Civil Services Simplified: Decoding the Enigma of UPSC by Dr. CP. Kaushik

3. Stardust 1.0 has become the first commercial space launch powered by biofuel, which is non-toxic for the environment as opposed to traditionally used rocket fuels. About Stardust 1.0: • It is a 20-feet-tall rocket, with a mass of about 250 kg, suitable for student and budget payload (can carry a maximum payload of 8kg.). • In the first launch, Stardust 1.0 carried three payloads, - A CubeSat prototype built by high school students. - A metal alloy designed to lessen vibrations which is developed by Kellogg’s Research Labs. - A CubeSat which was designed by Rocket Insights, a software company.

2. Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. had entered into a joint venture with Israel-based battery technology startup to develop Aluminum-air technology-based battery systems for electric vehicles and stationary storage, as well as hydrogen storage solutions. About Aluminium Air-Batteries: • It uses the oxidation of Aluminum at the anode and the reduction of oxygen at the cathode to form a galvanic cell. • It utilise oxygen in the air which reacts with an aluminium hydroxide solution to oxidise the aluminium and produce electricity. • It can be used for electric vehicles and stationary storage, as well as hydrogen storage solutions. • Advantages of Aluminium Air-Batteries over lithium-ion batteries: - Lower cost - More energy dense. - More kilometres per battery: Aluminium Air-Batteries will offer 400 km or more per battery compared to lithium-ion batteries which currently offer a range of 150-200 kilometres per full charge. • Major downside of aluminium-air batteries is that they cannot be recharged like lithium-ion batteries.

Day 10: Aug 26 1. Types of Influenza Viruses: There are 4 types • Influenza Type A– It infects humans and animals and causes seasonal epidemics of disease. The emergence of a new and very different influenza A virus to infect people can cause an influenza pandemic. • Influenza Type B - It is found only in humans. Type B flu may cause a less severe reaction than type A flu virus, but occasionally, type B flu can still be extremely harmful. Influenza type B viruses are not classified by subtype and do not cause pandemics. • Influenza Type C – They are also found in humans. These infections generally cause a mild respiratory illness and are not thought to cause epidemics. • Influenza Type D – These viruses primarily affect cattle and are not known to infect or cause illness in people.

3. Anti Satellite Missile • A customized My Stamp on India’s First Anti Satellite Missile (A-SAT) launch was released by the Department of Posts on the occasion of Engineers Day. • Anti Satellite Missile is essentially a missile that can destroy or jam an enemy country's satellite in space. This interceptor missile was a three-stage missile with two solid rocket boosters. • Two types of A-SATs: Kinetic and Non-Kinetic A-SATs. Kinetic A-SATs, like ballistic missiles, physically strike an object in order to destroy it. Non-Kinetic A-SATs are the ones that use nonphysical means to disable or destroy space objects, which include frequency jamming, blinding lasers or cyber-attacks. • Capabilities: Pellet cloud attacks on enemy's low orbit satellites, cyber-attacks on space systems, Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) explosion devices, directed energy (laser based) weapons and targeted missiles for destruction of satellites. • Range: The range of an ASAT is limited and depends on where it is launched from. Satellites above the range of 20,000 kilometres are out of range. • The successful demonstration has placed India at par with the elite club of three nations -- US, Russia and China -- that possess this capability. ‘Mission Shakti’ • It was the country's first-ever ASAT Missile Test successfully conducted in 2019. Under the mission, a fast-moving Indian orbiting target satellite in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) was neutralised with pinpoint accuracy. Outer Space Treaty • The principal international treaty on space is the 1967 Outer Space Treaty. India is a signatory and ratified it in 1982. • The Outer Space Treaty prohibits only weapons of mass destruction in outer space. Indi expects to play a key role in the drafting of international law on the prevention of arms race in outer space.

2. Deep Ocean Mission • India will soon launch an ambitious ‘Deep Ocean Mission’ that envisages exploration of minerals, energy and marine diversity of the underwater world. • The mission is expected to cost over ₹4,000 crores and will give a boost to efforts to explore India’s vast Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf. • The tasks that will be undertaken include deep-sea mining, survey, energy exploration and the offshore-based desalination and other necessary technologies. • These technological developments are funded under an umbrella scheme of the government – called Ocean Services, Technology, Observations, Resources Modelling and Science (O-SMART). • In September 2016, India signed a 15-year contract with the International Seabed Authority (ISA) for exploration of Poly-Metallic Sulphides (PMS) in the Indian Ocean. Poly-Metallic Sulphides (PMS) • Poly-Metallic Sulphides (PMS) are precipitates of hot fluids from upwelling hot magma from deep interior of the oceanic crust, discharged through mineralized chimneys. It contains iron, copper, zinc, silver, gold, platinum in variable constitutions. • These metals can be extracted and used in electronic devices, smartphones, batteries and even for solar panels. International Seabed Authority (ISA) • ISA is an autonomous international organisation established under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. • Headquarters: Kingston, Jamaica.

