SQUARE KILOMETRE ARRAY OBSERVATORY (SKAO) PROJECT | Current Affairs | Vision IAS
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Posted 15 Feb 2024

Updated 22 Mar 2024

26 min read

SQUARE KILOMETRE ARRAY OBSERVATORY (SKAO) PROJECT

  • Union Cabinet approves Rs 1,250 cr for India's participation in Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO) Project.
  • SKAO is an intergovernmental organisation dedicated to radio astronomy, headquartered in United Kingdom.
    • SKAO will consist of one global observatory, operating two telescopes, across three sites.
      • Two SKA telescopes will be at radio-quiet sites in South Africa and Australia. 
      • They will operate as one large unit.
    • They are expected to be operational by 2029. 

 

  • Objectives of SKAO: 
    • Understand about the birth of Universe. 
    • Detect Gravitational Waves. 
      • A gravitational wave is an invisible ripple in space.
    • Understand the evolution of Galaxies, Dark matter and Cosmic Magnetism.

 

  • India joined SKAO in 2012 as an Associate Member and has actively participated in the pre-construction phase of the SKA telescopes.
    • In 2022, the National Centre for Radio Astronomy, Pune and SKAO signed cooperation agreement. 
    • Giant Metre wave Radio Telescope (GMRT) is playing role in SKAO. 

 

  • Significance for India: Will allow Indian astronomers direct access to the best radio astronomy facility in the world in the future.
    • Also, it will drive growth of technologies several key areas, ranging from antennas and electronics to data and software, including areas like artificial intelligence.
  • Tags :
  • intergovernmental organisation
  • SKAO
  • GMRT

OSIRIS-APEX

  • OSIRIS REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification and Security-Regolith Explorer) is embarking on a new mission as OSIRIS-APEX (Apophis Explorer)
  • Recently, OSIRIS REx delivered a sample from asteroid Bennu

 

  • OSIRIS-APEX 
    • It will study Apophis when it will be closest to Planet Earth i.e. 20000 miles.
      • Apophis is an S-type asteroid made of silicate materials and nickel-iron.
    • The mission aims to observe the physical changes in asteroid Apophis induced by Earth’s gravitational pull.
    • Space Agency: NASA
  • Tags :
  • NASA
  • Bennu
  • OSIRIS-REx

PEREGRINE MISSION 1 (PEREGRINE LUNAR LANDER)

  • NASA launched Peregrine Lunar Lander to explore Moon’s Bay of Stickiness.
  • Mission is part of Nasa's Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative, which partners with commercial entities to deliver payloads to Moon.
  • Scientific goals of mission include:
    • To analyze lunar exosphere.
    • Assess thermal properties and hydrogen content of lunar regolith.
    • Study magnetic fields etc.
  • Bay of Stickiness (also known as Sinus Viscositatis region), an area on moon, lies adjacent to Gruitheisen Domes near Oceanus Procellarum, or Ocean of Storms.
  • Tags :
  • NASA
  • Lunar lander
  • Moon

SMART LANDER FOR INVESTIGATING MOON (SLIM)

  • Japanese spacecraft SLIM landed on the moon, making Japan the fifth country to reach the lunar surface. 
    • The other four countries are India, United States, Russia, and China.

 

  • About SLIM 
    • It successfully demonstrated pinpoint technology for landing.
      • This technology enables landing within 100 m of a target. 
      • Because of achieving this feat, it is also referred as Moon Sniper
    • Objective: Acceleration of the study of the Moon and planets using lighter exploration systems. 
    • Agency: Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
  • Tags :
  • JAXA
  • Lunar lander
  • Moon

GSAT-20

  • India to use SpaceX Falcon-9 Rocket to Launch Communications Satellite GSAT-20 in 2024
  • For the first time, NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) will launch a communication satellite on a SpaceX rocket. 

