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  • ISRO’s Reusable Launch Vehicle Mission RLV LEX

    reus

    The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) conducted a successful autonomous landing mission experiment for a Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) at the Aeronautical Test Range in Chitradurga, Karnataka.

    What is a Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV)?

    • RLV is a type of spacecraft that is designed to be reused multiple times for launching payloads into space, instead of being discarded after a single launch like traditional rockets.
    • They are seen as a more cost-effective and sustainable option for space launches, as they reduce the need for manufacturing new rockets for each mission.
    • They typically consist of a reusable orbiter, similar to a space shuttle, and a reusable booster that provides the initial thrust needed to lift the orbiter and payload into space.
    • After the payload is released into orbit, the orbiter and booster return to Earth and land back on a runway, where they can be refurbished and reused for future launches.

    Why developing RLV is a big feat?

    Developing RLVs requires advanced technologies, including-

    1. Heat-resistant materials for protecting the spacecraft during re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere
    2. Advanced guidance and control systems for landing and
    3. Reliable propulsion systems for launching and landing

    ISRO’s RLV-TD project

    • ISRO is developing essential technologies for a fully reusable launch vehicle to enable low-cost access to space.
    • The RLV-TD is being used to develop technologies like hypersonic flight (HEX), autonomous landing (LEX), return flight experiment (REX), powered cruise flight, and Scramjet Propulsion Experiment (SPEX).
    • It looks like an aircraft and consists of a fuselage, a nose cap, double delta wings, and twin vertical tails.

    Development of RLV

    (1) First RLV experiment:

    • In 2016, the RLV-TD was launched into space on a rocket powered by a conventional solid booster (HS9) engine.
    • The spacecraft travelled at a speed of Mach 5 when re-entering the earth’s orbit and travelled a distance of 450 km before splashdown in the Bay of Bengal.
    • Critical technologies such as autonomous navigation, guidance and control, reusable thermal protection system, and re-entry mission management were successfully validated.

    (2) Second RLV experiment:

    • The RLV LEX test on April 2, 2023, involved a Chinook Helicopter lifting the RLV LEX to a height of 4.5 km and releasing the RLV.
    • After midair release, the RLV carried out an autonomous landing on the Aeronautical Test Range airstrip, under the exact conditions of a Space Re-entry vehicle’s landing.
    • It achieved landing parameters as might be experienced by an orbital re-entry space vehicle in its return path.

    Advantages of RLVs

    • Reusable launch vehicles are considered a low-cost, reliable, and on-demand mode of accessing space.
    • The cost of a launch can be reduced by nearly 80 percent of the present cost by using RLVs.

    Global RLV technologies

    • NASA space shuttles have been carrying out dozens of human space flight missions.
    • The private space launch services provider SpaceX demonstrated partially reusable launch systems with its Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets since 2017.
    • SpaceX is also working on a fully reusable launch vehicle system called Starship.
    • Several private launch service providers and government space agencies are working on developing reusable launch systems.

    Significance

    • RLVs have the potential to significantly reduce the cost of space launches, as a significant portion of the cost of traditional rockets comes from the need to manufacture new rockets for each mission.
    • By reusing spacecraft, the cost per launch can be significantly reduced.
    • Additionally, RLVs can provide greater flexibility and reliability for space launches, as they can be launched on-demand instead of needing to be manufactured and assembled for each mission.

     

  • Arctic scientists race to preserve ‘Ice Memory’

    snap

    Scientists from Italy, France, and Norway have set up camp in Norway’s Svalbard archipelago to extract samples of ancient ice for analysis before the frozen layers melt away due to climate change.

    ‘Ice Memory’ Project

    • Scientists will drill a series of tubes as far as 125 meters (137 yards) below the surface, which contains frozen geochemical traces dating back three centuries.
    • The scientists will work for three weeks in temperatures as low as -25 degrees Celsius (-13 Fahrenheit) to extract ice.
    • The Ice Memory foundation is running the operation.
    • The ice cores will provide scientists with valuable data about past environmental conditions.

