Daily Quiz: UPSC Prelims Marathon (Science & Technology) – June 18, 2020

Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark II (GSLV Mk II) is the largest launch vehicle developed by India, which is currently in operation.

• This fourth generation launch vehicle is a three stage vehicle with four liquid strap-ons.
• The indigenously developed cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS), which is flight proven, forms the third stage of GSLV Mk II.
• Cryogenic engine makes use of Liquid Oxygen (LOX) and Liquid Hydrogen (LH2) as propellants which liquefy at -183 deg C and -253 deg C respectively.
• LOX and LH2 are stored in their respective tanks. From there they are pumped in to turbo pump by individual booster pumps to ensure a high flow rate of propellants inside the combustion/thrust chamber.
• The major components of a cryogenic rocket engine are combustion/thrust chamber, igniter, fuel injector, fuel cryo pumps, oxidizer cryo pumps, gas turbine, cryo valves, regulators, the fuel tanks and a rocket engine nozzle.

Vikas Engine is the workhorse liquid rocket engine powering the second stage of India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), second stage and the four strap on stages of Geosynchronous Launch Vehicle (GSLV) and the twin engine core liquid stage (L110) of GSLV Mk-III.

The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission is directed by NASA to the Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) with support from several NASA centers: the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), Johnson Space Center (JSC), Glenn Research Center (GRC), and Langley Research Center (LRC).

• DART is a planetary defense-driven test of technologies for preventing an impact of Earth by a hazardous asteroid.
• DART will be the first demonstration of the kinetic impactor technique to change the motion of an asteroid in space.
• The DART mission is in Phase C, led by APL and managed under NASA’s Solar System Exploration Program.

Mars Missions by NASA:

• Mariner
• Mars Resonance Orbiter
• Phoenix
• MAVEN
• In-Sights Lander
• Curiosity Rover

NOTE: Magellan mission is related to Planet Venus.

GIMS is the instant messaging platform for Government communication.

• GIMS platform provides GIMS mobile client for instant messaging and GIMS Portal for administration and monitoring of platform.
• Designed to suit the hierarchy and communication policies of the government.
• Adaptable to both the central and state government organizations for intra and inter organization communication.
• It is being developed as a secure Indian alternative without the security concerns attached with apps hosted abroad or those owned by foreign entities.
• Like WhatsApp, GIMS employs end-to-end encryption for one-to-one messaging.

Haryana Police has adopted a unique barcoding software — Trakea — to ensure that thousands of forensic reports that form the backbone of the criminal investigation system and subsequent trials in the courts of law, are not tampered with.

• According to the police, Trakea ensures foolproof security of the samples collected from the scene of crime, and the forensic analysis reports, and is different from traditional methods that the state police force has been following for decades.
• Haryana Police claims it is the country’s first police force to have introduced this unique barcoding for forensic reports.

India’s first e-waste clinic has been inaugurated in Bhopal and will enable segregation, processing and disposal of electronic waste from both household and commercial units.

• It was set up by the Bhopal Municipal Corporation and the Central Pollution Control Board.
• The e-waste clinic is developed on the bases of a three-month pilot project and, if successful, more clinics will be built throughout the country.
• The clinic is set up in accordance with the Solid Waste Management Rules adopted in 2016.

IndiGen programme aims to undertake whole genome sequencing of a thousand Indian individuals representing diverse ethnic groups from India.

• The objective is to create a pilot dataset to enable genetic epidemiology of carrier genetic diseases towards enabling affordable carrier screening approaches in India.
• We also hope to mine allele frequencies for genetic variants for estimating population scale prevalence for diverse clinical applications.
• The human genome data sets would also be utilized for prioritizing Pharmacogenomics variants specific for Indian population for optimizing therapy and minimizing adverse events.
• IndiGen is funded by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

The Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA) owes its origin to the foresight and initiative of two British Chemists, namely, Professor J. L. Simonsen and Professor P.S. MacMahon.

• It occurred to them that scientific research in India might be stimulated if an annual meeting of research workers somewhat on the lines of the British Association for the Advancement of Science could be arranged.
• The first meeting of the Congress was held from January 15-17, 1914 at the premises of the Asiatic Society, Calcutta, with the Honourable Justice Sir Asutosh Mukherjee, the then Vice-Chancellor of the Calcutta University, as President.
• One hundred and five scientists from different parts of India and abroad attended and the papers numbering 35 were divided into six sections-Botany, Chemistry, Ethnography, Geology, Physics, Zoology under six Sectional Presidents.
• Indian Science Congress is organised by the Indian Science Congress Association every year in the first week of January.