 

  • About GSAT -20 (Renamed as GSAT-N2) 
    • GSAT-20 is a high- throughput Ka-band Satellite which will be fully owned, operated and funded by NSIL.
    • The satellite, weighing 4700 kg, has been specifically designed to meet the demanding service needs of remote and unconnected regions.
      • It is much heavier than launch capacity of ISRO’s most powerful rocket; LVM-3 (which can launch spacecraft weighing up to 4000 kg into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit).
    • GSAT-20 will be the second “demand driven” satellite launch enabled by NSIL.
      • Previously, NSIL successfully undertook its 1st Demand-driven satellite mission, GSAT-24, with TataPlay purchasing its capacity for Direct-To-Home broadcasting.

 

  • According to India's 2020 space sector reforms, NSIL is required to build, launch, own, and operate satellites in a "Demand-driven mode."
    • In the "Demand-driven" mode, when a satellite is launched, it is known in advance who the end customers will be. 
    • Previously, the mode was more "supply-driven," where capacity was leased after the satellite launch.

 

NewSpace India Limited (NSIL)

  • NSIL (incorporated in March 2019) is commercial arm of ISRO.
  • It is a Central Public Sector Enterprise under the Department of Space.
  • Presently, NSIL owns and operates 11 communication satellites in orbit.
  • Tags :
  • New Space India Limited (NSIL)
  • GSAT-N2

FEAST (FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF STRUCTURES)

  • Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), ISRO developed FEAST, a Finite Element Analysis (FEA) software. 
    • FEA is a computerized method for predicting how a product reacts to real-world forces.
  • FEAST will be used to perform FEA of various types of structures including rockets, aircraft, satellites, buildings, etc.
    • So far, users have mostly depended on expensive software versions from foreign firms for this function.
  • VSSC, Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala), is the lead centre of ISRO responsible for the design and development of launch vehicle technology.
  • Tags :
  • ISRO

KILONOVA EXPLOSION

  • A team of researchers have developed a method to model the kilonova explosion.

 

  • About Kilonova Explosion: 
    • A kilonova is a bright blast of electromagnetic radiation that happens when two neutron stars or a neutron star and a stellar-mass black hole collide and merge.
    • A neutron star is formed when a star having a mass more than 1.44 times that of the Sun (as per Chandrasekhar limit) blows off its gaseous envelope in a supernova explosion. 
      • They are among the densest objects in the cosmos.
  • Tags :
  • Space
  • Neutron Star

CHAMELEON TROJAN

  • Cyber security researchers have issued a warning about this new malware.
  • Chameleon Trojan attaches itself to legitimate Android apps to avoid detection and runs code in the background.
    • It uses 'Accessibility service' on Android devices to disable biometric authentication methods like fingerprint and face unlock to steal the phone’s PIN.
    • It uses stolen PIN to unlock the device and steal more sensitive information like credit card passwords, login credentials, etc.
  • Tags :
  • Cyber Security
  • Malware

DIRECT-TO-CELL

  • SpaceX, an American company, launched the first batch of Starlink satellites with “Direct-to-Cell” capabilities.
  • Direct-to-Cell satellites have an advanced eNodeB modem onboard that acts like a cellphone tower in space.
    • Current communication system is based on the land based tower for transferring signals.
  • It allows Starlink to deliver direct satellite broadband connectivity on smartphones anywhere on Earth. 
  • It will also connect Internet of Things (IoT) devices with common LTE (Long-Term Evolution) standards.
    • IoT refers to a network of physical devices embedded with sensors, software and network connectivity that allows them to collect and share data.
  • Tags :
  • SpaceX
  • Starlink

REVISED PHARMA MANUFACTURING RULES

  • Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) notified revised pharma manufacturing rules. 
  • Rules will ensure good manufacturing practices  (GMP) and requirements of premises, plant, and equipment for pharmaceutical products.
    • Revised rules are notified under Schedule M of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945 and will be called Drugs (Amendment) Rules, 2023.
    • Schedule M prescribes GMP for pharmaceutical products and includes requirements of facilities and their maintenance, personnel, manufacture, control and safety testing, storage and transport of material, written procedures and records, traceability, etc.

