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Subject: Science and Technology

  • Pinaka Missile System

    The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed contracts with three Indian companies for supply of six regiments of the Pinaka Rocket System to be deployed along borders with Pakistan and China.

    Following things are crucial to know about the Pinaka Missile System:

    1) It’s development and manufacture

    2) Fire Range and other capabilities

    3) Latest technology enhancement

    Pinaka Missile System

    • Pinaka is an indigenously developed rocket system named after Lord Shiva’s mythological bow.
    • It is used for attacking the adversary targets prior to the close-quarter battles which involve smaller range artillery, armoured elements and the infantry.
    • The development of the Pinaka was started by the DRDO in the late 1980s, as an alternative to the multi-barrel rocket launching systems of Russian make, called like the ‘Grad’, which are still in use.
    • After successful tests of Pinaka Mark-1 in late 1990, it was first used in the battlefield during the Kargil War of 1999, quite successfully.
    • Subsequently, multiple regiments of the system came up over the 2000s.

    Its versions and capabilities

    • The Pinaka, which is primarily a multi-barrel rocket system (MBRL) system, can fire a salvo of 12 rockets over a period of 44 seconds.
    • One battery of the Pinaka system consists of six launch vehicles, accompanied by the loader systems, radar and links with network-based systems and a command post.
    • It can neutralize an area one kilometre by one kilometre.
    • The Mark-I version of Pinaka has a range of around 40 kilometres and the Mark-II version can fire up to 75 kilometres.
    • The Mark-II version of the rocket has been modified as a guided missile system by integrating it with the navigation, control and guidance system to improve the end accuracy and increase the range.
    • The navigation system of the missile is linked with the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System.

  • What is Carbon-14 (C14) Battery?

    A California-based company has made a self-charging battery, which can run for 28,000 years on a single charge, by trapping carbon-14 (C14) nuclear waste in artificial diamond-case.

    Try this PYQ:

    Q.The known forces of nature can be divided into four classes, viz. gravity, electromagnetism, weak nuclear force and strong nuclear force. With reference to them, which one of the following statements is not correct?

    (a) Gravity is the strongest of the four

    (b) Electromagnetism act only on particles with an electric charge

    (c) Weak nuclear force causes radioactivity

    (d) Strong nuclear force holds protons and neutrons inside the nuclear of an atom.

    What is C14?

    • Carbon-14 (14C), or radiocarbon, is a radioactive isotope of carbon with an atomic nucleus containing 6 protons and 8 neutrons.
    • There are three naturally occurring isotopes of carbon on Earth: carbon-12, which makes up 99% of all carbon on Earth; carbon-13, which makes up 1%; and carbon-14, which occurs in trace amounts.
    • Its presence in organic materials is the basis of the radiocarbon dating method pioneered by Willard Libby and colleagues (1949) to date archaeological, geological and hydrogeological samples.

    C14 battery

    • The battery works by generating electricity on its own from a shower of electrons as a result of radioactive decay scattered and deposited in the artificial diamond-case.
    • The battery can be used in electric vehicles, mobile phones, laptops, tablets, drones, watches, cameras, health monitors and even sensors.
    • It is also said to be extremely safe and tamper-proof as it is coated with a non-radioactive diamond which prevents radiation leaks.

    Best example of nuke waste recycling

    • It is estimated that 33 million cubic metres of global nuclear waste will cost over $100 billion to manage and dispose of.
    • And a lot of this waste is graphite that is one of the higher risks of radioactive waste and one of the most expensive and problematic waste to store.

    Its applications

    • The company says its battery can be used to powerhouses, and that any excess electricity generated can be sold to the grid.
    • As the new battery need not be replaced, it can be installed in hard to reach places like pacemakers and implants, where a regular change of battery is not possible.
    • Another area of use is space electronics. The battery is said to power space equipment in rockets.
    • It can power the electrical needs of space crafts, like providing power to cockpits and assisting launch into the upper atmosphere.

  • [pib] Historic City of Hampi

    The Ministry of Tourism organised their latest webinar titled Hampi- Inspired by the past; Going into the future under Dekho Apna Desh Webinar series.