Day 09: August 23rd 1. Global Innovation & Technology Alliance • The 9th Foundation Day of Global Innovation and Technology Alliance (GITA) was celebrated on 26th November, 2020. • GITA is a “not–for–profit” Public Private Partnership (PPP) company. It is promoted jointly by the Technology Development Board (TDB), Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India (GoI) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). • GITA served as a catalyst for nurturing innovation and industrial R&D by fostering bilateral academic industry and government collaborations.

3. Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) Technology • DRDO has successfully demonstrated communication between its two labs using Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) technology. • In the QKD technology, encryption keys are sent as qubits in a fibre optic cable. In quantum computing, a qubit or quantum bit is the basic unit of quantum information— the quantum version of the classical binary bit physically realized with a two-state device. • The QKD is designed in a way that if an illegitimate entity tries to read the transmission, it will disturb the qubits - which are encoded on photons - and this will generate transmission errors, leading to legitimate end users being immediately informed.

2. Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) • India has become the fourth country in the world to have its independent regional navigation satellite system recognised by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) as a part of the World Wide Radio Navigation System (WWRNS). The other three countries that have its navigation systems recognised by the IMO are the US, Russia and China. • IRNSS, with an operational name of NavIC is an independent regional navigation satellite system developed by India. • It is designed to provide accurate position information service to assist in the navigation of ships in the Indian Ocean waters. It is a constellation of seven satellites: Four are located in geosynchronous orbit and Three satellites are located in geostationary orbit. • IRNSS will provide two types of services- Standard Positioning Service (SPS) which is provided to all the users and Restricted Service (RS), which is an encrypted service provided only to the authorised users. • The IRNSS System is expected to provide a position accuracy of better than 20 m in the primary service area.

Day 08: August 22nd 1. IPBES Report on Future Pandemics • The IPBES report has warned about future pandemics. According to the report, these pandemics will emerge more often, spread more rapidly and do more damage to the world, unless significant measures are taken. • More than 70% of emerging diseases, such as Ebola, Zika and Nipah, are caused by microbes found in animals that spill over due to contact among wildlife, livestock and people. About 30% of emerging infectious diseases are attributed to land-use change, agricultural expansion and urbanization. Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem (IPBES) • IPBES is an independent intergovernmental body established in Panama City, on 21 April 2012 by 94 Governments. • It aims to strengthen the science-policy interface for biodiversity and ecosystem services for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, long-term human well-being and sustainable development. • It is not a United Nations body. However, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) provides secretariat services to IPBES.

3. MAAREECH • The Indian Navy said it has inducted an advanced anti-torpedo decoy system called ‘Maareech’ that is capable of being fired from all frontline ships. • ‘Maareech’ has been designed and developed indigenously by the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and it is capable of detecting, locating and neutralizing incoming torpedo. • Bharat Electronics Limited, a Defence PSU, would undertake the production of this decoy system.

2. Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) • India joined GPAI or Gee-Pay as a founding member to support the responsible and human-centric development and use of AI. • GPAI is an international and multi-stakeholder initiative to guide the responsible development and use of AI, grounded in human rights, inclusion, diversity, innovation, and economic growth. • India joined the league of leading economies including USA, UK, EU, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Singapore to launch the GPAI. • GPAI will be supported by a Secretariat, to be hosted by Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris, as well as by two Centers of Expertise- one each in Montreal and Paris.

Day 07: August 21st 1. Captain Arjun • Railway Protection Force, Pune (central railway) has launched a Robot ‘CAPTAIN ARJUN’ (Always be Responsible and Just Use to be Nice) to intensify the screening and surveillance. • It is AI-based robot which conducts thermal screening of passengers, educates them on preventing the COVID-19 spread and displays utmost sensitivity to suspicious and abnormal activity. • Captain ARJUN also has a sensor-based sanitizer and mask dispenser and can speak in local language.

