Pre - Compass 2022 - Science - Technology - Rau-S IAS Compressed

CONTENTS
PREFACE OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 01  INDIAN REMOTE SENSING SATELLITE

THEMES ASKED IN PRELIMS EXAM IN THE LAST THREE SYSTEM 08
YEARS 02
►BASICS 08
►EARTH OBSERVATION SATELLITE - EOS-01 08
Section-1 ►RISAT 09
►ISRO PUTS BRAZIL’S AMAZONIA-1 INTO ORBIT 09
SPACE TECHNOLOGY ►NISAR: JOINT EARTH OBSERVING MISSION OF NASA AND
ISRO 09
03 ►SENTINEL-6 SATELLITE: JASON-CS MISSION 10
SPEED TEST – 1 03 ►COPERNICUS 10
SPACE TECHNOLOGY 03 OTHER REMOTE SENSING SATELLITES 10

►ORBITS & TYPES 03 ►CARTOSAT 3 10
►GEOSTATIONARY TRANSFER ORBIT 03 ►GISAT: GEO-IMAGING SATELLITE SERIES 11
 ROCKET PROPULSION 03 ►MICROSAT R 11
LAUNCH VEHICLES IN INDIA 04 ►HYSIS: HYSPECTRAL IMAGING SATELLITE 11

►HYPERSPECTRAL IMAGING: BASICS 11
►PSLV 04
►PRINCIPLE OF SPECTROSCOPY AND DIGITAL IMAGING 11
►NEW PSLV ROCKET 04
►EMISAT 11
►GSLV 04
►SEMI-CRYOGENIC PROPELLANT TANK 04 INDIAN REGIONAL NAVIGATION SATELLITE
►SSLV 05 SYSTEM 12
►STARSHIP 05 ►BeiDou NAVIGATION SATELLITE SYSTEM 12
►VIKAS ENGINE 05 ►TUNDRA SATELLITE 12
►LOX METHANE ENGINE 06 ISRO’S SPACE EXPLORATION

►ION ROCKETS 06 MISSIONS 14
SPEED TEST – 1: SOLUTION 06
►ASTROSAT 14
SATELLITE SYSTEMS OF INDIA 06 ►EXPOSAT 14
SPEED TEST – 2 06 ►MANGALYAAN 14
 INSAT SERIES 06 ►CHANDRAYAAN 1 14

►CHANDRAYAAN 2 14
►FREQUENCY BANDS OF COMMUNICATION SATELLITES
06 ►CHANDRAYAAN-3 15
►LATEST COMMUNICATION SATELLITES 07 ►CHANG’E-5 LUNAR MISSION 15
►GSAT 30 07 ►ADITYA-L1 15
►GSAT 31 07 ► GAGANYAAN MISSION 16
►GSAT 7A (MILITARY SATELLITE) 07 ►SUBORBITAL FLIGHT 16
►GSAT 11 07 ►SPACE DEBRIS 17
►HIGH-THROUGHPUT COMMUNICATION SATELLITES OF ►NEW SPACE INDIA LIMITED 18

INDIA 07
IMPORTANT MISSIONS OF NASA 18
i
►NASA’S SunRISE MISSION 18 ►MOON-FORMING REGION SEEN AROUND AN EXOPLANET
25
►SOLAR ENERGETIC PARTICLES (SEP) 18
►BEPI COLOMBO 25
►CORONAL MASS EJECTIONS (CMES) 19
►JUICE 25
►EUVST AND EZIE 19
►ROSETTA MISSION 25
►EUVST 19
►SOLAR ORBITER 25
►EZIE 19
►COSMIC VISION 25
►DART MISSION 19
►CHEOPS 26
►HAMMER 19
►ATHENA 26
►EUROPA CLIPPER 20
►AIDA 26
►MESSENGER 20
►COMET INTERCEPTOR 26
►NASA’S MISSION TO VENUS 20
►VENUS EXPRESS BY ESA 26
►CASSINI HUYGENS 20
►TIANGONG-1 26
►DISCOVERY 20
►TIANGONG-2 26
►INSIGHTS 20
►TIANZHOU 1 26
►OTHER MISSIONS TO MARS 20
►TIANHE-1 26
►OPPORTUNITY 20
►FAST ARRAY/TIANYAN 26
►CURIOSITY 20
►HAYABUSA MISSION 26
►KEPLER MISSION 20
►HERACLE 26
►TRANSITING EXOPLANET SURVEY SATELLITE (TESS) 20
►BIRDS PROJECT 26
►MODIS 20
►SPICA 26
►DAWN MISSION 20
►SOHO 20
 TELESCOPES 26
►NEW FRONTIER’S PROGRAM 21 ►THE GIANT METERWAVE RADIO TELESCOPE 26
►NEW HORIZON 21 ►GEMINI TELESCOPE IN HAWAII 27
►DRAGONFLY 21 ►EVENT HORIZON TELESCOPE 27
►DISCOVERY PROGRAM 21 ►THIRTY METER TELESCOPE 27
►LUCY MISSION 21 ►DARK ENERGY SPECTROSCOPIC INSTRUMENT (DESI) 27
►PSYCHE 22 ►MEERKAT 27
►DAVINCI 22 ►STARLINK INTER-NET CONSTELLATION 27
►IO VOLCANO OBSERVER 22 SPEED TEST – 3 27
►VERITAS 22 BASIC PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY 28

