CURRENT AFFAIRS 2017 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

JANUARY 2017

NASA to send African-American for first time to space station

NASA is sending an African-American astronaut to the International Space Station for the first
time. The traveler is Jeanette Epps, a physics and science whiz who used to work for the CIA as
a technical intelligence officer.

Epps will head to the ISS as a flight engineer in 2018. Her commander will be Andrew Feustel, a
veteran astronaut.

Scientists discover rare double-ringed galaxy in space

Scientists have spotted a rare double-ringed elliptical galaxy, approximately 359 light years away
from the Earth. Identified as PGC 1000714, it has a 5.5 billion-year-old core at its heart that
looks red and is circled by a faint blue ring. While the rings are made up of mostly of young
stars, the core is made of older stars.

New species of gibbon discovered in China

Scientists have discovered a new species of gibbon living in south-west Chinas rainforests.
Although scientists had been studying the primate for some time, new research has revealed it is
in fact a different species. It has been named the Skywalker hoolock gibbon by its discoverers,
who are Star Wars fans. The name is also a nod to the fact that the Chinese characters of its
scientific name, Hoolock tianxing, mean Heavens movement.

ISRO, CNES ink pact on satellite launch

Indian Space Research Organisation and French Space agency (CNES) have signed a
partnership agreement in satellite launch technology.

The agreement was signed between ISRO Chairman Kiran Kumar and CNES President Jean-
Yves Le Gall in the presence of visiting French Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Marc Ayrault.

Physicists create a new form of hydrogen

Scientists have produced a new form of hydrogen in the lab negatively charged hydrogen
clusters. Each cluster consists of hydrogen molecules arranged around a negatively charged
hydrogen ion a single hydrogen atom with an extra electron at temperatures near absolute
zero.

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SpaceX resumes flights; launches Falcon 9 vehicle on California coast

The American SpaceX rocket company has resumed flights, launching a Falcon 9 vehicle from
the Vandenberg Air Force Base on the California coast. It is the first mission by the company
since one of its vehicles exploded on the launch pad in September. The return to operations sees
SpaceX start to renwe what was the original global handheld satellite phone network, run by
Iridium.

Worlds lightest watch created using grapheme

Scientists have developed the worlds lightest high-performance mechanical watch made using
the wonder material graphene and weighing just 40 grams. The RM 50-03 watch was made
using a unique composite incorporating graphene to manufacture a strong but lightweight new
case to house the delicate watch. Graphene is the worlds first two-dimensional material at just
one-atom thick.

Silicon identified as missing element in Earths core

Silicon likely makes up a significant proportion of the Earths core after iron and nickel, say
scientists who claim to have identified the missing element in the deep interiors of our planet
that has eluded us for decades. The discovery could help us to better understand how our world
formed. The innermost part of Earth is thought to be a solid ball with a radius of about 1,200
kilometres.

Worlds first IBM PC virus was released on January 19, 1986

Brain, considered to be the first major personal computer virus, was created on January 19,
1986, by Basit and Amjad Farooq Alvi at their computer shop in Lahore, Pakistan. From there
the program spread across the world one infected floppy disk at a time. At its peak Brain had
even reached the offices of a government department in Canada, on the other side of the globe.

IIT Bombay to build Research Park for startups

Students of the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-B) might no longer need to seek
help from outsiders to support their start-up ideas, as work on a Research Park will finally start
in 2017.

Scientists names 3 diseases that could cause next global health emergency

Scientists have named three relatively little-known diseases they think could cause the next
global health emergency. The 3 diseases are Mers, Lassa fever and Nipah virus.

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Scientists develop robotic heart sleeve that helps it beat

Harvard University and Boston Childrens Hospital researchers have developed a customizable
soft robot that fits around a heart and helps it beat, potentially opening new treatment options
for people suffering from heart failure.

ISRO to launch record 103 satellites on a single rocket

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will set a record when it launches 103 satellites
in one go on a single rocket in the first week of February. Explaining how all the satellites will be
placed in orbit, Dr. K. Sivan, Director of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC),
Thiruvananthapuram.