3. Hope: UAE Mars Mission • United Arab Emirates launches space mission to Mars from Japan, calls it ‘Hope’ Mission. Hope is the Arab world’s first mission to Mars. • “Hope” was announced in 2015 with the aim of creating mankind’s first integrated model of the Red planet’s atmosphere. • The spacecraft will orbit Mars to study the Martian atmosphere and its interaction with outer space and solar winds. Hope will collect data on Martian climate dynamics, which should help scientists understand why Mars’ atmosphere is decaying into space. • Hope will orbit Mars for around 200 days, after which it will enter the Red planet’s orbit by 2021, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the founding of UAE. • No human has set foot on Mars yet because the atmosphere on Mars is very thin, consisting of mostly carbon dioxide with no breathable oxygen, making it difficult for astronauts to survive there.

2. Deep Fakes and Deep Nudes • Cybercrime officials in India are tracking apps and websites that produce nude photographs of innocent persons using Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms. • Deepfake is a portmanteau of “deep learning” and “fake”. It is an Artificial Intelligence (AI) software that superimposes a digital composite on to an existing video (or audio). Deepfakes are created by machine learning models, which use neural networks to manipulate images and videos. • Deep nudes are computer-generated nude images and videos of innocent persons using Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms. Essentially, using AI algorithms a person’s words, head movements and expressions are transferred onto another person in a seamless fashion that makes it difficult to tell that it is a deep fake, unless one closely observes the media file. • Another problem is catfish accounts to deceive people. Catfishing refers to practice of setting up fictitious online profiles, most often for purpose of luring another into a fraudulent romantic relationship.

Day 06: August 20th 1. Indian Initiative On Earth Biogenome Sequencing (IIEBS) • The Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute (JNTBGRI) has been selected as one of the Biological Knowledge and Resource Centres of the IIEBS. • IIEBS is a nationwide project to decode the genetic information of all known species of plants and animals in the country. It will enable collection and preservation of endangered and economically important species. The decoded genetic information will also be a useful tool to prevent biopiracy. • The National Institute of Plant Genome Research, New Delhi is the coordinating centre for the nationwide project involving a total of 24 institutes. • The project is part of the Earth BioGenome Project, an international initiative which aims to sequence the genetic codes of all of earth’s eukaryotic biodiversity over a period of 10 years. Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute is an autonomous Institute established and functions under the Government of Kerala. It was established in 1979 and situated at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

3. Digital Ocean Platform • The Minister for Science and Technology has launched the ‘Digital Ocean’ platform of Indian National Centre for Oceanic Information Services (INCOIS) as a one stop-solution for all ocean data requirements. • It is the first of its kind platform for ocean data management which has a set of applications that present heterogeneous oceanographic data with geospatial technology. • It will help to share knowledge about the ocean with a wide range of users including research institutions, operational agencies etc. Indian National Center for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) • It is an autonomous organization, established in 2007, under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) • It is located in Hyderabad and is a unit of the Earth System Science Organization (ESSO). • INCOIS provides ocean information and advisory services to various stakeholders including Potential Fishing Zone (PFZ) advisories, Ocean State Forecast (OSF), high wave alerts, tsunami early warnings, etc.

2. Prime Minister Wi-Fi Access Network Interface (PM-WANI) • The Union Cabinet has approved PM-WANI to elevate wireless internet connectivity in the country. The Ministry of Communication is responsible for formulating the guidelines for the scheme. • The public network will be set up by Public Data Office Aggregators (PDOAs) to provide Wi-Fi service through Public Data Offices (PDOs) spread throughout the country. • No license fee will be charged for providing broadband internet services. A customer wanting to access the network from a PDO’s premise can do so only after an eKYC authentication. • These PDOs will either provide internet on their own or will lease from some other Internet Service Provider (ISP). • A central registry will be set-up which will maintain details of all app providers, PDOAs and PDOs. The registry will be handled by the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT).

Day 05: August 19th 1. Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) • India has become the fourth country in the world to have its independent regional navigation satellite system recognised by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) as a part of the World Wide Radio Navigation System (WWRNS). The other three countries that have its navigation systems recognised by the IMO are the US, Russia and China. • IRNSS, with an operational name of NavIC is an independent regional navigation satellite system developed by India. • It is designed to provide accurate position information service to assist in the navigation of ships in the Indian Ocean waters. It is a constellation of seven satellites: Four are located in geosynchronous orbit and Three satellites are located in geostationary orbit. • IRNSS will provide two types of services- Standard Positioning Service (SPS) which is provided to all the users and Restricted Service (RS), which is an encrypted service provided only to the authorised users. • The IRNSS System is expected to provide a position accuracy of better than 20 m in the primary service area.