►TRIDENT: NEPTUNE’S MOON 22 ►STANDARD MODEL OF PHYSICS 28
►PARKER SOLAR PROBE 22 ►MUON G-2 EXPERIMENT 29
►PUNCH MISSION 22 ►GOD PARTICLE 29
►HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE 22 ►NEUTRINOS 29
►JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE (JWST) 23 ►ANTIMATTER 30
►ARTEMIS 24 ►DARK MATTER 30
►LUNAR ORBITAL PROGRAM – GATEWAY (LUNAR ►DARK ENERGY 30
GATEWAY) 24
►LITHIUM IN STARS 30
►COBE SATELLITE 24
►EVOLUTION OF UNIVERSE 31
►AURA 24
►BLACK HOLES 32
OTHER IMPORTANT MISSIONS 24 ►GRAVITATIONAL WAVES 33
►ASTEROID 35
ii
►WORLD'S FIRST 6G TEST SATELLITE 36 ►NUCLEAR RECTORS IN INDIA 50
►EINSTEIN RING 36 ►INDO-US CIVIL NUCLEAR COOPERATION 50
►FRANCE’S FIRST SPACE MILITARY EXERCISE: ASTERX ►INDIA’S NUCLEAR COMMERCE 50

36 ►CIVIL LIABILITY LAW IN INDIA 51
PRIVATE PARTICIPATION IN SPACE REGULATION AND DEVELOPMENT
SECTOR 36 OF NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY IN INDIA
SPEED TEST – 4 36 51
►INDIA’S FIRST PRIVATE UPPER STAGE ROCKET ENGINE
►DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY 51
38
►ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION 51
►ANASIS-II 38
►ATOMIC ENERGY REGULATORY BOARD (AERB) 51
►VENUS 38
►PUBLIC SECTOR INSTITUTIONS 51
►MARS 39
►NUCLEAR POWER CORPORATION OF INDIA LIMITED
►MISSION TO MARS 40
(NPCIL) 51
►PERSEVERANCE MISSION 40
INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS
►INDIA’S MARS ORBITER MISSION 41
►PHOBOS 41
52
►INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY (IAEA) 52
LUNAR MISSIONS 41
►WORLD ASSOCIATION OF NUCLEAR OPERATORS 52
►LUNAR SOUTH POLE 41
►IMPORTANT NUCLEAR NON-PROLIFERATION TREATIES
►RUSTY MOON 42 52
►ARTEMIS PROGRAM 42 PARTIAL TEST BAN TREATY 52
NUCLEAR NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY 52
Section-2 IAEA SAFEGUARD AGREEMENT AND INDIA 52

COMPREHENSIVE TEST BAN TREATY (CTBT) 52
NUCLEAR SCIENCE ►EXPORT CONTROL REGIMES 53
NUCLEAR SUPPLIERS GROUP 53
44 AUSTRALIAN GROUP 53
BASICS 44 WASSEGNAR ARRANGEMENT 53