FEBRUAR Y 2017

Scientists creates worlds first stable semi-synthetic organism

Scientists have created the first stable semi-synthetic organism a single-celled bacterium
that may play important roles in drug discovery and other applications.

ISRO successfully ground-tests Cryogenic Upper Stage engine meant for rocket
GSLV-Mark-III

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully ground tested the Cryogenic Upper
Stage engine meant for the rocket GSLV-Mark-III. The space agency stated the indegenously
developed engine, designated as C25, tested for a duration of 50 seconds in its Propulsion
Complex at Mahendragiri in southern Tamil Nadu, demonstrating all the stage operations.

Atomic clocks of Satellite IRNSS-1A Develops Technical Snag

NavIC, the indigenously built satellite- based positioning system, has developed a technical snag
in the atomic clocks on its first satellite.

In the NavIC, a constellation of seven satellites, one of the three crucial rubidium timekeepers
on IRNSS-1A spacecraft failed six months ago.

First stable compound of chemically inactive helium confirmed

Helium, considered to be a chemically inert and unreactive gas due to its extremely stable and
closed-shell electronic configuration, has been confirmed to form a stable compound (Na2He)
with sodium under high pressure.

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Neurocalyx calycinus plant possesses medicinal values

A medicinal plant endemic to the southern parts of Western Ghats and Sri Lanka could offer
scientists the key to new herbal formulations and modern drugs for the treatment of cancer and
wounds and burns.

E-pills that can monitor patient health

MIT scientists have developed a small battery that runs on stomach acids and could power next-
generation ingestible electronic pills which may monitor patient health or treat diseases by
residing in the gastrointestinal tract for extended periods of time.

The device may offer a safer and lower-cost alternative to the traditional batteries now used to
power such devices.

Scientists develop terahertz transmitter capable of sending data 10 times faster

than 5G

Scientists have developed a next generation system which can transmit digital data over 10 times
faster than 5G mobile networks, an advance that will pave the way for faster downloads and
improve in-flight network connection speeds.

Japanese researchers use drones to pollinate flowers

Japanese tinkerers created a tiny, flower-pollinating drone for a world without insects.

ISRO to launch record 104 satellites in one go on Feb 15

Indian Space Research Organisations (Isro) workhorse Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)
will carry a record 104 satellites in a single mission on 15 February from the space centre at
Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. PSLV-C37/Cartosat-2 Series Satellite Mission is scheduled to
be launched on February 15, 2017 at Sriharikota.

Horse antibodies may effectively treat Ebola: Study

In a first, scientists have developed an effective, rapid and economical treatment for the deadly
Ebola virus using antibodies from horses. The post-exposure treatment made with antibodies
from horses could be used in the next Ebola outbreak.

Shawna Pandya To Become Third Indian-origin Woman To Fly In Space

Dr Shawna Pandya is a general physician in Canadas Alberta University Hospital. She is also an
astronaut preparing for two crucial space missions. She will be only the third woman of Indian
origin, after Kalpana Chawla and Sunita Williams, to fly to space. Born in Canada, the 32-year-
old was shortlisted after topping the Citizen Science Astronaut (CSA) program.

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ISRO will use native processor for Earth to space signals

Indian Space Research Organisation has said that the indigenous development of Telemetry &
Telecommand Processor (TTCP) has been realised and its production will be initiated with the
help of Indian industry. The processor, whose development was taken up by ISRO as part of
Make in India campaign, replaces expensive imported equipment.

Japans plan to clear space debris using fishing net fails

An experimental Japanese mission to clear space junk from the Earths orbit has ended in
failure.

More than 100m pieces of rubbish are thought to be whizzing around the planet, including cast-
off equipment from old satellites and bits of rocket, which experts say could pose risks for future
space exploration.

NASAs Juno spacecraft completes fourth flyby of Jupiter

At the time of closest approach (perijove), Juno was about 2,670 miles (4,300 km) above the
planets cloud tops.

All of Junos eight science instruments and the spacecrafts JunoCam were operating during the
flyby to collect data that is now being returned to Earth.

Single-dose Zika vaccine works in animals: study

An innovative vaccine made from genetic material protected lab animals from the Zika virus in
experiments.

