Daily Quiz #18 UPSC Prelims Marathon – August 22, 2019

Explanation: The Lucy mission is designed to make flyby observations of seven asteroids – one main belt asteroid and six asteroids orbiting ahead of or behind Jupiter, known as Trojan asteroids. (The Trojan asteroids are asteroids trapped in the orbit of Jupiter in two swarms. The swarms liberate about two Jupiter-Sun LaGrange points, one (L4) 60 degrees ahead of Jupiter in its orbit, and one (L5) 60 degrees behind.) Its primary science objectives are to study the surface composition, surface geology, interior, and bulk properties of the asteroids, a conduct a search for satellites and rings about the objects. These objectives are meant to help shed light on four fundamental questions: 1) what were the initial stages, conditions and processes of Solar System formation? 2) How did the giant planets accrete, and is there evidence that they migrated to new orbital positions? 3) What governed the accretion, and what roles did bombardment by large projectiles play? And 4) what were the sources of primordial organic matter?
Lucy is scheduled to launch on 16 October 2021.

Explanation: Realizing the importance of guided missile weapon systems in the modern warfare, a Special Weapon Development Team (SWDT) was formed in 1958. This team was later expanded into DRDL, a full-fledged laboratory in June 1961 at the campus of Defence Science Centre, Delhi. The laboratory was moved to Hyderabad in Feb’ 1962, from where starts the story of guided missiles in India.
During the initial phase, the laboratory successfully developed an anti tank missile system and indigenous rockets and proved them through flight trials. IBM 1620 was installed in DRDL as early as in 1965, which was used, for flight simulation studies.
In 1972, Project Devil, a medium range Surface-to-Surface Missile was initiated. A large number of infrastructure and test facilities were established during this period. The main facilities established during this period included Aerodynamic, Structural and Environmental test facilities, Liquid and Solid propulsion facilities; fabrication and engineering facilities; Control, Guidance, FRP, Rubber and computer centers, ground and flight instrumentation and onboard power supplies development facilities. The development of components / systems for Project Devil formed the technology bricks for the future IGMDP Programme.

Explanation: Bharat Immunologicals and Biologicals Corporation Limited (BIBCOL) is a leading biotechnology company based in Uttar Pradesh India. The company is a Govt. of India Undertaking and has its OPV plant in state of Uttar Pradesh, India. The company currently manufactures and produces a range of pharmaceuticals products such as Oral Polio Vaccines (OPV Vaccine), Zinc Tablet & Diarrhea Management Kit, Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) etc.
BIBCOL is a Central Public Sector Unit, under the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India. BIBCOL was established as a Public Sector Unit in 1989, with the aim to achieve self sufficiency for the nation with respect to production and supply of high quality polio vaccine.

Explanation: The Innovative Young Biotechnologist Award (IYBA), initiated in 2005, is a career-oriented award to identify and nurture outstanding young scientists with innovative ideas and desirous of pursuing research in frontier areas of biotechnology. The awards are conferred to budding scientists below 35 years of age. However, there is a relaxation in age limit upto 5 years in case of women, OBC, SC/ST and for differently-abled candidates. The scheme includes scientists without regular employment also. The applications are sought through an open advertisement and selection is done after comprehensive review by an empowered committee of eminent scientists.
The award carries a fellowship amount of Rs.1.00 Lakh/annum for candidates who are in permanent faculty position and Rs.75000/- per month for those candidates who are not in regular employment along with a substantial project grant to pursue their innovative ideas at the beginning of their career

Explanation: Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS) at Dehradun is a premier institute with the objective of capacity building in Remote Sensing and Geo-informatics and their applications through education and training programmes at postgraduate level. The Institute also hosts and provides support to the Centre for Space Science and Technology Education in Asia and the Pacific (CSSTE-AP), affiliated to the United Nations. The training and education programmes of the Institute are designed to meet the requirements of various target / user groups, i.e., for professionals at working, middle and supervisory levels, fresh graduates, researchers, academia, and decision makers. The duration of courses ranges from one week to two years.