MISSILE TECHNOLOGY CONTROL REGIME 53
 NUCLEAR FUEL 44
►NUCLEAR FREE ZONES 53
►NUCLEAR FUSION 45
►ROOPPUR NUCLEAR POWER PROJECT 53
►CHINA TURNS ON ‘ARTIFICIAL SUN’ 53
 NUCLEAR FISSION VS FUSION 46
►LITHIUM PRODUCTION IN STARS 54
►EXTREME HELIUM STAR (EHe) 54
 NUCLEAR POWER REACTORS 46
►KAKRAPAR-3 54
►FISSION REACTORS 46
► TYPES OF FISSION REACTORS 47
►NUCLEAR FUSION 47
►ITER 48
Section-3
►GENERAL APPLICATIONS OF NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY 48 BIOTECHNOLOGY
NUCLEAR SECTOR IN INDIA 49
55
3-STAGE NUCLEAR PROGRAMME 49
►BASICS: DNA, CHROMOSOME,
NUCLEAR POWER IN INDIA 50 GENE, GENOME 55
iii
►RIBONUCLEIC ACID (RNA) 55 ►Z-DNA 72
►DNA PROFILING 55 ►AEG 12 72
►GENOME MAPPING IN INDIAN OCEAN 57 ►TRANSFAT 72
►GENE THERAPY 57 ►ARBOVIRUS 72
►MITOCHONDRIAL DNA AND NUCLEAR DNA 57
►THREE PARENT BABY 57
►STEM CELLS 58
Section-4
►GENE EDITING 59
Science of Covid-19
►GENE DRIVE TECHNOLOGY 60
CrispR Cas9 60 74
►GM CROPS 60 SPEED TEST – 1 (T/F) 74
►ARKA SHUBHA 61 ►BASICS OF VIRUS 74
►WHEAT STRAW POLYSACCHARIDE 61 ►CORONAVIRUS 75
►GRAPHENE 61 ►NOVEL CORONAVIRUS – COVID-19 75
►CARBON NANOTUBES 61 ► HAND SANITIZERS 75
►REGULATION OF GMO IN INDIA 62 ►MECHANISM OF VIRAL INFECTION 75
BT COTTON 62 SPEED TEST – 1: SOLUTION 76
HTBT COTTON 62 SPEED TEST – 2 76
DMH-11 MUSTARD 62 ►MECHANISM OF CORONA VIRUS INFECTION 77
BT BRINJAL 63 ►BRADYKININ STORM 78
►NATIONAL STEM CELL REGISTRY 63 ►MUTATION AND REINFECTION 78
►MANAV: HUMAN ATLAS INITIATIVE 63 ►IMMUNE RESPONSE AGAINST VIRAL INFECTION 79
►GENOME INDIA PROJECT 63 ►MEMORY T CELLS MAY REDUCE COVID-19 SEVERITY 79
►INDIGEN INITIATIVE 63 ►HERD IMMUNITY 80
►HUMAN MICROBIOME PROJECT 64 SPEED TEST – 2: SOLUTION 81
►HUMAN PROTEOME PROJECT 64 SPEED TEST – 3 81
►PROTEOMICS 64 ►DETECTING THE VIRUS 81
►BIONICS 64 ►RT-PCR TEST: BASICS 81
►ARTIFICIAL BLOOD 64 ►THE ANTIBODY TEST 82
►BIO-COMPUTING 64 ►RAPID ANTIGEN DETECTION TESTS (RADT) 82
►DNA DATA STORAGE 64 ►FELUDA 82
►DNA OF THINGS (DOT) 64 ►RAPID BLOOD TEST TO PREDICT COVID-19 DISEASE
►NATIONAL GENOMIC GRID 65 SEVERITY 83
►EARTH BIO-GENOME PROJECT 65 ►VACCINE AND ITS TYPES 83
►IN-VITRO FERTILIZATION AND FROZEN EMBRYOS 65 ►VACCINES - HOW IT WORKS? 84
►DESIGNER BABIES 66 ►m-RNA VACCINE 84
►FIRST GENE-EDITED BABIES 66 SPEED TEST – 3: SOLUTION 84
►CRISPR-CAS 9 66
►LIQUID NANO UREA 68
►PRIME EDITING 68
Section-5
►SDN-1 & SDN-2 69 DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY
►RESTRAINING MOSQUITO POPULATION WITH CRISPR 71
►EPIGENETICS 71 85
iv
MISSILE SYSTEM OF INDIA 85 ►PROJECT 75-I 93
NUCLEAR-POWERED SUBMARINES 94
 BALLISTIC MISSILES 86
►SSN: (SUBMERSIBLE SHIP NUCLEAR) 94
►SURFACE-TO-SURFACE MISSILES 86
►SSBN: (SUBMERSIBLE SHIP BALLISTIC NUCLEAR) 94
►SHORT-RANGE SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILES 88
►NUCLEAR-POWERED SUBMARINE FLEET OF INDIA 94
►AIR-TO-AIR MISSILE 89
►CHAKRA-I 94
►ANTI-TANK GUIDED MISSILE 89
►CHAKRA-II 94
 CRUISE MISSILES 89
►CHAKRA-III 94
►NIRBHAY: SUBSONIC CRUISE MISSILE 89
►ARIHANT 94
►BRAHMOS: SUPERSONIC CRUISE MISSILE 90
►ARIGHAT 94
►BRAHMOS II: HYPERSONIC 90
IMPORTANT FIGHTER JETS OF INDIA
INDIA’S MISSILE DEFENCE SYSTEMS 90
94
►BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENCE SYSTEM 90
►TEJAS LCA 94
► S-400 90
►MIG 29 95
►BARAK-8 LONG AND MEDIUM RANGE SAM 90
►SUKHOI-30 MKI 95
►AKASH MEDIUM-RANGE SURFACE TO AIR MISSILE
SYSTEM 90 ►RAFALE 95
►MULTI-LAYERED AIR DEFENCE SYSTEM FOR DELHI 91 ►US-2 AMPHIBIOUS AIRCRAFT 95
►NASAMS-2 91 IMPORTANT HELICOPTERS 95

HYPERSONIC MISSILES 91 ►LIGHT UTILITY HELICOPTER 95
►ARTILLERY WEAPON SYSTEM OF ►DHRUV 95
INDIA SIGNIFICANCE 92 ►CHINOOK 96

►APACHE 96
►DHANUSH 92
►MH-60R (ROMEO) SEAHAWK HELICOPTERS 96
►K9 VAJRA T GUNS 92
►KAMOV 96
►M777 ULTRA LIGHT HOWITZERS 92
►SHARANG 92 SPACE WEAPONISATION 96
►ADVANCED TOWED ARTILLERY GUN SYSTEM 92 ►ANTI SATELLITE TECHNOLOGIES 96
►INFANTRY WEAPON SYSTEM OF ►TREATIES GOVERNING OUTER SPACE 97

►UN RESOLUTIONS: PAROS TO TCBMS 97
INDIA 92
►MISSION SHAKTI 97
►AK-203 92
►SIG SAUER 716 ASSAULT RIFLES 93 MISCELLANEOUS 97
►CARBINES 93 ►POSEIDON 97
►HYPERSPECTRAL IMAGING PROGRAM 98
AIRCRAFT CARRIERS OF INDIAN
►AWACS 98
NAVY 93
►DRONE FLEET OF INDIA 99
►INS VIKRANT 93
►LASER-BASED DIRECTED ENERGY WEAPON SYSTEM
►INS VIRAAT 93 100
►INS VIKRAMADITYA 93 ►INTEGRATED TRI-SERVICE AGENCIES 100
►INS VIKRANT (IAC-1) 93 ►DEFENCE SPACE AGENCY 100
►INS VISHAL 93 ►CHIEF OF DEFENCE STAFF 100
SUBMARINE ARM OF INDIA 93 ►INFORMATION FUSION CENTRE-IOR 101
►BOLD-QIT (BORDER ELECTRONICALLY DOMINATED QRT

 CONVENTIONAL SUBMARINES OF INDIA 93
INTERCEPTION TECHNIQUE) 101
v
►MILITARY EXERCISES 101 ►UMMID INITIATIVE 112
►ARJUN MK-1A TANK 102 ►HAVANA SYNDROME 112
►SOLID FUEL DUCTED RAMJET (SFDR) TECHNOLOGY 102 PLANT DISEASES 112
►MAAREECH 103
►FUSARIUM WILT TR4 112
►AKASH PRIME MISSILE 103
►YELLOW RUST 112
►FALL ARMYWORM 112
Section-6 ►PINK BOLLWORM 112