A new Zika vaccine candidate has the potential to protect against the virus with a single dose,
according to a research team led by scientists from the Perelman School of Medicine at the
University of Pennsylvania.

New data transfer record created in Quantum computing

Scientists have set a new record in the transfer of information via super dense coding, a process
by which the properties of particles like photons, protons and electrons are used to store as
much information as possible.

NASA spots farthest galaxies powered by massive black holes

NASAs Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope has identified the farthest gamma-ray blazars, a
type of galaxy whose intense emissions are powered by supersized black holes.

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Light from the most distant object began its journey to us when the universe was 1.4 billion
years old, or nearly 10 percent of its present age, and experts say they could shed fresh light on
how black holes form.

Gujarat Technological University sets up centre of excellence in automation

technologies

German technology major, Bosch Rexroth-funded Indias first Centre of Excellence in i 4.0
Automation Technology opened at the Vishwakarma Government Engineering College under
Gujarat Technological University in Ahmedabad.

The Center of Excellence will be open for students of engineering students from across the state
and also for the industry to conduct research in automation and hydraulics.

Researchers Discover Oldest Human Ancestor

Researchers have discovered the earliest known ancestor of humans along with a vast range of
other species. They say that fossilised traces of the 540-million-year-old creature are
exquisitely well preserved.

18 fresh swine flu cases reported in Telangana

Eighteen fresh positive cases of swine flu have been reported in Telangana, where 13 people
have succumbed to the H1N1 virus and other complications since August 1 last year.

Countdown of ISROs PSLV C-37 carrying record 104 satellites begins

The 28-hour countdown for the launch of a record 104 satellites by India on board a single
rocket from the spaceport of Sriharikota, about 125 kmWorlds first commercial flying car opens
for sale. India will become the first country to script history if it succeeds in launching the 104
satellites in a single rocket.

New bird species found in Nepal

A new species of birds has been discovered in the high mountainous region of Nepal, bringing
the total number of avian species in the Himalayan country to 866.

A Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush (Monticola saxitilis), considered an autumn passage migrant bird
species in Pakistan and India, was first seen and photographed by an expedition last year near
the Shey monastery within the Shey-Phoksundo National Park.

L&T and MBDA Missile Systems Forms JV to Develop Missiles in India

Engineering conglomerate Larsen & Toubro Ltd has said it will form a joint venture (JV) with
Frances MBDA to develop and supply missiles and missile systems to the Indian armed forces.

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MBDA is jointly held by Airbus Group, BAE Systems and Leonardo and has expertise in
developing all kinds of missile systems.

PSLV-C37 carrying CARTOSAT-2 series earth observation satellite lifts off from
Sriharikota

Space agency ISRO has scripted history by successfully launching a record 104 satellites,
including Indias earth observation satellite, on a single rocket from the spaceport.

This is the highest number of satellites ever launched in a single mission. First Indian
genomics beacon launched in UK

Global Gene Corp and Global Alliance for Genomics and Health (GA4GH) has launched the
first-ever beacon for Indian genomics data, which is expected to help scientists develop more
effective drug delivery systems.

A beacon is an online web service that allows researchers to determine whether an institution
has particular genomic data in its data set.

IBM plans for emergency weather alerts without internet through Mobile app

IBM is developing an Android app Mesh Network Alerts Which offers a new technology that can
transmit notifications from phone to phone via Bluetooth and WiFi.

The app offers much more than just a mere weather update, in some places it could up saves
lives during emergencies.

ISRO successfully tests largest cryogenic engine for GSLV Mark III rocket

Indian Space Research Organisation or ISRO has successful tested the countrys largest
cryogenic engine for a full 10 minutes.

The engine will power its mammoth Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) Mark III
rocket capable of propelling a 4-ton class satellites into geo-synchronous orbit the altitude
where satellites revolve in sync with the Earths rotation.

7 new Earth-sized exoplanets discovered by NASA

Astronomers have found a nearby solar system with seven Earth-sized planets, three of which
circle their parent star at the right distance for liquid surface water, bolstering the prospect of
discovering extraterrestrial life. The star, known as TRAPPIST-1, is a small, dim celestial body in
the constellation Aquarius.

