Connect to Current -Daily Current Capsules 01st February 2019

Science and Technology/Space GSAT 31

Relevance IN – Prelims(about GSAT 31 and ISRO projects) + Mains GSIII

awareness in the field of space

What’s the NEWS

ISRO Set To Launch GSAT-31 From French Guiana On 6 February

Replacing The Ageing INSAT-4CR

Know! more about the launch

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has planned to launch

the GSAT-31 communication satellite from the French Guiana on 6

February

GSAT-31 is a high-throughput communication satellite planned for

launch from Arianespace, French Guiana on 6 February and GSAT-31

will replace the fading INSAT-4CR and will be used for high-speed

internet, telecommunication services and broadcasting.

The space agency plans to operationalise the PSLV- C45 in March. which

will, in turn, launch the advanced electronic intelligence satellite

EMISAT.

After EMISAT, ISRO will launch the earth observation satellite Cartosat-

3 in the PSLV-C46 mission, followed by the radar imaging satellite

RISAT 2BR 1 in the PSLV-C47 for reconnaissance and strategic

surveillance.

The 2,600 KG-satellite GSAT-31 will be launched in the

Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-MK III), which is also

stated to thrust the second moon mission Chandrayaan-2 in April.

Chandrayaan - 2

Chandrayaan-2 would be a complete indigenous project and includes an

Orbiter, Lander and Rover.

For the mission to the moon, the spacecraft weighing 3,980 KG would be

launched using the GSLV-MK III, which would orbit the moon, studying

its conditions while collecting data of the moons surface, minerals and

exosphere.

The spacecraft, after touching the 100-km lunar orbit, will detach the

lander, know as “Vikram” which will slowly descent to make a soft

landing at a selected spot on the moon.

The lander will, then, deploy a six-wheeled rover. The instruments in the

rover will then observe and study the surface of the moon.

ISRO opens human space flight centre in Bengaluru

Relevance IN – Prelims(about Gaganyaan and ISRO projects) + Mains GSIII

awareness in the field of space

What’s the NEWS

The ISRO aims to send humans to space by December 2021 through its

Gaganyaan mission.

Know! more about the Human space mission

The state-run Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has unveiled a

Human Space Flight Centre at the ISRO headquarters in Bengaluru

The Centre is dedicated to developing critical technologies for human

space missions.

The ISRO aims to send humans to space by December 2021 through its

Gaganyaan mission.

A full-scale Gaganyaan crew module model was also unveiled at the

Centre

R. Hutton, who was the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) Director,

will be heading the Gaganyaan project.

The Centre will be responsible for end-to-end mission planning,

development of engineering systems for crew survival in space, crew

selection and training and also pursue activities for sustained human

space flight missions

It will take the support of existing ISRO centres to implement the first

development flight of Gaganyaan

The Rs 10,000-crore mission will involve Indian astronauts taken into

space to a height of 350-400 km above the Earth and orbit around the

planet for at least a week.

The space agency plans to hold its first unmanned mission by December

2020 and the second unmanned flight before July 2021 before it can put

humans in space.

India's attempt to reach space by 2022 is about six decades after Russian

cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to take a journey into

outer space and orbit the earth in 1961.

The US, Russia and China are the only three nations to have launched

human space flights.

Economic Development Budget 2019: All you need to know about the interim budget

Relevance IN – Prelims (about budget and economic survey facts)

This time Economic Survey 2019 will not be tabled on the first day of the

budget session of the Parliament.

The document is framed by the economic division of the department

of economic affairs under the ministry of finance.

The Economic Survey reviews the overall state of the economy in the one

year and is prepared under the guidance of the Chief Economic Adviser

and presented by the union finance ministry.

However, this time Economic Survey 2019 will not be tabled on the first

day of the budget session of the Parliament as government is presenting

an interim budget.

The survey is not published in the election year as the task of framing the

document is given to the government that will take power post the

elections.

The document is framed by the economic division of the department of

economic affairs under the ministry of finance and gives a detailed

picture of the various sectors of the economy and an overall economic

scenario of the country over the years.The document helps in providing

an outline for the year ahead.

The government's sixth and final Budget, which will be an interim one,

keeping up with established tradition.

The Budget will seek Parliament's nod for spending for four months

till a new government is sworn-in. The Budget documents will contain

revenue and expenditure projections for the entire 2019-20 fiscal year

beginning April 1, but a 'Vote on Account' will seek Parliament nod for

the expenditure side.

Index of Eight Core Industries

What’s the NEWS

The Eight Core Industries comprise 40.27 per cent of the weight of items

included in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP).

The combined Index of Eight Core Industries stood at 132.1 in

December, 2018, which was 2.6 percent higher as compared to the index

of December, 2017.