►LOCUST 112
Health & Diseases ►SHEATH BLIGHT DISEASE 112
►OTHER PLANT DISEASES 112
105 ►ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE 113
 VIRAL DISEASES 105
►ONE HEALTH APPROACH 114
►CORONAVIRUS 105
►NANOZYMES 115
►NIPAH 105
COMMON SUPERBUGS 115
►YARAVIRUS 105
►STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS 115
►ROTAVIRUS DISEASE 106
►STAPHYLOCOCCUS EPIDERMIDIS 115
►MEASLES-RUBELLA 106
►CANDIDA AURIS 115
►ZIKA 106
►SPREAD OF MULTI-DRUG RESISTANCE IN INDIA 115
►KYASANUR FOREST DISEASE OR MONKEY FEVER 106
►GLOBAL ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE SURVEILLANCE
►YELLOW FEVER 106
SYSTEM (GLASS) 116
►ACUTE ENCEPHALITIS SYNDROME (AES) 106
►AWARE 116
►FLU 107
►REDLINE CAMPAIGN 116
►AVIAN FLU 107
►NATIONAL ACTION PLAN TO COMBAT ANTIMICROBIAL
►WEST NILE FEVER 107 RESISTANCE 2017 116
►AIDS 107 ►BIOSIMILARS 116
►CRIMEAN-CONGO HAEMORRHAGIC FEVER 108 ►TRASTUZUMAB 116
►DENGUE 108 ►DENGVAXIA 116
►JAPANESE ENCEPHALITIS 108 ►GV-971 / OLIGOMANNATE 116
►BACTERIAL DISEASE 108 ►ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE 116
►DIAGNOSING TUBERCULOSIS FROM URINE SAMPLES 109 ►MOSQUIRIX 116
►MUCORMYCOSIS 109 ►TYPBAR TCV 116
►VECTOR BORNE DISEASE 109 ►BEDAQUILINE 117
►MOSQUITOES 109 ►PRETOMANID 117
►WOLBACHIA METHOD 110 ►MOSCOW DECLARATION 117
►DISEASES CAUSED BY WORMS 110 ►CAR-T 117
GENETIC DISEASES 110 ►MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES 117
►SICKLE CELL ANAEMIA 110 ►ENVIRONMENTAL DNA (EDNA) 117
►THALASSAEMIAS 110 ►ALLOGRAFT 117
►HAEMOPHILIA 110 ►TRANS FAT LEVELS IN FOODS 118
►TURNER'S SYNDROME 110 HEALTH RELATED PARTNERSHIPS

►NATIONAL POLICY FOR RARE DISEASES, 2021 110 119
►HUNTER SYNDROME 111 ►GLOBAL ANTIBIOTIC RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
►PARKINSON’S DISEASE 111 PARTNERSHIP 119
vi
►MERA INDIA INITIATIVE 119 ►EDGE COMPUTING 132
►E-2020 INITIATIVE 119 ►TECHNOLOGIES FOR INTERNET OF THINGS 132
►NEW INFLUENZA RESEARCH PROGRAMME 119 ►WIFI 6.0 133
►SAANS CAMPAIGN 119 ►FREE SPACE OPTICAL COMMUNICATION 133
►3S PROJECT 119 ►GIGA MESH 133
►GLOBAL FUND FOR AIDS, TB AND MALARIA 119 ►Wi-Fi CALLING 133
►NATIONAL HEALTH RESOURCE REPOSITORY PROJECT ►DATA PROTECTION BILL 134
119 ►PUBLIC DOMAIN NAME SERVER (DNS) 135
HEALTH RELATED ORGANISATIONS ►NATIONAL SUPERCOMPUTING MISSION 135
119 ►TRINETRA 136
►NATIONAL PHARMACEUTICAL PRICING AUTHORITY 119 ►SPINNAKER SUPERCOMPUTER 136
►‘STANDING COMMITTEE ON AFFORDABLE MEDICINES ►SHAKTI PROCESSOR PROGRAM 136

AND HEALTH PRODUCTS’ 119 ►CRYPTO CURRENCY 136
►DRUGS TECHNICAL ADVISORY BOARD 120 ►DeFi 136
►CENTRAL DRUGS STANDARD CONTROL ORGANIZATION ►NON-FUNGIBLE TOKENS (NFT) 136
(CDSCO) 120
►GOVERNMENT INSTANT MESSAGING SYSTEM (GIMS) 137
►NATIONAL ORGAN AND TISSUE TRANSPLANT
►SYCAMORE 137
ORGANISATION 120
►CLOUD NATIVE SCALABLE APPLICATIONS 137
►NATIONAL ANTI-DOPING AGENCY 120
►OPEN API (APPLICATION PROGRAMMING INTERFACES)
REPORT AND INDICES 120 137
►UNIFIED MESSAGING PLATFORM 137
►GLOBAL CYBERSECURITY INDEX (GCI) 138
Section-7 ►BROADBAND READINESS INDEX FOR STATES 138
Information technology ►NET NEUTRALITY 138

