ISRO ACHIEVEMENTS (Sept 2015- till now ) - CDS-II 2016 And other competitive exams- Booster

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Satellite Name	Launch Vehicle	Site	Mission Type	Duration
GSAT -15	Arian 5ECA	Guiana Space Centre	COMMUNICATION	12 YEARS
IRNSS-1E	PSLV-C31	SDSC	NAVIGATION TYPE	12 YEARS
IRNSS-1F	PSLV-XL C32	SDSC	NAVIGATION TYPE	12 YEARS
IRNSS-1G	PSLV-XL C32	SDSC	NAVIGATION TYPE	12 YEARS
Cartosat-2C	PSLV-C34	SDSC	Earth Observation & Remote Sensing	05 YEARS
INSAT-3DR	GSLV MkII F05	SDSC	Weather Satellite	10 YEARS
SCATSAT-1       (Scatterometer Satellite-1)	PSLV-C35	SDSC	Weather Satellite	05 YEARS
GSAT-18	Ariane 5ECA	Guiana Space Centre	COMMUNICATION	15 YEARS

SATELLITES CATEGORY 

GSAT - Geosynchronous Satellites is a system developed by ISRO with an objective to make India self-reliant in broadcasting services.

IRNSS - Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System  with an operational name of NAVIC ("sailor").It will be used to provide accurate real-time positioning and timing services over India and the region extending to 1,500 kilometres (930 mi) around India. (Desi GPS)
CARTOSAT - Cartosat series of satellites are a type of earth observation satellites indigenously built by India. Up till now 5 Cartosat satellites have been launched by ISRO. The Cartosat series is a part of the Indian Remote Sensing Programme. They were specifically launched for Earth’s resource management and monitoring.

SCATSAT-1 -  (Scatterometer Satellite-1) is a miniature satellite to provide weather forecasting, cyclone prediction, and tracking services to India.

LAUNCH VEHICLES 
GLSV - Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle is a launch vehicle developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

PSLV - Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV, is an expendable launch system developed and operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

LAUNCHING SITES

SDSC - Satish Dhawan Space Centre or Sriharikota High Altitude Range is a rocket launch centre operated by Indian Space Research Organisation. It is located in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. 

Arianespace SA - It is a French multinational company founded in 1980 as the world's first commercial launch service provider. It undertakes the production, operation, and marketing of the Ariane programme. The main launch vehicles offered by the company are the Ariane 5, the Soyuz-2 as a medium-lift alternative, and the Vega as a lighter one.

                                                    

2. Scramjet Engine - TD

Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) for the first time successfully conducted the Scramjet (or Supersonic Combusting ramjet) engine test.

From - Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikotta in Andhra Pradesh 

Key facts 

-The scramjet engine was test launched on board of RH 560 sounding rocket.

-RH 560 sounding rocket is two stage Advanced Technology Vehicle (ATV). 

-The ATV along with the scramjet engines weighed 3,277 kg at lift-off.

- During the test, ATV was able to fly at Mach 6 (six times the speed of sound) speeds. 

-The scramjet uses hydrogen as fuel and oxygen from the atmospheric air as the oxidiser. 

During the test, Air Breathing Propulsion System (ABPS) using hydrogen as fuel and oxygen from the atmosphere air as the oxidiser was successfully tested. 

With this, India became only the fourth nation in the world to successfully flight-test a scramjet engine after United States, Russia and China. 

What is scramjet engine? 

-The scramjet engine works on the Air-breathing Propulsion System. 

-The system uses natural oxygen present in the atmosphere to burn the fuel stored in the rocket. 

-It reduces the amount of oxidiser to be carried along with the fuel, bringing down launch costs. Benefits This system would help in reducing the lift-off mass of the vehicle as there will be no need of carrying liquefied oxygen on board the vehicle. 

-In turn help in increasing the energy efficiency of the rocket and also make it cost-effective. Scramjet does not have rotating parts so the chances of failure are also measurably reduced. 

-Currently, ISRO uses rocket launch vehicles like the PSLV to deliver satellites into orbit. 

-But PSLVs are expendable i.e. it can only be used once.

Way forward 

-The new propulsion system would complement ISRO’s aim to develop a reusable launch vehicle that would have longer flight duration. 

-This system involving the recently tested scramjet engine, would become crucial while sending up the spacecraft.