    Analysis and storage

    • One set of ice tubes will be used for immediate analysis, while a second set will be sent to Antarctica for storage in an “ice memory sanctuary” under the snow.
    • The samples will be preserved for future generations of scientists.

    Reason for drilling

    • The Arctic is warming between two and four times faster than the global average, and water from melting ice is altering the geochemical records preserved in ancient ice beneath.
    • Hence, scientists are in a race against time to preserve crucial ice records before it disappears forever from the surface of the planet.

  • SNAP-10A: World’s first Operational Nuclear Reactor in Space

    snap

    Central idea: The newscard is about the US government-sponsored System for Nuclear Auxiliary Power (SNAP) program, also known as SNAPSHOT for Space Nuclear Auxiliary Power Shot, and its SNAP-10A space nuclear reactor.

    What is SNAP-10A?
    SNAP-10A A nuclear reactor sent to space by the US in 1965
    SNAP program A government-sponsored program for developing compact, lightweight, and reliable atomic devices for use in space, sea, and land
    Objective To produce at least 500 watts of electricity for a year or longer in Earth orbit
    Components Enriched uranium fuel with zirconium hydride as a moderator, and liquid sodium-potassium alloy as the coolant
    Conversion A thermoelectric converter was used to directly convert heat from the reactor into electricity
    Payload Weighed less than 431 kg, including the instruments and shielding, and was designed to be remotely started and operated in space
    Launch April 3, 1965, on an Atlas-Agena D rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base and placed in a polar orbit
    Operations Achieved on-orbit criticality within six hours of startup and set to autonomous operation at full power after 200 hours of reactor operations
    Contact loss Contact was lost with SNAP-10A for about 40 hours on May 16, 1965, and the reactor’s reflectors ejected from the core, causing the core to shut down and bringing an end to the reactor’s operations
    Test objectives All test flight objectives were met, except the length of operation, which was just 43 days as opposed to the expected year or more
    Significance Only known nuclear reactor sent to space by the US, while Russia has sent several, including one that crashed and scattered radioactive debris over Canada in 1978
    Current status Continues to be in Earth orbit, and NASA expects it to do so for 2,000 years or more

     

  • Fernarium at Eravikulam National Park

    fern

    Eravikulam National Park, located in Munnar, India, is known for its natural habitat of Nilgiri Tahr, and has recently introduced a new attraction – a Fernarium.

    What are Ferns?

    • Ferns are a type of vascular plant that reproduces via spores, rather than seeds.
    • They have distinctive leaves, called fronds, which are often intricately divided into smaller leaflets.
    • Ferns can grow in a wide variety of environments, from rainforests to deserts, and they play an important role in many ecosystems as a habitat for animals, as well as by providing food and shelter for a variety of other plants.

    Importance of Ferns

    • Ferns are ecological indicators of healthy forests, and the climatic conditions inside the park are suitable for growing ferns.
    • Ferns are part of the Epiphytic family and grow naturally in soilless conditions.
    • They obtain water and nutrients through leaching from trees, and a large number of ferns are found on trees inside the park.

    Fernarium @ Eravikulam

    • The Fernarium is a collection of ferns and it is the first of its kind in Munnar.
    • Currently, 52 varieties of ferns have been planted, and the plan is to cover all 104 varieties that are found in the park.
    • This initiative aims to provide visitors with awareness about the biodiversity of the park.

    Back2Basics: Eravikulam National Park

    Location Perched 7000 ft. above sea level, the Park was a former hunting preserve of British planters
    Designation Declared a Sanctuary in 1975, and a National Park in 1978
    Significance Protects the highly endangered mountain goat, Nilgiri Tahr, and is the land of the Neelakurinji flower that blooms once in twelve years
    Extent Covers an area of 97 sq. km of rolling grasslands and high-level sholas
    Climate Receives heavy showers during the southwest (June/July) and retreating (October/November) Monsoons; one of the wettest areas in the world
    Topography Undulating terrain with grass, hillocks, and sholas; highest peak south of the Himalayas, the Anamudi, is located here
    Vegetation Majorly covered with rolling grasslands, with several patches of shola forests; important flora includes Actinodaphne bourdilloni, Microtropis ramiflora, Strobilanthus Kunthianus (Neela Kurinji), etc.
    Wildlife Population 29 species of mammals, including the endemic Nilgiri Tahr, Gaur, Sloth Bear, Nilgiri Langur, Tiger, Leopard, Giant Squirrel, and wild dog; 140 species of birds, including 10 unique to the Western Ghats; more than 100 varieties of butterflies and 20 species of amphibians are also recorded here.