►DEEPNET AND DARKNET 138
121 ►DIGITAL QUALITY OF LIFE INDEX, 2020 138

►QR CODE 138
►SEMICONDUCTORS 121
►RFID TECHNOLOGY 138
►WEB 3.0 122
►NEW EMERGING TECHNOLOGY 139
►SPACE INTERNET 123
►ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE 140
►QUANTUM COMPUTING 124
►NEGATIVE ION TECHNOLOGY 142
►QUANTUM DOTS 124
►SOLID STATE BATTERIES 142
►QUANTUM KEY DISTRIBUTION 125
►ELECTRIC VEHICLES 143
►CYBER SECURITY THREAT 125 ►AMMONIUM NITRATE 144
►CYBER SECURITY PREPAREDNESS 127 ►SOILLESS CULTIVATION TECHNIQUES 145
►CHALLENGES AND STRATEGIES IN INDIA'S CYBER ►ELECTRON BUBBLES IN SUPERFLUID HELIUM GAS 146
SECURITY 128
►INTERNET EXCHANGE POINT 129
►CONTENT DELIVERY NETWORK 129 Section-8
►MOBILE NETWORK 129 MCQ S & Answer Keys
►1G TO 4G 129
►5G TECHNOLOGY 130 147
►5G- MILLIMETER WAVE BAND 131 ►MCQs 147
►INDIGENOUS 5G 131 ►ANSWER KEYS 153
vii
Dear Learner,
Scientific temper and curiosity towards developments in Science & Technology have been
incorporated in the syllabus of UPSC civil service exams so that civil servants have basic
understanding of technologies which they will regulate and also help rational development of
these technologies for solving problems of citizens efficiently. Emphasis on scientific temper has
meant that India has been a leader in Space technology, nuclear technology, Information
Technology etc.
In recent years, the weightage of questions in science and technology have been increasing with
close to 10% of questions coming from science related topics in Prelims Exam. The nature of
questions have also been evolving with more questions testing students on their fundamental
understanding of scientific developments.
In this book, our effort has been to target topics which have been in news recently and also those
topics which UPSC can ask based on our analysis of past UPSC papers.
Hope the book helps you achieve your dreams.
All the best!!!
Rau’s IAS Study Circle

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
PRELIMS 2021 - TOPICS PRELIMS 2020 - TOPICS PRELIMS 2019 - TOPICS
1. Recombinant Vector Vaccine 1. Carbon Nanotubes 1. LTE vs VoLTE
2. Bollgard I and II - BT cotton 2. Drone technology 2. Augmented Reality vs Virtual reality
3. Pressure Cooker 3. Evolved - LISA 3. Denisovan
4. Water properties - Dipolar 4. Gene editing 4. DNA technology
5. ACE2 5. Pneumococcal Vaccine 5. Digital signature
6. Bisphenol 6. Plant vs Human cells 6. Wearable technology
7. Astronomical distances in 7. Pronuclear

7. ‘RNA interference (RNAi)’ technology
light Years. transfer technology
8. Bacteria , Virus and Fungi -

8. Artificial Intelligence 8. Gravitational waves
Cultured in Artificial Medium
9. “Visible Light 9. multi-drug resistance in microbial

9.. Adenoviruses
Communication” technology pathogens
10. Blockchain technology 10. Crisper Cas 9
11. Solar power Pumps 11. Hepatitis
12. Remote sensing