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Robotic spacecraft to reach Sun planned by NASA

NASA plans to send its first robotic spacecraft to the Sun next year that is slated to get within six
million kilometres of the blazing star to probe its atmosphere.

First, the mission will hopefully unveil why the surface of the Sun, called the photosphere, is not
as hot as its atmosphere, called the corona. According to NASA, the surface temperature of the
Sun is only about 5,500 degrees Celsius.

MARCH 2017

Artificial mouse embryo created from stem cells for First time

Scientists in Britain have for the first time created a structure that resembles a mouse embryo
using a 3D scaffold and two types of stem cells research which deepens understanding of the
earliest stages of mammalian development.

NASA proposes magnetic shield to protect Mars atmosphere

Scientists at NASA have proposed that launching a giant magnetic shield into space to protect
Mars from solar winds could give the Red Planet its atmosphere back and make it habitable for
humans.

Sickle-cell anaemia cured for 1st time by gene modification

A new gene therapy technique has been used to successfully reverse sickle cell disease for the
first time. Sickle-cell disease occurs when one of the proteins making up a type of haemoglobin
we use to carry oxygen through our body takes a slightly different form.

US Congress approves NASAs manned Mars mission in 2033

For the first time in more than 6 years, both chambers of Congress passed a bill that approves
funding for NASA and lays out new mandates for the space agency. The NASA Transition
Authorization Act of 2017 , which appropriates $19.508 billion to the agency, is a version of a
nearly identical bill that the Senate and House had previously collaborated on for months. The
space agency received $19.3 billion in 2016 less than half a percent of the total federal budget.

Indias first lunar probe Chandrayaan 1 still orbiting Moon: NASA

Indias first lunar probe the Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft which was considered lost, is still
orbiting the Moon, Nasa scientists have found by using a new ground-based radar technique.
Now, scientists at Nasas Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California have successfully located
the spacecraft still circling some 200 kilometres above the lunar surface.

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China developing manned submersible to reach deepest points

China is developing a manned submersible capable of reaching the deepest known points in the
worlds oceans in search of precious metals. The 11,000-metre deep-sea submersible is planned
to conduct its first ocean test in 2021, said Yan Kai, director of the state key laboratory of deep-
sea manned submersible under the China Ship Scientific Research Centre.

Scientists say potatoes can be grown on Mars

Potatoes can be grown even in the extreme environment of Mars, according to a new study that
has implications for future manned missions to the red planet as well as helping people survive
in harsh climates on Earth. The International Potato Centre (CIP) in Peru launched a series of
experiments to discover if potatoes can grow under Mars atmospheric conditions and thereby
prove they are also able to grow in extreme climates on Earth.

NASA shares view of new-found solar systems star TRAPPIST-1

Astronomers announced that the ultra-cool dwarf star, TRAPPIST-1, hosts a total of seven
Earth-size planets that are likely rocky, a discovery made by NASAs Spitzer Space Telescope in
combination with ground-based telescopes. NASAs planet-hunting Kepler space telescope also
has been observing this star since December 2016. These additional data about TRAPPIST-1
from Kepler are available to the scientific community.

India test-fires Brahmos missile

India has successfully tested an extended range BrahMos supersonic cruise missile whose reach
has been increased from 290 km to 400 km, from a test range along the Odisha coast. The cruise
missile was test fired from a mobile launcher from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at
Chandipur near Balasore. The missile is capable of carrying a warhead of 300 kg.

IBM Researchers Creates Worlds Smallest Magnet to Store Single Bit Data

Imagine one day being able to carry vast libraries of data, currently stored in rooms full of
servers, in your pocket. Thats the dream of a team of IBM scientists who have built the worlds
smallest ever magnet, which uses a single atom to store information.

Their proof of concept could one day lead to credit card-sized hard drives capable of holding the
entire 35 million song iTunes library.

5th satellite of Copernicus observation program launched by EU

Europe launched the fifth of its Sentinel Earth observation satellites as part of its multi-billion-
euro Copernicus program to provide speedy images of land, oceans and waterways.