     

  • IIT Mandi’s novel catalyst to make Hydrogen more viable fuel

    hydrogen

    Scientists at IIT Mandi have created an innovative carbon-based catalyst that can enhance the efficiency of water electrolysis to generate green hydrogen.

    Water electrolysis and its Challenges

    • Water electrolysis is the process of splitting water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity inside an electrolyser.
    • However, this process consumes a lot of electrical energy.
    • A well-known solution is to use a catalyst to induce the water molecules to split at a much lower energy.
    • The better catalysts are often based on the metals iridium and ruthenium, which are expensive, in great demand in other sectors, and not consistently stable as the reaction progresses.

    IIT’s breakthrough: Development of Laser Carbon

    • Researchers have developed a porous carbon material containing nitrogen that functions both as a catalyst and as the anode in electrolyser units.
    • This material, called “laser carbon,” was produced by exposing a sheet of a polymer called polyimide to a laser beam, which carbonised the exposed bits, leaving the remainder rich in nitrogen.

    How does laser carbon work?

    • The nitrogen atoms in laser carbon draw electron clouds towards themselves, rendering the nearby carbon atoms to bond with atoms or molecules containing electron pairs.
    • This makes the location of these atoms active sites for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER).
    • OER is a bottleneck in this ideal reaction process because it proceeds slowly, with many intermediate steps, lowering the total reaction efficiency.
    • Laser carbon offers to fix this problem by reducing the OER overpotential, which means the reaction kicks off sooner and proceeds with more vigor.

    Advantages of laser carbon

    Laser carbon has several advantages over other carbon-based catalysts.

    • It is “highly power efficient,” cheaper to produce, has a simpler synthesis technique, and “can be batch-manufactured with a laser.”
    • The manufacturing process is also environment-friendly, as no waste is generated, and there are no wet chemicals that would require disposal.
    • Additionally, it does not require a substrate as it is self-supported in the form of a film, acting as both electrode and electrocatalyst.

    Challenges

    • The catalytic activity of laser carbon may not be as high as that of some metals but is comparable.
    • Further improvements in the fabrication process and use of other polymers may address this challenge.

  • Novel compound to treat Kala-Azar Infection

    kala-azar

    Central idea: The Kolkata-based Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS) have established the potential of quinoline derivatives to treat drug-resistant leishmaniasis, which is also called kala-azar or black fever.

    What is Kala Azar?

    • Kala-Azar is a vector-borne (sandfly) neglected tropical disease caused by the protozoan parasites of the genus leishmania.
    • It afflicts the world’s poorest populations in over 90 countries throughout Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Central and South America.
    • Current annual estimates of kala-azar are about 1,00,000.
    • More than 95% of cases reported to the WHO are from India and other tropical countries, most importantly co-infection with HIV, which leads to an immunocompromised state.

    How does Quinoline work over this?

    • The quinoline derivative is a potent inhibitor of an enzyme called topoisomerase 1 (LdTop1).
    • This enzyme is essential for the maintenance of DNA architecture in parasites and is distinct from the one found in humans.
    • Poisoning LdTop1 imparts significant cytotoxicity to both Leishmania parasites found in the gut of sandfly vectors (promastigotes) and those found in infected humans (amastigotes) of both the wild type and the antimony-resistant isolates.
    • This is done without inducing lethality to human and mice host cells.

    Significance of quinoline treatment

    • Overcoming drug resistance in clinical leishmaniasis is a severe challenge in rural India.
    • The current treatment regimens against kala-azar use formulations that are toxic and induce high levels of drug-resistance.

    What is the breakthrough?