SECTION-1
PACE TECHNOLOGY
SPEED TEST – 1 observed from Earth, a Geo-Synchronous Orbit
appears to form “8” (eight).
i. Geostationary Satellite is a special form of Geo-
• Geostationary Satellite is a special form of Geo-
synchronous Satellite
synchronous Satellite which orbits Earth over
ii. Sun-synchronous satellites pass over a section of the equator. This kind of satellite has a circular orbit
earth at the same time every day around Earth. When observed from Earth, such
iii. Working of rocket engine is guided by Newton’s third satellite appear to be fixed or hung always. They
law of motion provide continuous service over a large area.
iv. Satellites launched by PSLV appear to remain • Orbits may also be classified into Polar & Equatorial.
permanently fixed in the same position in the sky, as • Polar orbits revolve Earth at an inclination close to 90
viewed from a particular location on Earth. degrees close to poles. Such Orbits may be “sun-
v. GSLV is a 4-stage that uses alternate combination of synchronous” too, which implies that these satellites
liquid and solid fueled rocket stages. pass over a section of Earth at same time every day.
vi. The indigenous cryogenic stage on the GSLV is the • Equatorial orbits are closer to Equator. A satellite in
third stage and uses liquid hydrogen as fuel and this orbit can cover almost half of earth.
liquid oxygen as oxidiser.
►GEOSTATIONARY TRANSFER ORBIT
• A geosynchronous/geostationary transfer orbit (GTO)
SPACE TECHNOLOGY is an elliptical orbit, with an apogee (high point) of
35,784 kilometres, a perigee (low point) of a few
►ORBITS & TYPES
hundred kms. Its inclination is roughly equal to
• Satellites are generally characterized by their orbit i.e., latitude of launch site.
distance from earth at which they revolve around
• It is orbit into which a spacecraft is initially placed
Earth. They are:
before being transferred to a geosynchronous or
1. LEO Satellite (Lower Earth Orbit) geostationary orbit.
2. MEO Satellite (Middle Earth Orbit)
3. GEO satellite (Geo-Synchronous Earth Orbit & Geo-  ROCKET PROPULSION
Stationary Earth Orbit)
• A rocket must clear earth’s atmosphere to travel in
• Geo-synchronous satellite is at 35786 Km from earth’s space or go into an orbit.
surface. This height allows satellite to revolve around
• Minimum height for a satellite to go into Earth’s orbit
Earth in 24 hours, the time Earth itself takes to
is approximately 200km.
complete one day. Hence a GEO satellite always
returns to same position in sky after each day. When • At a certain initial speed, as satellite tries to go off at a
tangent to Earth, the Earth’s gravity pulls it back.
RAU’S IAS FOCUS SPECIAL EDITIONS | PRELIMS COMPASS (C3CURATION) for CSE 2022
3
SPACE TECHNOLOGY
PRINCIPLE BEHIND ROCKET PROPULSION: NEWTON’S ►NEW PSLV ROCKET
3RD LAW OF MOTION
For launch of EOS-01, ISRO used a new variant of PSLV
• The only means available for any object to be put in
rocket which does not become waste after depositing its
orbit is rocket propulsion.
satellite in the orbit.
• Newton’s third law of motion governs working of Instead, last stage of rocket that remains after satellite is
rocket engine, viz for every action, there is an equal separated, can acquire its own orbit and be used as an
and opposite reaction. orbital platform for other onboard instruments to
• The mass of gas escaping through a rocket’s nozzle perform experiments in space. Thus, fourth stage acts
gives a push or commonly called thrust to rocket to fly like another satellite for a period of six months.
in opposite direction.
►GSLV
LAUNCH VEHICLES IN INDIA • GSLV stands for Geostationary Satellite Launch
►PSLV Vehicle.
• Developed primarily to launch communication
• Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle is workhorse launch
satellites (INSAT Series) of 2.5 tons in Geostationary
vehicle of ISRO since 1994. First Indian launch vehicle
Transfer Orbit & about 4.5 tons in Low Earth Orbit.
with liquid stage & first operational launch vehicle.
• It is a three-stage vehicle with solid fuel in first stage,
• PSLV is primarily developed to launch remote sensing
liquid in second stage and cryogenic in third stage.
satellites into sun synchronous orbits.
GSLV MK-III
• It is a four-stage that uses alternate combination of
• GSLV Mk-III is the most powerful rocket of India.
liquid and solid fuelled rocket stages.
• It is a three-stage heavy-lift rocket with an indigenous
• First & third stages are solid fuelled, second & fourth
cryogenic engine in the third stage.
stages are propelled by liquid fuel.
• It can carry satellites weighing more than 4 tonnes to
• Strap-on motors are used in first stage of PSLV (solid
Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) or satellites
stage) to provide additional thrust to the rocket to weighing about 10,000 kg to a Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
overcome air resistance in atmosphere to be
• It was designated launch vehicle for Chandrayaan 2.
launched in orbit.
• India’s first human space flight Gaganyaan to be
• PSLV can deliver payloads of up to:
launched in 2022 will also use GSLV Mk-III.
o 3,250kg to Low Earth Orbit
CRYOGENIC TECHNOLOGY
o 1600 kg to Sun Synchronous orbit • Third stage of GSLV is an indigenous cryogenic stage.
o 1400 kg to Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit It uses liquid hydrogen as fuel & liquid oxygen as
PSLV’S ACHIEVEMENTS AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE oxidiser.
• With its capability to put small satellites in Lower • Cryogenic stage is a highly efficient rocket stage that
provides more thrust for every kg of propellant burnt
Earth Orbit (LEO), PSLV is key to Indian presence in
compared to solid & earth-storable liquid propellant
Global space business.
stages. It involves extremely low temperatures.
• ISRO has launched 237 foreign satellites from 28
Hydrogen liquefies at extremely low temperatures at
countries successfully by PSLV between 1999-2018. minus 253 degree centigrade.
• PSLV-C37 launched 104 satellites in 2017, highest • Nearly 50% of power for GSLV rockets as they push
number of satellites launched in a single flight so far. into space comes from cryogenic stage. As a result,
PSLV VARIANTS engines operating with cryogenic technology can lift
Currently PSLV rockets have 4 variants heavier satellites.
• PSLV-CA (core alone)

►SEMI-CRYOGENIC PROPELLANT
• PSLV-XL – 6 strap-on motors
TANK
• PSLV-DL – 2 strap-on motors
• First developmental welded hardware, the semi cryo
• PSLV-QL- 4 strap-on motors
liquid oxygen (LOX) tank, is part of the SC120 stage,
4
SPACE TECHNOLOGY
which is designed to replace the L110 stage in the • It will be used exclusively for small satellites such
current MkIII launch vehicle. as nanosats and CubeSats.
• In 2020, HAL produced the world's largest cryogenic • The payload capacity - 500-700 kilograms in the Lower
liquid hydrogen tank (C32LH2), with a diameter of 4 m Earth Orbit (LEO) (less than one-third the weight the
and a length of 8 m, far ahead of time. PLSV can carry.)
• For the PSLV, GSLVMk II, and GSLVMk III launch • It has three stage solid propulsion system, and like
vehicles, HAL has provided essential structures, the PSLV and GSLV, can accommodate multiple
tankages, and satellite structures. satellites, albeit smaller ones.
CRYOGENIC ENGINE • Unlike the PSLV and GSLV, the SSLV can be
• Cryogenics are used in the last stages of space launch assembled both vertically and horizontally.
vehicles.
• The decision of the US to deregulate small and micro
• To lift and position heavy things in space, cryogenics satellites has given a fillip to the launch service
is the study of the creation and behaviour of markets.
materials at very low temperatures (below -150
• The small satellite industry has witnessed a manifold
degrees Celsius). spike in the last few years and with latest innovations
• Because cryogenic stages use propellants at very low in nanotechnology, the size of the satellites is
temperatures, they are technically more complicated expected to further decrease in the future. Further,
than solid or liquid propellant (stored on Earth) what was previously inconceivable for even big
stages. satellites, is being undertaken very smoothly and
• When compared to other propellants, such as solid efficiently now by small satellites.
and liquid propellant rocket engines, a cryogenic
engine produces greater force per kg of cryogenic
►STARSHIP
propellant used and is more efficient.
• Designed by SpaceX, a spacecraft and super-heavy
• Liquid Oxygen (LOX) and Liquid Hydrogen (LH2),
booster rocket meant to act as a reusable
which liquefy at -183°C and -253°C, respectively, are
transportation system for crew and cargo to the
used as propellants in cryogenic engines. The LOX
Earth’s orbit, Moon and Mars.
and LH2 are kept in separate tanks.
SEMI-CRYOGENIC ENGINE
• Starship has been under development since 2012 and
is a part of Space X’s central mission to make
• Instead of liquid hydrogen, a Semi Cryogenic engine interplanetary travel accessible and affordable and to
employs refined kerosene. Oxidisers are made of become the first private company to do so.
liquid oxygen.
• Reusability is at the heart of making interplanetary
• That is one of the benefits of employing a Semi travel accessible. A rapidly reusable space launch
Cryogenic engine since it uses Refined Kerosene, vehicle could reduce the cost of traveling to space by
which is lighter than liquid fuel and can be kept at a hundredfold.
room temperature.
• Starship can deliver satellites further and at lower
• The rocket's thrust is increased by combining marginal costs than SpaceX’s Falcon vehicles and it
kerosene with liquid oxygen. Because refined can ferry both cargo and crew to the International
kerosene takes up less room in a Semi Cryogenic Space Station (ISS).
engine's fuel container, more propellant may be • Beyond the Moon, the spacecraft is being designed
carried. for carrying crew and cargo for interplanetary
• In comparison to a cryogenic engine, a semi cryogenic missions as well.
engine is more powerful, eco-friendly, and cost-
effective. ►VIKAS ENGINE
• The Vikas engine is used in
►SSLV 1. Second stage of the light lifting PSLV