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The Sentinel-2B satellite, part of a system of satellites that is to monitor Earth, blasted off on
board a Vega rocket from Europes spaceport in French Guiana.

BHELs first 800-MW supercritical plant becomes operational

Power equipment maker BHEL has commenced commercial operations of its first 800-MW
unit, a supercritical thermal plant. It also marks the companys foray as a developer into the field
of power generation. Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd (KPCL) and BHEL are the main equity
partners of RPCL, the owner and operator of this power plant.

ISRO commissions worlds 3rd largest hypersonic wind tunnel

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) created history by commissioning the worlds
third largest hypersonic wind tunnel at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in
Thiruvananthapuram. A wind tunnel is used to study the effects of air flowing past a solid
objectin ISROs case, space vehicles.

Astronomers create most detailed 3D map of Milky Way dust

The largest ever 3D map of space dust in the Milky Way has been created revealing the intricate
structure of our galaxy in all its vast complexity. Users can take a meander through interstellar
space by exploring the dust map or navigate to a specific galactic location. Harvard astronomers
built the map which covers three quarters of Earths sky using data collected from 800
million stars.

NASAs Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter completes 50,000th orbit

NASAs Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) has completed its 50,000th orbit this week,
continuing to compile the most sharp-eyed global coverage ever accomplished by a camera at
the red planet.

The orbiter continues diverse science observations of Mars and communications-relay service
for two active Mars rovers, Curiosity and Opportunity.

APRIL 2017

NASA spacewoman Peggy Whitson got 3 months extension in orbit

The worlds oldest and most experienced spacewoman is getting three extra months in orbit.
NASA announced that astronaut Peggy Whitson will remain on the International Space Station
until September.

Under an agreement between NASA and the Russian Space Agency, this mission her third will
now last close to 10 months. .

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Astronomers detect atmosphere around Earth-like planet GJ 1132b

Astronomers have for the first time detected an atmosphere around an Earth-like planet just 39
light years away, a significant step towards the detection of life beyond our solar system.

Scientists, including those from Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Germany, studied the
planet known as GJ 1132b, which is 1.4-times the size of our planet.

NASA reveals new insights on Ocean Worlds in Solar System

NASA announced that the icy moon of Saturn, Enceladus, holds a food source for potential
life.

Though Earth is thought of as having the most abundant water in our neighbourhood, recent
research has found that some moons could contain their own oceans, hidden beneath their icy
crusts. Enceladus holds the most water in our solar system.

March 2017 was the second hottest March ever recorded: NASA

Last month was the second warmest March in 137 years of modern record-keeping, according to
a monthly analysis of global temperatures by the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA).

China to launch first cargo spacecraft

Chinas first cargo spacecraft Tianzhou-1 is to be launched into space between April 20 and 24 to
dock with the orbiting experimental space station. The cargo spacecraft was transferred with a
Long March-7 Y2 carrier rocket from the testing centre to the launch zone in Wenchang,
southern Chinas Hainan Province.

ISRO, BHEL tie-up for lithium-ion batteries

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) which is finalising a memorandum of

understanding with BHEL to help develop low-cost lithium ion batteries for electric vehicles,
also envisages a buyback commitment for such batteries.

According to the MoU, BHEL will set up a production plant, while ISRO will provide support for
scale-up, joint effort in cost optimisation, research and development for alternate chemistry and
buyback commitment.

Microsoft announces new Azure migration tools

Microsoft has announced new Azure migration tools and resources to help organisations utilise
the power of the hybrid cloud.

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Hybrid cloud is a computing environment which uses a mix of on-premises, private cloud and
third-party public cloud services with orchestration between the two platforms.

Mongolia launches its first-ever satellite

Mongolia launched its first satellite part of its efforts to make use of new technology to diversify
its resource-dependent economy. The 1,227-megahertz satellite, called Mongol Sat-1, will help
landlocked Mongolia expand its television, telecoms and broadband services.

Scientists uncover how bacteria survive human immune system

Researchers have uncovered molecular details of how pathogenic bacteria fight back against the
human immune response to infection.