 

  • Key highlights of the revised rules
    • Include new categories of drugs: pharmaceutical products containing hazardous substances such as sex hormones, steroids, cytotoxic substances; biological products; radiopharmaceuticals; phytopharmaceuticals; and investigational pharmaceutical products for clinical trials for humans.
    • Implementation: 6 and 12 months for large manufacturers (over Rs 250 crore turnover) and MSMEs (less than Rs 250 crore turnover) respectively.
    • Provision for informing the licensing authority about drug recall (presently no such mechanism for informing).
    • Other changes introduced: A pharmaceutical quality system, quality risk management, a computerised storage system for all drug products etc.

 

About GMP

  • GMP ensures that products are consistently produced and controlled according to set quality standards.
  • WHO has established detailed guidelines for GMP.
  • In India, GMP system was first incorporated in 1988 in Schedule M of Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, and were revised in 2018, bringing them on par with WHO standards.
  • Tags :
  • Pharmaceutical Sector
  • Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW)
  • Good Manufacturing Practices

HAVISURE: INDIGENOUSLY DEVELOPED HEPATITIS A VACCINE

  • Havisure-India’s first indigenously developed Hepatitis A vaccine launched. 
  • Havisure was developed by Indian Immunologicals Ltd (IIL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of National Dairy Development Board (NDDB).
  • Havisure is a two-dose vaccine wherein first dose is administered at above 12 months of age and second dose is given at least after 6 months of the first dose
    • It is also recommended for individuals who are at risk of exposure or travel to the regions with high hepatitis A prevalence.
  • Hepatitis is an inflammation of liver that is caused by a variety of infectious viruses and non-infectious agents.
    • There are five main strains of hepatitis virus i.e. A, B, C, D and E.

 

  • Initiatives taken to prevent Hepatitis
    • National Viral Hepatitis Control Program 2019 to eliminate Hepatitis C in India by 2030.
    • Mission Indradhanush 2014 provides vaccination against Hepatitis B along with 7 other infections.
    • World Hepatitis Day (28 July every year).
  • Tags :
  • Hepatitis
  • Virus

‘SMART 2.0’ FOR AYURVEDA TEACHING PROFESSIONALS

  • Two prominent institutions under Ministry of Ayush namely National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) and Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) have launched 'SMART 2.0'.
  • SMART 2.0 (Scope for Mainstreaming Ayurveda Research in Teaching Professionals) Program
    • It aimed to promote robust clinical studies in priority areas of Ayurveda with Ayurveda academic institutions/ hospitals across the country through mutual collaboration. 
  • Earlier launched SMART 1.0 aimed to boost scientific research in priority healthcare research areas through Ayurveda colleges and hospitals. 
  • Tags :
  • Ayurveda
  • Ministry of AYUSH

WHO’S INTERNATIONAL CLASSIFICATION OF DISEASES 11 (ICD-11)

  • WHO’s International Classification of Diseases 11 (ICD-11) now introduced Module 2 (ICD 11 TM 2). 
  • Module 2 of the supplementary chapter on traditional medicine conditions under ICD 11 is dedicated to Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani (ASU) data and terminology. 
    • It encompasses more than 500 codes. Infectious diseases like Malaria and lifestyle diseases like chronic insomnia are also included. 
  • ICD is the international standard for systematic recording, reporting, analysis, interpretation, and comparison of mortality and morbidity data.
    • It also includes a dedicated chapter on traditional medicine. 
    • Previously, ICD-11 included Module-1 which covers traditional medicine conditions originating in ancient China, which is now commonly used in Japan, Korea etc.
    •  ICD-11 came into effect in January 2022.