    Try this PYQ:

    Q.Building ‘Kalyaana Mandapas’ was a notable feature in the temple construction in the kingdom of-

    (a) Chalukya

    (b) Chandela

    (c) Rashtrakuta

    (d) Vijayanagara

    Facts about Hampi

    • Its name is derived from Pampa which is the old name of the Tungabhadra River on whose banks the city is built.
    • In 1336 CE, the Vijayanagara Empire arose from the ruins of the Kampili kingdom.
    • It grew into one of the famed Hindu empires of South India that ruled for over 200 years.
    • The Vijayanagara rulers fostered developments in intellectual pursuits and the arts, maintained a strong military and fought many wars with sultanates to its north and east.
    • They invested in roads, waterworks, agriculture, religious buildings and public infrastructure.
    • The site used to be multi-religious and multi-ethnic; it included Hindu and Jain monuments next to each other.
    • The buildings predominantly followed South Indian Hindu arts and architecture dating to the Aihole-Pattadakal styles.
    • The Hampi builders also used elements of Indo-Islamic architecture in the Lotus Mahal, the public bath and the elephant stables.

    Major attractions

    • One of the major attractions of Hampi is the 15th Century Virupaksha temple which is one of the oldest monuments of the town.
    • The main shrine is dedicated to Virupaksha, a form of Lord Shiva.
    • Hemkunta Hill, south of the Virupaksha temple contains early ruins, Jain temples and a monolithic sculpture of Lord Narasimha, a form of Lord Vishnu.
    • At the eastern end, there is the large Nandi in stone; on the southern side is the larger than life Ganesha.
    • Large single stone carvings seem to have been the fashion of the day in Hampi, for there is a large image of Narasimha (6.7m high), the half-lion half-man incarnation of God, as well as a huge linga.

  • Space industry and challenges

    The article analyses opportunities and challenges the outer space technology offers to us.

    Emerging trends in space industry

    • The price for reaching low Earth orbit has declined by a factor of 20 in a decade.
    • It enhances human space travel possibilities by leveraging new commercial capabilities.
    • According to a Bank of America Report, the $350 billion space market today will touch $2.7 trillion by 2050.
    • Starlink, the constellation being constructed by SpaceX to provide global Internet access, plans more than 10,000 mass-produced small satellites in low Earth orbit. 
    •  In a decade, 80,000 such satellites could be in space compared to less than 3,000 at present.
    • Companies such as Planet, Spire Global and Iceye are using orbital vantage points to collect and analyse data to deliver fresh insights in weather forecasting, global logistics, crop harvesting and disaster response.
    • Space could prove attractive for high-tech manufacturing too.
    • In short, an exciting new platform is opening up for entrepreneurs.

    3 Challenges

    1) Governance of outer space

    • Framework for governance of outer space as it becomes democratised, commercialised and crowded is becoming obsolescent.
    • The Outer Space Treaty of 1967 enshrines the idea that space should be “the province of all mankind” and “not subject to national appropriation by claims of sovereignty”.
    • The Rescue Agreement, Space Liability Convention, and the Space Registration Convention expanded provisions of the Outer Space Treaty.
    • The Moon Treaty of 1979 was not ratified by major space-faring nations.
    • Space law does not have a dispute settlement mechanism, is silent on collisions and debris, and offers insufficient guidance on interference with others’ space assets.
    • These gaps heighten the potential for conflict in an era of congested orbits and breakneck technological change.

    2) Acknowledging role of non-state entities

    • The legal framework related to outre space is state-centric, placing responsibility on states alone.
    • However, non-state entities are now in the fray for commercial space exploration and utilisation.
    • Some states are providing frameworks for resource recovery through private enterprises.
    • Some scholars and governments view this as against the principle of national non-appropriation, violating the spirit if not the letter of the existing space law.
    • The lack of alignment of domestic and international normative frameworks risks a damaging free-for-all competition for celestial resources involving actors outside the space framework.

    3) The arms race in outer space

    • The space arms race is difficult to curb, especially since almost all space technologies have military applications.
    • For example, satellite constellations are commercial but governments could acquire their data to monitor military movements.
    • Investment in technologies that can disrupt or destroy space-based capabilities is under way.
    • Despite concerns about military activity in outer space for long, not much progress has been made in addressing them.
    • The UN General Assembly passes a resolution on Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space since 1982.
    • The current geopolitical situation does not hold hope for addressing concerns of a space arms race.

    Need for space legislation in India

    • India has invested enormous resources in its space programme through the Indian Space Research Organisation.
    • More importantly, our space assets are crucial for India’s development.
    • The proposed involvement of private players and the creation of an autonomous body IN-SPACe for permitting and regulating activities of the private sector are welcome efforts.
    • However, the space environment that India faces requires us to go beyond meeting technical milestones.
    • We need a space legislation enabling coherence across technical, legal, commercial, diplomatic and defence goals.

    Consider the question “Outer space technology is expanding its horizon day by day. However, there are certain challenges the expansion of the space technology faces. What are these challenges and suggest ways to deal with such challenges.”

    Conclusion

    Our space vision also needs to address global governance, regulatory and arms control issues. As space opens up our space vision needs broadening too.

