in turn drives down the cost of space access

14. ArcelorMittal partners with IIT Madras to create Asia’s first hyperloop facility

Subject : Science and Tech

Section: Msc

Context:

• ArcelorMittal has established a partnership with the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) to develop Hyperloop Technology in Tamil Nadu

More on news:

• ArcelorMittal is collaborating with the IIT Madras’s Hyperloop Technology teams (Avishkar Hyperloop) and TuTr Hyperloop, a startup incubated in IIT Madras, for this project.
• The Ministry of Railways is also a key partner to this project.
• The team’s central objective is the advancement and commercialisation of Hyperloop technologies for high-speed, affordable, reliable, and sustainable transportation.
• The partnership for hyperloop deep-tech initiative which will significantly accelerate our efforts to commercialize Hyperloop technology

About Hyperloop technology:

• Hyperloop is a proposed high-speed transportation system for both public and goods transport.
• The technology is proposed by Elon Musk, who is behind electric car company Tesla and commercial space transport company SpaceX.
• Hyperloop systems have three essential elements: tubes, pods, and terminals. 
• The tube is a large, sealed low-pressure system (usually a long tunnel).
• The pod is a coach pressurized at atmospheric pressure that experiences low air resistance or friction inside this tube  using magnetic propulsion .
• The terminal handles pod arrivals and departures.
• The Hyperloop high-speed infrastructure system will transport passengers and goods at aircraft speeds in pods through a low-pressure, vacuum tube, cutting journey times by 90 percent.
• The technology provides significantly more benefits to traditional transportation modes – sea, rail, road, and air – by offering energy-efficient, on-demand, and cost-effective service, while reducing the overall footprint of the system.
• An agreement was signed between Maharashtra government and Virgin group to build a Hyperloop connecting Mumbai and Pune in Maharashtra.
• A committee chaired by NITI Aayog Member V K Saraswat is  exploring  the technological and commercial viability of the Virgin Hyperloop technology in India.