    • The novel inhibitor targeting the leishmania parasites was identified by screening them against recombinant Leishmania topoisomerase 1 enzyme.
    • In all, 21 derivatives were prepared and evaluated for their antileishmanial activity, and one of them was found to be effective.

     

  • Bandipur completes 50 years as Project Tiger Reserve

    tiger

    Central idea: Bandipur completed 50 years as a Project Tiger Reserve on April 1, 2023.

    Bandipur Tiger Reserve

    • The reserve is located in the Indian state of Karnataka and is spread over an area of 912.04 sq. km.
    • It is recognized as one of the prime tiger habitats in the world and is an important component of the country’s first biosphere reserve – Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.

    Tiger Population in Bandipur

    • When Project Tiger was launched in 1973, there were 12 tigers in Bandipur, according to Ramesh Kumar, director, of Bandipur Tiger Reserve.
    • Today, the number of tigers utilizing the park is 173 while the number of tigers within the reserve has been pegged at 126 as per the Status of Tigers Co-predators and Prey in India, 2018.

    History of conservation efforts in Bandipur

    • Much before the Wildlife Conservation Act, 1972, was passed, the erstwhile rulers of Mysuru had realized the importance of conserving flora and fauna.
    • The Mysore Game and Fish Preservation Act was passed in 1901, and several forest areas were preserved as Game Reserves, and Tiger Blocks were identified with shooting restrictions imposed.
    • Initially, an area spread over 35 sq miles was declared as a Game Sanctuary in Chamarajanagar State Forest of Mysore district in 1931 and was protected for 10 years.

    Bandipur’s inclusion in Project Tiger

    • When Project Tiger was launched in 1973, Bandipur was among the first nine reserves to be brought under the flagship program, and it included most areas that were already protected under the Venugopal Wildlife Park.
    • The park was upgraded to a national park and renamed Bandipur, and the adjacent reserve forests were included under it to extend its area to 874.20 sq km.

    Significance of the area

    • The landscape spanning Bandipur, Nagarahole, Mudumalai, and Wayanad complex is home not only to the highest number of tigers in the country – about 724 – but also to the largest Asian Elephant population.
    • The Bandipur Tiger Reserve is an important component of the country’s first biosphere reserve – Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.

    Tap to read more about:

    [Sansad TV] Perspective – Project Tiger: Reclaiming Territories

     

  • Competition (Amendment) Bill passed in Lok Sabha

    The Lok Sabha passed the Competition (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which could pose new challenges for global technology companies.

    About Competition Act, 2022

    • The Competition Act, 2002 was passed by the Parliament in the year 2002, to which the President accorded assent in January, 2003.
    • It was subsequently amended by the Competition (Amendment) Act, 2007.
    • In accordance with the provisions of the Amendment Act, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) and the Competition Appellate Tribunal (COMPAT) have been established.
    • The CCI is now fully functional with a Chairperson and six members.

    Changes brought by the Amendment

    (1) Penal powers to CCI

    • It grants the CCI the authority to penalize entities found engaging in anti-competitive behavior based on their global turnover, rather than just their annual domestic turnover, which was the case previously.

    (2) Turnover Definition

    • The definition of “turnover” has been a widely debated subject in the competition law landscape.
    • The Supreme Court had previously fixed the criteria for determining turnover in competition law contraventions, holding that it should be the “relevant turnover,” i.e., turnover derived from the sales of goods or services.

    (3) Mergers and acquisition

    • The CCI will have greater authority in mergers and acquisitions worth more than Rs 2,000 crore.
    • Additionally, the time limit for approval of mergers and acquisitions has been reduced from 210 days to 150 days.

    Impact on Tech Companies

    • While the provision on global turnover will not be exclusively applicable to tech companies, they are likely to be the most affected by it, given the nature of their business that operates across geographies.
    • Typically, the revenue earned from these companies’ India operations is much smaller than their income in other regions, such as the US and Europe.

  • Issues with new Quality Control Orders for fibres

    quality

    Central idea

    • Quality Control Orders (QCO) have been issued for fibres like cotton, polyester, and viscose to control the import of sub-quality and cheaper items and to ensure that customers get quality products.
    • The QCOs are made mandatory for some and yet to be finalized for others.