  • ASTROSAT Satellite

    ASTROSAT, India’s first multi-wavelength satellite observatory, has detected an extreme ultraviolet (UV) light from a galaxy which is 9.3 billion light-years away from Earth.

    Try out:

     

    Consider the following statements regarding the AstroSat:

    1)AstroSat is India’s multi-wavelength space telescope.
    2)ASTROSAT mission is that enables the simultaneous multi-wavelength observations of various astronomical objects with a single satellite.
    3)ASTROSAT observes the universe in the optical and high energy X-ray regions of the electromagnetic spectrum.

    Which of the following above statements is true?

    a.1 and 2
    b.2 and 3
    c.1 and 3
    d.1, 2 and 3

    AUDFs01

    • AstroSat has detected extreme-UV light from a galaxy, called AUDFs01, 9.3 billion light-years away from Earth.
    • The galaxy is located in the Hubble Extreme Deep field, through AstroSat.
    • This is a very important clue to how the dark ages of the universe ended and there was light in the universe.

    About ASTROSAT

    • AstroSat is India’s first dedicated multi-wavelength space telescope. It was launched on a PSLV-XL on 28 September 2015.

    It is the first dedicated Indian astronomy mission aimed at studying celestial sources in X-ray, optical and UV spectral bands simultaneously.

    ————–//—————-

    Find some time to scroll through recent ISRO missions and discoveries.

    ISRO Missions and Discoveries

  • Festival in news: Nuakhai Juhar

    The PM has greeted the people on the auspicious occasion of Nuakhai Juhar.

    Try this PYQ:

    Q.Consider the following pairs:

    Tradition State
    1. Chapchar Kut festival : Mizoram
    2. Khongjom Parba ballad : Manipur
    3. Thang-Ta dance : Sikkim

    Which of the pairs given above is/are correct? (CSP 2018)

    a) 1 only

    b) 1 and 2

    c) 3 only

    d) 2 and 3

    Nuakhai Juhar

    • Nuakhai or Nuakhai is an agricultural festival mainly observed by people of Western Odisha and Southern Chhattisgarh.
    • It is celebrated at the time when the newly grown Kharif crop (autumn crop) of rice started ripening.
    • According to the calendar it is observed on Panchami tithi (the fifth day) of the lunar fortnight of the month of Bhadrapada or Bhadraba (August–September), the day after the Ganesh Chaturthi festival.
    • This is the most important social festival of Western Odisha and adjoining areas of Simdega in Jharkhand, where Odia culture is much predominant.

  • In news: Lingaraj Temple

    The Odisha government has announced to give a facelift to the 11th century Lingaraj Temple, akin to its pre-350-year structural status.

    Try this PYQ:

    Q. Building ‘Kalyaana Mandapas’ was a notable feature in the temple construction in the kingdom of- (CSP 2019)

    (a) Chalukya

    (b) Chandela

    (c) Rashtrakuta

    (d) Vijayanagara

    About Lingaraj Temple

    • Lingaraja Temple is a temple dedicated to Shiva and is one of the oldest temples in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
    • It represents the quintessence of the Kalinga Architecture and culminating the medieval stages of the architectural tradition at Bhubaneswar.
    • The temple is believed to be built by the kings from the Somavamsi dynasty, with later additions from the Ganga rulers.
    • It is built in the Deula style that has four components namely, vimana (structure containing the sanctum), jagamohana (assembly hall), natamandira (festival hall) and bhoga-mandapa (hall of offerings), each increasing in the height to its predecessor.

    • Bhubaneswar is called the Ekamra Kshetra as the deity of Lingaraja was originally under a mango tree (Ekamra) as noted in Ekamra Purana, a 13th-century Sanskrit treatise.
    • The temple has images of Vishnu, possibly because of the rising prominence of Jagannath sect emanating from the Ganga rulers who built the Jagannath Temple in Puri in the 12th century.

  • Dwarf Planet Ceres

    The dwarf planet Ceres, which lies in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter now, has the status of an “ocean world”.

    Note various dwarf planets and the criteria making a planet dwarf, as mentioned in the B2b section.

    Ceres exploration

    • The dwarf planet was first spotted by Giuseppe Piazzi in 1801, who assumed that Ceres was the missing planet between Mars and Jupiter.
    • It was classified as a dwarf planet in 2006 and is the first dwarf planet to be orbited by a spacecraft.
    • In 2015, NASA’s Dawn reached it to study its surface, composition and history.

    What does it mean to be an “ocean world”?