Scientists at the University of East Anglia (UEA) and Institut de Biologie Structurale (CEA-
CNRS-UGA, France) have identified the structure of NsrR, a bacterial protein that binds to DNA
and plays a key role in the bacteriums resistance to nitric oxide (NO), which is produced in the
initial immune response to infection.

NASA launches football stadium-sized Super Pressure Balloon

NASA successfully launched its football-stadium-sized, heavy-lift super pressure balloon (SPB)
from Wanaka, New Zealand, on a mission designed to run 100 or more days floating at 110,000
feet (33.5 km) about the globe in the southern hemispheres mid-latitude band.

NASA sends 1st man-made object between Saturn and its rings

NASAs Cassini spacecraft, launched in 1997, became the first man-made object to go beyond
Saturns innermost rings towards the planet. Cassini will perform 22 orbits between the 2,400-
km-gap, sampling ring particles while ending its mission on September 15, 2017.

Iceball Planet discovered through Microlensing

NASA has discovered a planet the same size as Earth, and the same distance from its star as our
planet is from the sun. This has prompted scientists to label the world nominally called
OGLE-2016-BLG-1195Lb the iceball planet.

Worlds oldest fungus discovered in South Africa

Scientists have discovered what may be the worlds oldest fungus in South African rocks dating
back 2.4 billion years. The fossils suggest that fungus may have evolved from under the deep sea
rather than land.

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Scientists create Artificial Womb

An artificial womb resembling a plastic bag has been used to keep premature lambs alive for
four weeks outside of their own mothers wombs and could one day be applied to premature
babies.

The sealed bag, made of polythene, contains amniotic fluid to provide all the nutrients and
protection needed for growth and an interface delivering oxygen just as an umbilical cord would,
and exchanging gases just like a placenta.

ISRO launches solar calculator app

ISRO has launched a Solar Calculator application, that allows for accurate calculation of the
benefit of installing solar panels at any location in the country.

The application allows for the calculation of solar energy potential, which is an important
preliminary step for selecting appropriate locations to set up solar photovoltaic thermal power
plants.

ISRO to improve Indias communication system by launching 5 satellites

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch five communication satellites by the
year-end. The satellites, proposed to be launched, are aimed at improving the communication
system within the country.

MAY 2017

SpaceX successfully launches secret payload for US military

SpaceX successfully launched and landed its Falcon 9 rocket in the fifth of 20 scheduled
launches in 2017. This was a landmark event for the company, as it was the first launch of a
military satellite in its 15-year history.

Dubai becomes worlds first city with its own Microsoft font

Dubai has become the first city in the world to get its own Microsoft font. Sheikh Hamdan bin
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubais Crown Prince and Chairman of the Executive
Council, launched the Dubai Font.

Scientists eliminate HIV infection in humanised mice

US researchers have successfully removed HIV DNA from the genomes of living animals using a
gene-editing tool, boosting the confidence of scientists to eliminate the AIDS virus infection in
humans.

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GSLV Successfully Launches South Asia Satellite

Indias Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-F09) successfully launched the 2230 kg
South |Asia Satellite (GSAT-9) into its planned Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) on May
05, 2017.

UK scientists develop first-ever soft tissue retina

A synthetic, soft tissue retina developed by an Oxford University student could offer fresh hope
to visually impaired people. The new research, by Vanessa Restrepo-Schild, a 24 year old PhD
student and researcher at the Oxford University, Department of Chemistry, is the first to
successfully use biological, synthetic tissues, developed in a laboratory environment.

UKs latest nuclear fusion reactor generates its 1st plasma

The United Kingdom switched on its newest fusion reactor. The reactor, created by Tokamak
Energy, should heat plasma to 100 million degrees Celsius (or 180 million degrees Fahrenheit)
by 2018. The UKs newest fusion reactor has been turned on for the first time and has officially
achieved first plasma.

Worlds biggest X-ray laser generates first laser light

The worlds biggest X-ray laser has generated its first beam of light that will allow scientists to
get a glimpse of new materials, drugs and chemical reactions at the atomic level.

The 3.4-kilometre-long European XFEL, most of which is located in underground tunnels in

Germany, will usher a new era of European research, according to scientists.