2. Second stage and the four add-on stages of the
• ISRO has completed the design for the Small Satellite
medium lift GSLV.
Launch Vehicle (SSLV).
5
SPACE TECHNOLOGY
3. Twin-engine core liquid stage of Mk-III ii. Ka band is used typically for consumer direct-to-
• In 2018, Vikas engine was improved for higher thrust home, tele-education applications.
by 6%, enabling it to carry 70 kgs of additional iii. Indian Remote Sensing satellites can be used for
payload. telecommunications.
• Vikas engine uses Di-Methyl Hydrazine as a fuel and iv. Remote sensing data can be used for detection of
Nitrogen tetroxide as oxidizer. Greenhouse gas emissions from rice paddies of a
specific location.
►LOX METHANE ENGINE v. Most earth observation satellites are in sun-
• Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre of ISRO is synchronous orbit.
developing 2 LOX methane-powered rocket engines. vi. Geostationary orbit allows uninterrupted coverage
• The ‘LOX methane’ engine uses methane as fuel and of more than 1/3 of the Earth.
liquid oxygen as oxidizer. vii. Amazonia-1 is an earth observation satellite of Brazil
ADVANTAGES to monitor Amazon forest.
• Can be synthesized in space (Methane can be viii. ASTROSAT is India’s 1st dedicated multi-wavelength
synthesised using water and carbon dioxide in space). space observatory.
• It is non-toxic. (Di-Methyl Hydrazine and Nitrogen ix. NISAR is the planned joint Earth Observation
tetroxide is said to be highly toxic) Satellite of U.A.E.
• Higher specific impulse. x. Sentinel-6 satellite is a collaboration of ISRO and
• Easy to store; Does not leave a residue upon NASA to monitor forest in tribal areas.
combustion; Less bulky xi. GISAT series of Earth Observation Satellites will be
placed in the geostationary orbit.
►ION ROCKETS xii. IRNSS has three satellites in geostationary and four
• Ion rockets are the rockets of the future for deep satellites in geosynchronous orbits.
space exploration. xiii. Aditya-L1, India’s first solar mission, launched in
• They are much more efficient that conventional January 2020, has the objective of studying solar
rockets that use chemical fuels. corona.
• While chemical fuels generate velocities of up to 2 to xiv. Interaction of magnetic fields of opposite polarity —
3 km/s, ion rockets can achieve velocities of about North and South — through magnetic flux
4400 km/s. cancellation causes the solar eruptions.
• Ion rockets use electric repulsion of ions to propel the
rockets. India’s satellite program may be classified under
• Small scale ion propulsion is used in several missions  INSAT SERIES

including NASA’s Dawn mission and Deep Space
mission, ESA’s LISA Pathfinder and BepiColombo and • Communication satellites launched in Geo-
Japan’s Hayabusa Mission. synchronous orbit at an altitude of about 36,000 km.
• Applications: telecommunication, broadcasting,
SPEED TEST – 1: SOLUTION
telemedicine, meteorological services, disaster
(i)-True; (ii)-True; (iii)-True; (iv)-False; (v)-False; warning system.
(vi)-True
►FREQUENCY BANDS OF COMMUNICA
TION SATELLITES
SATELLITE SYSTEMS OF The radio frequency bands that communication
INDIA satellites operate in