    • With a crust that mixes ice, salts, rock-forming minerals and other materials, Ceres looks to be a remnant “ocean world,” wearing the chemistry of its Old Ocean and records of the interaction on its surface.
    • The observations from Dawn suggest the presence of briny liquid (saltwater) water under Ceres’s surface.
    • Scientists have determined that Ceres has a brine reservoir located about 40 km deep and which is hundreds of miles wide, making the dwarf planet, “water-rich”.

    Why do researchers study Ceres?

    • Scientists are interested in this dwarf planet because it hosts the possibility of having water, something that many other planets do not have.
    • Therefore, scientists look for signs of life on Ceres, a possibility that has also maintained scientists’ interest in the planet Mars, whose atmosphere was once warm enough to allow water to flow through it.
    • Another reason why scientists are interested in that studying it can give insights about the formation of the Solar System since it is considered to be a fossil from that time.

    Back2Basics: Dwarf Planets

    • As of today, there are officially five dwarf planets in our Solar System.
    • The most famous is Pluto, downgraded from the status of a planet in 2006.
    • The other four, in order of size, are Eris, Makemake, Haumea and Ceres. The sixth claimant for a dwarf planet is Hygiea, which so far has been taken to be an asteroid.
    • These four criteria are – that the body orbits around the Sun, it is not a moon, has not cleared the neighbourhood around its orbit and has enough mass for its gravity to pull it into a roughly spherical shape.

  • [pib] Sarabhai Crater

    The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has named a crater captured by Chandrayaan 2 Orbiter after Vikram Sarabhai.

    Try this PYQ:

    What do you understand by the term Aitken Basin? (CSP 2012)

    (a) It is a desert in southern Chile which is known to be the only location on earth where no rainfall takes place

    (b) It is an impact crater on the far side of the Moon

    (c) It is a Pacific coast basin, which is known to house large amounts of oil and gas

    (d) It is a deep hypersaline anoxic basin where no aquatic animals are found

    Sarabhai Crater

    • “Sarabhai” Crater is named after Dr Vikram Sarabhai and around 250 to 300 kilometres east of this Crater is where the Apollo 17 and Luna 21 Missions had landed.
    • The crater captured in 3D images shows that the Crater has a depth of around 1.7 Kms taken from its raised rim and the slope of Crater walls is in between 25 to 35 degree.
    • These findings will help the Space Scientists to understand further the process of the lunar region filled with lava.

    Who was Vikram Sarabhai?

    • Sarabhai was an Indian physicist and astronomer who initiated space research and helped develop nuclear power in India.
    • He is internationally regarded as the Father of the Indian Space Program.
    • Known as the cradle of space sciences in India, the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) was founded in 1947 by him. He was the founder of ISRO.
    • He started a project for the fabrication and launch of an Indian satellite.
    • As a result, the first Indian satellite, Aryabhata, was put in orbit in 1975 from a Russian cosmodrome.

  • What is Next Generation Sequencing (NGS)?

    • To speed up testing as well as improve the accuracy of testing COVID-19, the CSIR is working on developing “mega labs” where large machines, called Next Generation Sequencing machines (NGS), will be used for sequencing human genomes.
    • It is repurposed to sequence 1,500-3,000 viral genomes at a go for detecting the SARS-CoV-2 novel coronavirus.

    Try this PYQ:

    What is Cas9 protein that is often mentioned in news? (CSP 2018)

    (a) A molecular scissors used in targeted gene editing

    (b) A biosensor used in the accurate detection of pathogens in patients

    (c) A gene that makes plants pest-resistant

    (d) A herbicidal substance synthesized in genetically modified crops

    What is NGS?

    • DNA sequencing is the process of determining the nucleic acid sequence – the order of nucleotides in DNA.
    • It includes any method or technology that is used to determine the order of the four bases: adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine.
    • The advent of rapid DNA sequencing methods has greatly accelerated biological and medical research and discovery.
    • Next-generation sequencing (NGS), also known as high-throughput sequencing, is the catch-all term used to describe a number of different modern sequencing technologies.
    • These technologies allow for sequencing of DNA and RNA much more quickly and cheaply than the previously used Sanger sequencing, and as such revolutionized the study of genomics and molecular biology.

    Benefits

    • The genome sequencing machines can substantially detect the possible presence of the virus even in several instances where the traditional RT-PCR tests miss out on them.
    • This is primarily because the RT-PCR test identifies the SARS-CoV-2 virus by exploring only specific sections of the virus.
    • Having an edge, the genome method can read a bigger chunk of the virus genome and thereby provide more certainty that the virus in question is indeed the particular coronavirus of interest.
    • It can also trace the evolutionary history of the virus and track mutations more reliably.

    Back2Basics:

    PCR Test for Diagnosis of the COVID-19