ISRO develops solar hybrid car using in-house resources

The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) recently demonstrated a solar hybrid electric
car, designed and developed using in-house resources, at Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC)
in Thiruvanathanapuram.

ISRO made an announcement about this environment-friendly car. VSSC is Isros centre for
making various types of rockets like the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle and the Reusable Launch
Vehicle.

India test-fires Spyder surface-to-air missile from Odisha test range

India has test fired a surface-to-air missile Spyder from a test range in Odisha as part of missile
launch practice of a series of tests of the short-range quick reaction.

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Spyder (Surface-to-air PYthon and DERby) is an acquired missile system from Israel which is a
short-range, quick reaction surface-to-air missile to neutralise enemy targets up to a distance of
15 km and at heights between 20-and-9,000 metres, the official added.

Natco launches blood cancer drug pomalidomide in India

Natco Pharma has said it has launched a generic version of pomalidomide capsules, used in
treatment of a type of blood cancer, in India.

Pomalidomide is a thalidomide analogue indicated, in combination with dexamethasone, for

patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least two prior therapies including
lenalidomide and a proteasome inhibitor and have demonstrated disease progression on or
within 60 days of completion of the last therapy.

Scientists develop bone tissues for safer marrow transplants

Scientists, led by an Indian-origin researcher, have developed artificial bone tissues that could
provide new bone marrow for patients needing transplants and make the procedure much safer.

Researchers led by professor Shyni Varghese from the University of California, San Diego in the
US developed bone tissues with functional bone marrow that can be filled with donor cells and
implanted under the skin of mice.

Scientists observe waves of lava on Jupiters moon Io

Astronomers have tracked two huge lava waves rolling around a volcanic crater the size of Wales
on one of Jupiters many moons. Geological forces unleashed the waves on Io, the fourth largest
Jovian moon, where the most powerful active volcano in the solar system has produced a 8,301
square mile dent in the surface.

JUNE 2017

NASA orbiter discovers frost on Moon

Scientists using data from NASAs lunar orbiter have identified bright areas in craters near the
Moons south pole that are cold enough to have frost present on the surface. The new evidence
comes from an analysis that combined surface temperatures with information about how much
light is reflected off the Moons surface

NASA names solar mission after UChicago physicist

NASA has named the first mission to fly a spacecraft directly into the suns atmosphere in honor
of Prof. Eugene Parker, a pioneering physicist at the University of Chicago. Parker, the S.
Chandrasekhar Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus in Physics, is best known for

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developing the concept of solar windthe stream of electrically charged particles emitted by the
sun.

SpaceX successfully launches recycled spaceship for 1st time

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket recovered at sea from its maiden flight last year blasted off again from
Florida in the first successful launch of a recycled orbital-class booster, then capped the feat
with another return landing on an ocean platform.

The unprecedented twin achievements of re-launching a used rocket and salvaging the vehicle
yet again were hailed by billionaire SpaceX founder Elon Musk as a revolutionary step in his
quest to slash launch costs and shorten intervals between space shots.

China successfully tests solid-fuel variable ramjet engine

China has successfully tested a solid-fuel variable flow ramjet engine which could enhance the
real combat ability of the countrys stealth aircraft and boost firing range of missiles. A team
from No. 4 research institute affiliated with the China Aerospace Science and Technology
Corporation (CASC) disclosed on May 31 that it has successfully conducted two flight tests with
the ramjet engine.

ISRO successfully launches Indias heaviest rocket GSLV MK3

The GSLV MKIII-D1 rocket will carry the GSAT-19 communication satellite into the
Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota.

Termed as a monster rocket, it weighs 640 tonnes, equal to the weight of 200 Asian elephants. It
is also the countrys shortest rocket with a height of 43 metre, roughly as high as a 13-storey
building.

Indian American Raja Chari among 12 new astronauts chosen by NASA

U.S. Space Agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), has chosen 12
new astronauts, including an Indian-American, from a record number of over 18,000
applicants, who will be trained for missions into Earth orbit and to deep space.