 

  • Significance of ICD-11
    • Provides a list of diagnostics categories to collect and report on traditional medicine conditions in an internationally comparable manner.
    • Link traditional medicine practices with global conventional medicine’s norms and standard development.
    •  Enable integration of traditional medicine into insurance coverage and reimbursement systems, in line with WHO objectives relating to universal health coverage.
  • Tags :
  • World Health Organization (WHO)
  • Traditional Medicine
  • ICD-11

WHO REPORT ON PREVALENCE OF TOBACCO USE

  • World Health Organization (WHO) Global report on Trends in prevalence of Tobacco use 2000–2030 released.
  • India is world's second biggest tobacco producer after China.
    • Globally, there are 1.25 billion adult tobacco users.
    • Nearly 267 million adults (15 years and above) in India are users of tobacco.
    • Major tobacco producing states: Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal, Telangana, and Bihar.
    • Tobacco is a drought-tolerant, hardy and short-duration crop which can be grown on soils where other crops cannot be cultivated profitably.

 

  • Key findings of report
    • Decline in tobacco use with about 1 in 5 adults worldwide consuming tobacco in 2022 compared to 1 in 3 in 2000.
    • At least 37 million adolescents aged 13–15 years are current users of some form of tobacco – 25 million boys and 12 million girls.

 

  • Impact of Tobacco use
    • Kills more than 8 million people each year due to risk of heart disease, lung disorders, cancer etc., including an estimated 1.3 million non-smokers who are exposed to second-hand smoke.
    • As per WHO, smoking costs world's economies more than US$ 1 trillion annually in healthcare expenditure and lost productivity.
    • Deforestation due to its cultivation.
  • India’s initiatives to control Tobacco use: National Tobacco Control Programme, Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019, Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act 2003, National Tobacco Quit Line Services etc.

 

Global Initiatives to control tobacco use

  • WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) adopted in 2003. 
    • India ratified it in 2004.
  • MPOWER measures introduced by WHO.
  • Tags :
  • World Health Organization (WHO)
  • Tobacco
  • MPOWER

DISEASE X

  • World Economic Forum is set to begin session on novel ‘Disease X’.

 

  • About ‘Disease X’
    • It is a theoretical term and "X" refers to "unexpected”. 
    • WHO introduced Disease X in 2018 to represent an unknown pathogen that could cause a serious international epidemic. 
    • WHO has placed Disease X alongside other high-priority diseases such as Ebola and Zika virus in its awareness campaigns.
  • Tags :
  • World Economic Forum (WEF)

BIO-IMAGING BANK (BIB)

  • Mumbai’s Tata Memorial Hospital (TMH), has established a ‘Bio-Imaging Bank’ for cancer. 
    • Through it, the hospital is utilizing deep learning and artificial intelligence (AI) to craft a cancer-specific tailored algorithm that aids in early-stage cancer detection
  • BIB aims at creating a robust repository encompassing radiology and pathology images
    • It will be linked with clinical information, treatment specifics date etc. 
    • This will be also used for training, validation, and rigorous testing of AI algorithms for early detection of cancer.
  • Tags :
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI)
  • Cancer
  • Deep Learning

NEW TREATMENT REGIMEN FOR LEPROSY

  • Ministry of Health and Family Welfare announced new treatment regimen for Leprosy.

 

  • About Leprosy (Hansen’s disease)
    • Cause: It is a chronic infectious disease which is caused by a type of bacteria called Mycobacterium leprae.
    • Affects: Skin, peripheral nerves, mucosa of upper respiratory tract, and eyes.
    • Transmission mode: Droplets, from the nose and mouth, due to close contact with untreated cases.
    • Treatment: Curable with multidrug therapy.
    • Classification: into two types for treatment purposes,
      • Pauci-Bacillary (PB) cases have fewer bacteria visible and show no signs of advanced disease in biopsies.
      • Multibacillary (MB) patients have visible bacteria and may show signs of more advanced disease in biopsies

 

  • About new treatment regimen announced
    • Ministry has decided to introduce a three-drug regimen for Pauci-Bacillary (PB) cases of leprosy in place of a two-drug regimen for six months.
    • Multi-drug therapy (MDT), as recommended by WHO, consists of three drugs - dapsone, rifampicin and clofazimine.