 Special Note

-This was not India’s first venture into scramjet technology. DRDO is working with Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyenia to develop the second generation Brahmos cruise missile (dubbed the Brahmos-II) powered by a scramjet . 

-Brahmos-II is being designed to fly 300 odd kilometres at a speed of Mach 7. 

-The current generation Brahmos is propelled using a liquid-fuelled ramjet engine. 

-It makes it possible for the missile propel forward at up to Mach 3 speed, making it one of the fastest for a cruise missile in the world.

3. RLV - Technology Demonstration Programme.

It is a series of technology demonstration missions that has been conceived by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) as a first step towards realising a Two Stage To Orbit (TSTO) re-usable launch vehicle. 

RLV-TD was successfully flight tested on May 23, 2016 from SDSC SHAR Sriharikota validating the critical technologies such as autonomous navigation, guidance & control, reusable thermal protection system and re-entry mission management.

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       SHARING IS CARING :) 

Current Affairs 9th and 10th Oct 2016.

1. Indian pharmaceutical companies have ranked low at 19th position with an overall score of 59 out of 100 among in the Biopharmaceutical Competitiveness & Investment (BCI) Survey.

• The survey of 28 countries was commissioned by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America and executed by the Pugatch Consilium. 
• It was third edition of survey.
  
  
  
  
  
  

2. India’s first Medipark (Medical Park) will be set up in Tamil Nadu at Chengalpet near Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

• It will boast of the first medical devices manufacturing park in the country. 
• In this regard, the Union Cabinet has allowed HLL Lifecare, a miniratna public sector company to sub-lease over 300 acres of land for the purpose. 
• The Medipark will be funded through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) with HLL being a 50% shareholder.

Importance 

First manufacturing cluster in the medical technology sector in the country envisaged to boost local manufacturing of hi-end products at a significantly lower cost.

3. Mumbai Centre for International Arbitration (MCIA).

The first International Arbitration Centre of India was inaugurated in Mumbai, Maharashtra to provide an arbitration platform for Indian business houses to negotiate commercial disputes. 

• With this Maharashtra becomes first state in the country to clear policy for institutional arbitration. 
• It is also considered as a major step towards making Mumbai an International Financial Services Centre (IFSC). 
• The MCIA will be an independent, not-for-profit organization (NGO) governed by a council comprising eminent national and international legal luminaries. 
• It will provide world-class infrastructure for arbitration, 24×7 functionality and live transcription services recording during arbitration proceedings for transparency. 

4. In a landmark verdict, the Supreme Court has widened the scope of the Domestic Violence Act, 2005 by ordering deletion of the words "adult male" from it, paving the way for prosecution of women and even non-adults for subjecting a woman relative to violence and harassment.