Lt Col Raja Grinder Chari, 39, is a commander of the 461st Flight Test Squadron and the
director of the F-35 Integrated Test Force at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

TCS, Intel join hands to tap businesses in IoT, Cloud, AI

Indias largest IT services company Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) will collaborate with
chipmaker Intel to design a reference architecture that could be used for rolling out Internet of
things (IoT), cloud, 5G and AI by its customers.

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The partnership will also see both companies jointly investing in Centres of Excellences (CoEs)
across India and the US to provide industry specific solutions for optimising cost and improving
productivity.

China launches 1st X-ray space telescope to study black holes

China successfully launched has its first X-ray space telescope to study black holes, pulsars and
gamma-ray bursts. The Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope (HXMT), named Insight, will allow
Chinese scientists to observe magnetic fields and the interiors of pulsars and better understand
the evolution of black holes.

China plans to send mini-ecosystems to the Moon

In a first, China is planning to send mini-ecosystems containing potato seeds and silkworm
eggs to the Moon next year, in an attempt to study how the organisms develop on the lunar
surface. The 3-kilogramme mini-ecosystem, developed by research teams led by Chongqing
University in China, will be sent to the Moon by the Change 4 scheduled to be launched in 2018,
authorities announced at the Global Space Exploration Conference.

China sends farthest unhackable signal from space to Earth

In a major breakthrough for quantum teleportation, scientists in China have successfully

transmitted entangled photons farther than ever before, achieving a distance of more than 1,200
km (745 miles) between suborbital space and Earth.

ISRO to launch Cartosat-2 along with 30 smaller satellites

The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) is gearing up to launch its Cartosat- 2 series
satellite for earth observation along with 30 co-passenger satellites.

The satellites will be carried by Isros work horse Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), in its
40th flight (PSLV-C38). The rocket is scheduled to take off from Sriharikota space port.

China unveils Worlds First Train that runs on Virtual Tracks

China has added another piece of public transport innovation to its growing list of achievements
in the area. It may not look as cool as its crazy car straddling bus, but China has unveiled what
is purported to be the worlds first train that operates on a virtual track using sensor technology
instead of metal rails.

PSLV-C38 Successfully Launches 31 Satellites in a Single Flight

ISROs Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV-C38 successfully launched the 712 kg Cartosat-2
Series Satellite along with 30 co-passenger satellites from Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR,
Sriharikota.

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All the 31 satellites successfully separated from the PSLV in a predetermined sequence
beginning with Cartosat-2 series satellite, followed by NIUSAT and 29 customer satellites. The
total number of Indian satellites launched by PSLV now stands at 48.

ISRO-made chips to alert people at unmanned rail crossings

Satellite-based chip systems will now alert road users at unmanned level crossings about
approaching trains and also help in tracking train movement on a real-time basis. Road users
will be warned by hooters once a train approaches an unmanned level crossing as railways are
installing ISRO-developed integrated circuit (IC) chips on locomotives of trains.

PSLV-C38 Successfully Launches 31 Satellites in a Single Flight

ISROs Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV-C38 successfully launched the 712 kg Cartosat-2
Series Satellite along with 30 co-passenger satellites from Satish Dhawan Space Centre
SHAR, Sriharikota.

This is the thirty ninth consecutively successful mission of PSLV. All the 31 satellites successfully
separated from the PSLV in a predetermined sequence beginning with Cartosat-2 series satellite,
followed by NIUSAT and 29 customer satellites.

Scientists create brightest light ever produced on Earth

Scientists have created the brightest light ever produced on the Earth, shining a billion times
stronger than the surface of the sun. The researchers discovered that it could be used as a new
type of X-ray, capable of taking higher resolution images than the traditional kind. These could
be used in hospitals but also by engineers, scientists and for security purposes.

China launches its biggest new generation naval destroyer

Chinas military has launched its biggest new generation destroyer weighing 10,000 tonnes as
part of a massive expansion to become a global naval power. The Navys new destroyer, a
domestically designed and produced vessel, was launched at the Jiangnan Shipyard (Group),
Shanghai.

Russian navy test-fires submarine-launched missile

The Russian military has successfully test-fired a submarine-launched Inter- continental

Ballistic Missile (IBM). The Yuri Dolgoruky is the first in a series of Borei-class submarines
carrying the Bulava.

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