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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY - September 2017

Sep 2017

Aug 08, 2023

Russia to Launch First Moon Lander Since 1976 in Race with Indian Spacecraft

Russia will launch its first lunar landing spacecraft in 47 years in a race with India to the south pole of the moon, a potential source of water to support a future human presence there.
The launch from the Vostochny cosmodrome, 3,450 miles (5,550 km) east of Moscow, will take place four weeks after India sent up its Chandrayaan-3 lunar lander, due to touch down at the pole on Aug. 23.
Rough terrain makes a landing there difficult, but the south pole is a prized destination because scientists believe it may hold significant quantities of ice that could be used to extract fuel and oxygen, as well as for drinking water.
Roscosmos said that the two missions would not get in each other's way because they have different landing areas planned.
Chandrayaan-3 is due to run experiments for two weeks, while Luna-25 will work on the moon for a year.

ISRO Transfers Satellite Bus Technology to Bengaluru-based Private Firm

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) transferred its cutting-edge IMS-1 Satellite Bus Technology to Alpha Design Technologies Pvt. Ltd. This transfer was facilitated by NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), ISRO's commercial arm, in a bid to further enable the private space sector into pushing development.
The IMS-1 satellite bus, a product of the U R Rao Satellite Centre, is a versatile and efficient small satellite platform designed to provide low-cost access to space.
The bus serves as a dedicated vehicle for various payloads, enabling Earth imaging, ocean and atmospheric studies, microwave remote sensing, and space science missions while ensuring a quick turnaround time for satellite launches.
Weighing about 100 kg, the IMS-1 bus accommodates a 30 kg payload. Its solar arrays generate 330 W power with a raw bus voltage of 30-42 V.
The development of this technology marks the beginning of ISRO-developed satellite-bus technologies being transferred to private industries. By doing so, ISRO aims to bolster India's industrial growth in the space sector and foster technological self-reliance. This opens up new avenues for private players to contribute to space research and exploration, aligning with India's plans to expand its presence in the global space market.

Aug 07, 2023

Moon Mission is all set for Lunar Orbit Injection Today.

The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft has made significant progress, covering approximately two-thirds of the distance to the Moon since its launch on July 14, reported ISRO.
During the past three weeks, ISRO has executed a series of strategic moves, progressively increasing the spacecraft's distance from Earth.
Notably, on August 1, a crucial slingshot manoeuvre was successfully employed to propel the craft from Earth's orbit towards the Moon.

Aug 06, 2023

Drone Manufacturing: DGCA Approves 63 Training Centres, 25 Manufactures

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which regulates civil aviation in India, has 63 authorised Remote Pilot Training Organisation (RPTO) in the country, according to a written statement provided by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Civil Aviation, V. K Singh, to the Lok Sabha. The regulator has also issued 25 types of certificates for drone manufacturing.
Maharashtra has the most significant number of RPTOs at 12, followed by Haryana with 11, then Gujarat and Karnataka with 6 each.
The DGCA has also sanctioned three RPTO applications in the state of Madhya Pradesh which are: Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi, Gwalior, Ultimate Energy Resource Private Ltd, Bhopal and Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi, Bhopal.

Aug 05, 2023

First New US Nuclear Plant in Decades Starts Operations

Plant Vogtle Unit 3 in Georgia, United States began delivering power to the power grid. This makes it the first nuclear reactor that was built from scratch in the country in more than thirty years.
At full capacity, the unit can put out 11,000 megawatts of electricity, which can power as many as 5,00,000 homes. Power developed by the plant is being used in the states of Georgia, Florida, and Alabama in the United States.

Aug 04, 2023

Final Foreign-built Antares Rocket Launches with Cargo for the ISS

Northrop Grumman successfully launched its final Antares 220+ rocket from Wallops Island, Virginia. The NG-19 mission carried Northrop's Cygnus spacecraft to the International Space Station, transporting essential supplies such as food, experiments, and other cargo for the crew.
This mission marked the final flight of this generation of Antares rockets, which uses major components from Russia and Ukraine.
The mission, designated NG-19, is part of NASA's Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) program and marks roughly a decade of missions for Northrop Grumman. The company first flew a Cygnus spacecraft to the ISS on the Orbital-D1 mission on September 18, 2013.

Hyderabad Witnesses 'Zero Shadow Day', a Rare Celestial Event

Hyderabad, the capital city of Telangana, experienced a rare celestial phenomenon known as Zero Shadow Day on August 3, 2023 afternoon. It occurs when the sun's position is directly overhead, casting no shadow on the earth's surface.
The tilt of the Earth's axis and its rotation around the sun cause the cosmic event to take place. Due to this tilt, the sun's rays' angle varies throughout the year, resulting in a variety of shadow lengths and directions.
The sun's rays reach their highest point in the sky, reducing the length of the shadow. That's how the shadows of vertical objects become invisible, hence the term "Zero Shadow".
According to astrophysicist Debiprosad Duari, "People and any object, all around the world, staying between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn lose their shadows, though momentarily, twice a year. These two moments are called zero shadow moments."

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