Apex court bench paved way for prosecution of any person irrespective of gender or age under the DV Act, ordered deletion of the words "adult male" from the statute book saying it violated right to equality under the Constitution. The verdict came on an appeal against the Bombay High Court judgement, which had resorted to the literal construction of the term 'adult male' and discharged four persons, including two girls, a woman and a minor boy, of a family from a domestic violence case on the ground that they were not "adult male" and hence cannot be prosecuted under the DV Act. 5. Haiti: Hurricane Matthew death toll hits 1,000. Haiti is grappling with the unfolding devastation caused by Hurricane Matthew in the Caribbean country's hard-hit south. (Read more at previous blog post http://kulwind3r.blogspot.in/2016/10/current-affairs-oct-6-and-oct-7-2016.html) 6. Two US-based academics Oliver Hart and Bengrt Holmstrom won the Nobel Economics Prize 2016 for groundbreaking research on contract theory that has helped design insurance policies, executive pay and even prison management. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said their theories “are valuable to the understanding of real—life contracts and institutions, as well as potential pitfalls in contract design.” (Read_more at  http://www.livemint.com/Opinion/zp1CpB5xgjl8IPZJiqgexH/Why-the-2016-economics-Nobel-for-contract-theory-really-matt.html) 7. China ready for consensus NSG but opposed to UN ban on JeM chief Masood Azhar China had announced the extension of its "technical hold" on India's bid to get Masood Azhar designated as a terrorist by the UN on October 1, days before it was to expire. WATCH VIDEO http://vidshare.indianexpress.com/previews/a4yaqTgt-xe0BVfqu      8.  Janani Suraksha Yojana pays dividends: Study As per the new study Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) has played important role in reducing ‘socioeconomic disparities’ existing in maternal care.  The study was conducted by researchers from Delhi based National Council of Applied Economic Research.  This is for first time study has shown JSY has reduced socioeconomic inequalities in maternal care compared to earlier studies which showed impact of JSY in reducing maternal mortality. Key Findings  JSY has led to reduction of prevalent differences in access to maternal care between individual people of higher or lower socioeconomic status.  It has led to enhancement in utilisation of health services among all groups especially among the poorer and underserved sections in the rural areas.  Utilisation of all three maternal healthcare services was remarkably higher among illiterate or less educated and poor women.  Usage of all three maternal healthcare services by the Dalit, Adivasis, OBC and Muslim women increased between the surveys. However, inequalities still exist in access to maternal care but JSY has narrowed gap in access to healthcare between the marginalised group of women and financially better-off.  Women in their early 20s more likely avail maternal health care services as compared to their older women.  The incidence of women availing maternal healthcare decreases with the increase in the number of children.  Background In India, high incidence of maternal mortality continues to plague. As per the latest report on maternal health, India accounted for 15% the total maternal deaths in the world in 2015 second only to Nigeria with 45,000 women dying during pregnancy or childbirth. About Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) The JSY was launched as part of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) in 2005 to improve maternal and neonatal health by promotion of institutional deliveries (childbirth in hospitals).  It is a 100% centrally sponsored scheme (CSS). It integrates cash assistance with delivery and post-delivery care.  Under it, ASHA (Accredited social health activist) is considered as a link between Government and poor pregnant women for encourage institutional deliveries among poor women. 9. International Energy Agency (IAE) is going to partner with India to implement its Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA) initiative globally for energy savings.  IAE has been impressed with performance of India’s UJALA programme in terms of vastly improving access to LED lighting while reducing their cost drastically. Key Facts  The UJALA scheme is implemented by the Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a joint venture of PSUs under the Union Ministry of Power.  The price at which EESL has been purchasing LED lights to distribute under UJALA scheme has been consistently falling over the last couple of years Along with this, production has also been ramped up to about 4 crore per month from the 10 lakh a month in 2014 to support the implementation of scheme.  About Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA) scheme  UJALA scheme is LED-based Domestic Efficient Lighting Programme (DELP) that aims to promote efficient lighting, reducing energy consumption and energy savings.  It was launched as National LED programme by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January 2015. It was renamed UJALA in March 2016. Under it, every grid-connected consumer having a metered connection from their respective Electricity Distribution Company will get the LED bulbs at subsidized rates.  Benefits: (i) Electricity savings (ii) Reduction of load (iii) Reduction of consumer bills (iv) Greenhouse gas emission reductions. LED bulbs have a very long life, almost 50 times more than ordinary bulbs. They are 8-10 times that of CFLs, therefore provide both energy and cost savings in medium term. 10.  CHINA moots FTA ahead of BRICS 2016 Goa Summit.  Ahead of the BRICS Summit in Goa, China mooted a free trade area for the five-member bloc of emerging countries saying that such a move would constitute “significant form of cooperation”. By setting up a free trade area, BRICS countries would be able to remove tariff and non-tariff barriers, give play to their comparative advantages and advance trade and investment liberalisation between them A free trade area would help BRICS nations — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — achieve mutual benefit and development and promote South—South cooperation on a global scale BRICS bloc has made steady progress establishing the New Development Bank (NDB). The NDB is established with an initial subscribed capital of $50 billion with total paid-in capital of $10 billion. The founding members of the NDB have already brought in capital of $ one billion as initial contribution.

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Current Affairs Oct 8, 2016.

1. Asian ministerial conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) 2016

Host Country - INDIA 

• This is the first AMCDRR after the advent of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR), adopted at the third UN World Conference in Sendai, Japan in March, 2015. It will set the direction of Sendai Framework implementation in the region.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the conference that will be held here on November 3-5 in collaboration with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR).

AIM :-  Transforming the commitments of governments and stakeholders during the Sendai Conference into national and local action.

Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030)
It is an international Treaty which was approved by UN member states between 14th and 18th of March 2015 at the World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction held in Sendai, Japan. 

Sendai Framework sets four specific priorities for action:
1. Understanding disaster risk.
2. Strengthening disaster risk governance to manage disaster risk.
3. Investing in disaster risk reduction for resilience.

4. Enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response, and to "Build Back Better" in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction.