 

  • Recent Steps Taken
    • National Strategic Plan (NSP) & Roadmap for Leprosy (2023-27) to achieve zero transmission of leprosy by 2027.
    • National Leprosy Eradication Programme a centrally sponsored scheme under National Health Mission.
      • Nikusth 2.0 Portal, an integrated portal for leprosy case management.

 

Status of leprosy in India

  • India has achieved elimination of leprosy as a public health problem as per WHO criteria of less than 1 case per 10,000 population at National level in 2005.
  • Prevalence Rate at national level has decreased to 0.45 per 10,000 population in 2021-22 as compared to 0.69 per 10,000 population in 2014-15.
  • Tags :
  • Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW)
  • Leprosy
  • Hansen's disease

BUBBLE BABY SYNDROME (BBS)

  • A two-month old girl, diagnosed with BBS, became the youngest to receive bone marrow transplant from a voluntary donor. 
  • BBS, also known medically as Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID), is a rare genetic disorder affecting the immune system.
    • A baby with SCID completely lacks a functional immune system and is extremely vulnerable to severe and life-threatening infections.
    • Babies born with SCID lack white blood cells, including lymphocytes (T-cells and B-cells), which fight infections.
    • Most common treatment is a stem cell transplant (bone marrow transplant).
  • Tags :
  • Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID)
  • Genetic Disorder

STEEL SLAG ROAD TECHNOLOGY (SSRT)

  • JSW Steel has constructed 1 km long four lane steel slag road section on NH-66 (Mumbai-Goa).
    • Earlier, Border Roads Organization has also constructed a steel slag road in Arunachal Pradesh.
  • This project falls under the initiative of the Waste to Wealth and Clean India Campaign

 

  • Steel Slag Road Technology
    • The slag is generated from a steel furnace burning in the form of molten flux material as an impurity.
    • Steel slag is a non-metallic, glassy material consisting of calcium, magnesium, manganese, and aluminium silicates and oxides in various combinations.
    • During the road construction, steel slag is processed to remove impurities and metal content
    • These processed steel slag aggregates exhibit superior mechanical properties compared to natural aggregates. 
    • The road includes bituminous and cement concrete steel slag sections on both the right-hand and left-hand carriageways. 

 

  • Benefits
    • Cost Efficiency: Steel slag roads offer approximately 30% cost savings compared to traditional road construction.
    • Durability: Steel slag's robust properties ensure roads built with it surpass the lifespan of conventional roads.
    • Abundant Availability: India, as the world's second-largest steel producer, has abundant access to steel slag, facilitating widespread use in infrastructure projects.
    • Environmental Friendliness: The innovative process significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to a greener approach in road construction.
    • SDG 9 Contribution: Embracing steel slag roads contributes to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 9, promoting resilient infrastructure and sustainable industrialization.
    • Temperature Resilience: With a melting point over 200 degrees Celsius, steel slag is resistant to temperature variations, suitable for diverse climates.

 

  • Tags :
  • Steel Industry
  • waste to wealth

ANEEL (ADVANCED NUCLEAR ENERGY FOR ENRICHED LIFE)

  • An American company has developed a fuel ANEEL (named after India’s scientist, Dr Anil Kakodkar).
  • ANEEL is a mix Thorium and Uranium of a certain level of enrichment, called HALEU (High Assay Low Enriched Uranium).
    • HALEU has an enrichment level of  5-20%, whereas most current reactors are enriched up to 5%.

 

  • Potential Benefits
    • ANEEL can be used in the existing Pressurized Heavy-Water Reactors (PHWRs) of India’s nuclear fleet.
    • Reduction in nuclear waste etc.


 

  • Tags :
  • Nuclear Energy
  • Thorium
  • Uranium
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