1. Coal production (weight: 10.33per cent)increased by 0.9 per cent

2. Crude Oil production (weight: 8.98per cent) declined by 4.3 per cent

3. The Natural Gas production (weight: 6.88per cent) increased by 4.2per

cent

4. Petroleum Refinery production (weight: 28.04per cent) declined by 4.8

per cent

5. Fertilizers production (weight: 2.63 per cent) declined by 2.4 per cent

Steel

6. Steel production (weight: 17.92per cent) increased by 13.2 per cent

7. Cement production (weight: 5.37per cent) increased by 11.6per cent

8. Electricity generation (weight: 19.85per cent) increased by4.0per centin

Defence DAC approval for Indigenous construction of Six Project 75(I)

submarines under strategic partnership model

Relevance IN – Prelims( about DAC and strategic partnership model) +Mains

GS III security challenges/defence

What’s the NEWS

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), in a landmark decision

approved indigenous construction of six submarines for the Indian

Navy at a cost of over Rs. 40,000 crores.

This is the second project under the MoD’s ambitious Strategic

Partnership (SP) model that aims at providing a significant fillip to the

Government’s ‘Make in India’ programme.

Strategic partnership model

SP model envisages indigenous manufacturing of major defence

platforms by an Indian Strategic Partner, who will collaborate with

foreign OEM to set up production facilities in the country.

The model has a long term vision of promoting India as a manufacturing

hub for defence equipment through transfer of niche technologies and

higher Indigenous Content thereby enhancing self-sufficiency for meeting

the future requirements of the Armed Forces.

DAC approval would be second such project following indigenous

production of 111 Naval Utility Helicopters that was approved in August

2018.

Construction of six submarines under Project 75(I) will provide a major

boost to the existing submarine design and manufacturing eco-system in

India through transfer of design and equipment technology as well as

necessary skill sets.

The DAC also approved the acquisition of approximately 5000 Milan

Anti Tank Guided Missiles for the Army.

Environment Conservation A unique travelogue series ‘Rag Rag Mein Ganga’ launched on

Doordarshan

Relevance IN – Prelims ( about the unique series)

What’s the NEWS

The travelogue series “Rag Rag Mein Ganga” has been made by

Doordarshan in collaboration with National Mission for Clean Ganga

(NMCG).

The 21 episode series, covering River Ganga’s journey from Gomukh to

Gangasagar, has been shot using state-of-the-art techniques including

Drone Cameras and Go-Pro Cameras in HD Format.

The show relays the message of the need of rejuvenating River Ganga

while also informing about the efforts of the Government to clean Ganga

– presented in a unique and interesting format.

The quiz show ‘Meri Ganga’ has also been made by DD in collaboration

with NMCG.

Energy Sector

PETROTECH-2019

The 13th International Oil & Gas Conference & Exhibition, to be

organised from 10th to 12th February, 2019

Relevance IN – Prelims(about the conference) + Mains ( GS III

infrastructure -energy/energy security)

What’s the NEWS

PETROTECH-2019, the 13th International Oil & Gas Conference &

Exhibition, being organised under the aegis of the Ministry of

Petroleum & Natural Gas, Government of India, is all set to be

inaugurated on February 10, 2019.

Know! more about the conference

India’s flagship hydrocarbon international conference is expected to be

inaugurated by Prime Minister of India.

Over 95 Energy Ministers from partner countries have been invited by the

Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas to participate in the Conference.

The three-day mega event will showcase the recent market and investor

friendly developments that have taken place in the India’s oil and gas

sector.

It is expected to see participation of over 86 eminent speakers and 7000

delegates from around 70 countries, including technologists, scientists,

planners, policy-makers, management experts, entrepreneurs, service-

providers and vendors.

The PETROTECH 2019 exhibition will focus on development in

technologies for exploration & production, process control, refining and

pipeline and services, systems, products, oil field hardware, software,

analytical instruments, Renewable, R&D, HSE, training and publications

of technical literature

Prelims practise question

Consider the following statement

1. GSAT-31 is a high-throughput communication satellite planned for

launch and it will replace the fading INSAT-4CR and will be used for

high-speed internet, telecommunication services and broadcasting

2. The 13th International Oil & Gas Conference & Exhibition,

PETROTECH-2019, being organised under the aegis of the Ministry of

Petroleum & Natural Gas, Government of India

3. The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has approved first ever

indigenous construction of six submarines for the Indian Navy under the

ambitious Strategic Partnership (SP) model

Find the correct statement from the option given below

a. 1 and 2

b. 2 only

c. 3 only

d. 1 ,2 and 3

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