2.  The Law Commission sought public response on abolition of the practice of triple talaq and asked whether a uniform civil code should be optional.

3. Rajasthan: Udaipur becomes first city in the country to have an all-woman police patrol wing.

4. China  defended its second technical hold to prevent a UN ban on Pakistan-based JeM chief Masood Azhar.

• It said there were different view on India's application and that Beijing's move will allow more time for the relevant parties to have consultations. 
• Reacting to India's criticism that its second hold on attempts to ban Azhar sends a dangerous message, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that the listing application member states submitted to the 1267 Committee of UN must comply with specific requirements of relevant resolutions of UN Security Council UNSC.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

5. INDIAN AIR FORCE 84th Anniversary 

6. Indian shooter Jitu Rai clinches silver medal in 50 metre pistol event of the ISSF World Cup Final at Bologna, Italy. Jitu shot a score of 188.8 to finish behind China's Wei Pang at 190.6

7. Former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres, 67 all set to become the upcoming UN Secretary General to succeed Ban Ki-Moon next year. 
(Read more about - http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-37565570 ) 

8. Women of Telangana established a new world record with the largest participation ever in the traditional Batukamma festival.

A record 9,292 women performed the customary dance around the 20-foot Batukamma flower arrangement set in the centre of the Lal Bahadur Stadium in Hyderabad, seeking blessings and benevolence of the deity for the happiness and prosperity of the State.

9.India get their Kabaddi World Cup 2016 campaign back on track with a thumping 54-20 win over Australia in the final match of Day 2 in Ahmedabad.
Earlier  Indians were left shell-shocked by the South Koreans onOct 7, 2016 as Jang Kun Lee produced a remarkable comeback to beat the hosts 34-32 in their opening encounter.

10. A total of 250 mandis have been linked to the e-trading platform under the National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) in the first phase. 

• E-NAM is a pan India electronic portal for sale and purchase of agricultural produce so that farmers get better prices of their produce. 
• The first phase of the e-NAM was launched on 14th of April this year. Government has exceeded the target of linking 200 mandis by the end of last month.
  
  
  
  

11.  The Supreme Court has stayed the commercial release of Genetically Modified (GM) mustard crop till October 17, 2016.

It has asked the Central Government to seek public opinion before releasing the variety for cultivation purpose.

Order in this regard was issued by SC Bench of Chief Justice T.S. Thakur and Justice A.M. Khanwilkar on petition filed by Aruna Rodrigues.

What petition says?

•  The petition had alleged that sowing of the GM Mustard seeds will be undertaken without relevant tests and without entire bio-safety dossier for commercial launch GM mustard.
•  It also had urged the SC to prohibit open field trials and the commercial release of Herbicide Tolerant (HT) crops, including HT Mustard DMH 11 and its parent lines/variants.

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SHARING IS CARING :) 

Current Affairs Oct 6 and Oct 7, 2016.

1. UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon has announced that Paris agreement will come into force on 4th of November.