    What is the move?

    • The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) will issue certificate to manufacturers of viscose staple fibre (VSF) who comply with its standards (IS17266: 2019).
    • The hallmark is made mandatory.

    Why are fibres covered under QCOs?

    • The Indian textile and clothing industry consumes both indigenous and imported fibres and filaments.
    • The imports are for different reasons, such as cost competitiveness, non-availability in the domestic market, or to meet a specified demand of the overseas buyer.
    • The main aim of the QCO is to control the import of sub-quality and cheaper items and to ensure that customers get quality products.

    Reasons behind

    • India’s move to introduce a draft of Quality Control Orders (QCO) aims to curb a Chinese import surge and boost exports to western markets.

    What challenges does the new mandate bring?

    • Supply chain disruption: India imports annually 50,000 – 60,000 tonnes of viscose fibre and its variants such as Modal and Tencel LF from nearly 20 countries. In the case of polyester, almost 90,000 tonnes of polyester fibre and 1.25 lakh tonnes of POY (Polyester Partially Oriented Yarn) are imported annually.
    • Unease of doing business: Getting the certificate from the BIS involves a cost and hence not all are interested in getting the certificate.
    • Value chain disruption: The Indian textile manufacturers who are dependent on these suppliers for the raw material will have to either look at other suppliers or lose orders.
    • Material shortage: Some varieties of fibres have special functional properties and separate HS (Harmonised Commodity Description and Coding System) code when imported. The textile industry imports just small quantities of such fibres, and restricting their availability will deny Indian consumers of niche products.
    • Prospected price rise: Several textile units use lower-grade fibres that are generated from rejects and wastes and these are not covered under the QCO.

    Textile industry’s expectation

    • The industry is of the view that the import of speciality fibres that are used as blends with other fibres should be made available without restriction.
    • Any overseas applicant for the BIS certificate should get it without delay after inspection.

    Way forward

    • Polyester-spun yarn mills in the MSME sector need capital support to set up labs to test products.
    • The QCO should be implemented only after the ambiguities are cleared and the anomalies set right, says the industry.

  • Scientists spot Piezoelectric Effect in Liquids

    peizo

    Central idea: Scientists have recently discovered evidence of the piezoelectric effect in liquids for the first time. This effect has only been observed in solids for the past 143 years. This new finding challenges the theory that describes this effect and opens doors to previously unanticipated applications in electronic and mechanical systems.

    What is Piezoelectric Effect?

    • The piezoelectric effect occurs when a body develops an electric current when it is squeezed.
    • It has been observed in quartz crystals (SiO2), which are used in wristwatches, clocks, and various instruments that convert mechanical stress to a current.

    Recent observation

    • The piezoelectric effect was found in pure 1-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium bis(trifluoromethyl-sulfonyl)imide and 1-hexyl-3-methyl imidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide.
    • Both of these liquids are ionic liquids, which means that they are made of ions instead of molecules, and were found at room temperature.

    Why is the effect in liquids surprising?

    • Liquids do not have an organized structure like solids, which is why the piezoelectric effect has only been expected in solids until now.
    • However, the scientists found the effect in pure ionic liquids at room temperature, challenging the current understanding of the effect.
    • The magnitude of the piezoelectric effect in the first liquid was 16 millivolt per newton (mV/N) and in the second, 17 mV/N, in both cases within a margin of 1 mV/N.

    What is the strength of the effect?

    • In the experiment, the scientists found that the strength of the piezoelectric effect in the two ionic liquids they tested was lower than that of quartz by a factor of 10.
    • However, this is still a significant discovery since it opens the door to new applications.

    Possible applications

    • The discovery of the piezoelectric effect in liquids opens the door to previously inaccessible applications that have fewer environmental issues than many currently used piezoelectric materials.
    • Additionally, these liquids displayed the inverse piezoelectric effect, which could be used to control how the liquids bend light passing through them by passing different currents through them, creating lenses with dynamic focusing abilities.