India signed the deal on 2nd of October on Gandhi Jayanti. India was the 62nd country to ratify the deal.  The Paris Agreement on climate change will enter into force on November 4.  It has been ratified by 72 countries accounting for more than 56 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions.  China and US the world 2 biggest polluters signed the deal just before the G20 china summit.  The Paris agreement sets an aim ideally for a maximum rise in global temperatures of 1.5C.  The next step of the meet is the marrakesh meet when country meet for the first time after the Paris Deal in Nov 2016  The much-anticipated Paris Agreement is the third international document on addressing climate change.  Before it was the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and 1997 Kyoto Protocol. 2. India's latest communication satellite GSAT-18 was on Oct 6, 2016 successfully launched from the spaceport of Kourou in French Guiana.  The launch was originally scheduled for Wednesday, but deferred by 24 hours owing to unfavorable weather conditions.  GSAT-18, built by the ISRO, aims at providing telecommunications services for the country by strengthening ISRO's current fleet of 14 operational telecommunication satellites.  Weighing over three thousand kilograms at lift-off, GSAT-18 carries 48 communication transponders to provide services in Normal C-band, Upper Extended C-band and Ku-bands of the frequency spectrum 3. The Hurricane Matthew has left over 572 people dead in Haiti. Hurricane Matthew has been pounding different parts of the Bahamas.  It has now made a landfall on the US coast of Florida. An emergency has been declared in Florida state. Highways in Florida and neighboring states clogged up with people streaming inland to escape the storm. It has been described as the Caribbean's worst storm in nearly a decade. Initial helicopter observations found a number of severely damaged houses, major farmland destruction and intense flooding, in Haiti.  4. Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who is on a visit to the western border districts of Jaisalmer and Barmer in Rajasthan, said that the Home Ministry plans to seal the Indo-Pakistan border by end of year 2018. 5. The annual India Economic Summit began in New Delhi on Oct 6, 2016. Visiting Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe attended the Opening Plenary session of the Economic Summit along with Commerce and Industry minister Nirmala Sitharaman.  With over 500 business and political leaders, including top policymakers and CEOs, are participating in the two-day summit. The special focus is on 'Fostering an Inclusive India through Digital Transformation'. Sri Lanka to further expand FTA with India and other agreements to be signed are economic and technology by the end of this year. 6. A high-level technical team began inspection of the dams in the Cauvery basin today. The team is being headed by G S Jha, chairman of the central water commission.  The team would visit the Thailuru, Somanahalli and Madarahalli catchment areas in Maddur, around 80 kilometres away from Bengaluru.  The team has also a scheduled visit to the Krishna Raja Sagara dam at 6.30 pm on Friday.  The team is visiting these areas following a directive from the Supreme Court.  The Supreme Court had earlier this week directed Karnataka to release 2,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu from October 7 to 18.  Representatives from Tamil Nadu, Kerela, Pudducherry besides Karnataka are also accompanying the technical team.  The team will also visit Mettur dam in Tamil Nadu. The team has been accorded high-level security on their visit to the Cauvery basin.  7. Colombian government negotiators have resumed talks with the FARC rebel group to try to resurrect the peace deal following its rejection in Sunday's referendum. The two sides are back in the Cuban capital, Havana, after Colombians voted narrowly against the agreement. All sides in Colombia want an end to more than 50 years of fighting.  However opponents of the government have insisted on a re-negotiation of part of the peace deal. The peace agreement was reached after four years of formal talks in the Cuban capital, Havana, between government and FARC negotiators. The President of Colombia  Juan Manuel Santos  was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on Oct 7, 2016 for pursuing a deal to end 52 years of conflict with a leftist rebel group, the longest-running war in the Americas, just five days Juan Mannuel Santos after Colombians   rejected the agreement in a shocking referendum result. The decision to give the prize to the Colombian president, Juan Manuel Santos, may revive hopes for the agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, with whom the country has been waging the last major guerrilla struggle in Latin America. 8.  A trio of French, British and Dutch scientists won the Nobel Chemistry Prize for developing molecular machines, the world's smallest machines that may one day act as artificial muscles to power tiny robots or even prosthetic limbs.  The scientists have developed molecules with controllable movements, which can perform a task when energy is added.  9. The Coal Ministry which was in the dock during UPA Rule over allegations of coal block allocation scam is now presenting an example of transparency. .  Moving ahead with the goal of e-governance, the Coal Ministry will become the first Department which would go fully paperless from 16th of October.  With the help of Software developed by NIC.   10. Professional mountaineer Arjun Vajpai summited Cho Oyu, the 6th highest mountain, on Tuesday to become the youngest in the world to climb the 27,000 feet peak. The 23-year-old reached the summit before dawn along with his sherpas and another expedition member after leaving from Camp 3 after midnight. With the Cho Oyu summit, Arjun has climbed five of the 14 highest mountains in the world that tower over 8,000 metres and holds the world record for the youngest summiteer on Mount Lhotse, Mount Manaslu and Mount Makalu. 11. India will take on South Africa in the 2nd match of the Under 17 BRICS Cup in Goa on Oct 7, 2016. Earlier India lost the opening tie to Russia by a solitary goal. 12. Kabaddi World Cup to be commenced on Oct 7, 2016 in Ahmadabad, Gujarat.  International Kabaddi Federation chief Deoraj Chaturvedi said that 12 out of 32 Kabaddi playing countries will participate in the fortnight-long tournament, which will be concluding on October 22. 12 participating teams are India, USA , England, Australia, Iran, Poland, Thailand, Bangladesh, South Korea, Japan, Argentina, and Kenya. Pakistan has been debarred from the upcoming 12-nation Kabaddi World Cup in India amidst escalating tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. Iran will take on newcomer to replace Pakistan.  SHARING IS CARING :)