C BAND
SPEED TEST – 2 • C-band operates within 4-8 Ghz.
i. Communication satellites are launched in Geo- • The C band is primarily used for voice and
synchronous orbit at an altitude of about 36,000 km. data communications.
6
SPACE TECHNOLOGY
• Because of its weaker power it requires a larger telephone services in the Middle East, South Africa
ground antenna. and Europe.
• It provides lower transmission power over wide
geographic areas. ►GSAT 7A (MILITARY SATELLITE)
KU BAND
• Known as India’s ‘Angry Bird’
• Ku-band operates within 12-18 Ghz.
• It a military communications satellite dedicated to the
• Ku band is used typically for consumer direct-to- Indian Air Force.
home, tele-education applications.
• It will boost the remotely piloted aircraft operations
• The antenna sizes are much smaller than
by satellite-control of military unmanned aerial
C band because the higher frequency.
vehicles (UAVs). Thus, it will extend the reach,
KA BAND flexibility and endurance of UAVs in India beyond line-
• Ka-band operates within 26-40 Ghz. of-sight missions.
• The Ka band is primarily used for two-way consumer • It will enable the Air Force link various ground radar
broadband and military networks. stations, ground airbase, airborne early warning and
• Ka-band frequency bands facilitate high control system.
transmissions speed and significant information • GSAT-7A is only the second dedicated military satellite
transfer with the use of small ground equipment and after ‘Rukmini’ or GSAT-7 launched in 2013 (Indian
thus used in broadband applications.
Navy).
• Due to the higher frequencies of this band, it can be
more vulnerable to signal quality problems caused by
►GSAT 11
rain fade.
IMPORTANT COMMUNICATION SATELLITES • Launched in December 2018
INSAT series has more than 15 satellites including INSAT- • ISRO’s heaviest communication satellite (5.8 tonne)
3A, 3C, 4A, 4B, 4CR and GSAT-6, GSAT-6A, 7, 7A, 8, 9, 10, • High-throughput communication satellite carrying 40
11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 29, 30. transponders in the Ku-band and Ka-band
frequencies
►LATEST COMMUNICATION • Capable of providing high bandwidth connectivity
SATELLITES with up to 14 gigabit per second speed
►GSAT 30
►HIGH-THROUGHPUT
• ISRO’s latest high-powered communication satellite
COMMUNICATION SATELLITES OF
• GSAT-30 will replace INSAT-4A in orbit.
INDIA
• The satellite will provide communication services to
• ISRO is planning to launch 4 high-throughput
ο Indian mainland and islands through Ku-band
satellites to provide broadband connectivity of over
ο Southeast Asia, Gulf countries and Australia through
100 gigabits per second in India.
C-band
• It includes
• Applications: DTH, connectivity to VSATs for ATMs,
ο GSAT-19
Stock-exchange, Television uplinking and Teleport
Services, Digital Satellite News Gathering (DSNG) and ο GSAT-29
e-governance applications. ο GSAT-11 (launched)
ο GSAT-20 (to be launched in 2021-22)

►GSAT 31 ο It will provide satellite-based high-speed broadband
• High-powered communication satellite launched in connectivity in India, thus will be the backbone of
Feb 2019. Digital India, BharatNet, National Broadband Mission
• Application: VSAT networks, Television uplinks, Digital and VSAT Network
Satellite News Gathering, DTH-television services,
7
SPACE TECHNOLOGY
 INDIAN REMOTE SENSING United States, Lithuania and Luxembourg, on board

Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C49).
SATELLITE SYSTEM All satellites were placed precisely into 575 km orbit.
►BASICS With EOS-01, ISRO is moving to a new naming system for

its earth observation satellites which till now have been
• Also known as earth observation satellites
named thematically, according to the purpose they are
• They are mostly polar, sun-synchronous satellites in meant for. Ex., Cartosat series of satellites were meant
low- earth orbit (LEO) at about 800 km from the earth to provide data for land topography and mapping, while
surface. the Oceansat satellites were meant for observations
• They zip around the circumference of the Earth in 1.5 over sea.
hours. EARTH OBSERVATION SATELLITE
• In a circular orbit few hundred km above the surface, • Earth observation is the gathering of information about
the velocity of a satellite must be about 8 km/s. Earth's physical, chemical and biological systems. Earth
Therefore, they are put in polar orbit. observation satellites are the satellites equipped with
• They are commonly called as remote sensing remote sensing technology.
satellites as they collect information of any object on • Most earth observation satellites are in sun-
Earth through the measurement of radiation of the synchronous orbit.
Sun that is reflected and scattered by objects on the
o A polar orbit is one in which a satellite passes above
surface of the earth.
or nearly above both poles on each revolution. It
APPLICATIONS therefore has an inclination of (or close to) 90 degrees
Natural Resource Management to the body's equator. A satellite in a polar orbit will
Land use assessment and mapping, mineral prospecting, pass over the equator at a different longitude on each
forest surveys etc of its orbits.
Agriculture o A Sun-synchronous orbit is a nearly polar orbit around

a planet, which combines altitude and inclination in
• To assess net crop area, crop production
such a way that an object on that orbit ascends or
• To conduct damage assessments
descends over any given Earth latitude at the same
• Classification of Agro-Climatic Zones: IRS-1A and 1B local mean solar time. This consistent lighting is a
was used to enumerate 15 Agro-climatic regions in useful characteristic for satellites that image the
India Earth’s surface in visible or infrared wavelengths.
Meteorology: Early warning mechanism for cyclones,  Typical Sun-synchronous orbits around Earth are
weather forecasting, monitoring for droughts and floods about 600–800 km in altitude, with periods in the 96–
Urban studies: To study urban sprawl, traffic 100-minute range, and inclinations of around 98°.
management etc. • To get (nearly) global coverage with a low orbit it must
Defence be a polar orbit or nearly so. A low orbit will have an
IMPORTANT REMOTE SENSING SATELLITES orbital period of close to 100 minutes and Earth will
rotate around its polar axis with about 25° between
• RESOURCESAT-1, 2, 2A CARTOSAT- 1, 2, 2A, 2B, RISAT-
successive orbits, with the result that the ground track
1 and 2, OCEANSAT-2, Megha-Tropiques, SARAL,
is shifted towards west with these 25° in longitude.
SCATSAT-1, HYSIS etc
• Spacecraft carrying instruments for which an altitude
• Some remote sensing satellites are also put in the
of 36000 km is suitable sometimes use a
geostationary orbit for weather forecasting such as
geostationary orbit. Such an orbit allows
INSAT-3D, Kalpana & INSAT 3A, INSAT 3DR.
uninterrupted coverage of more than 1/3 of the Earth.
Three geostationary spacecraft at longitudes
►EARTH OBSERVATION SATELLITE separated with 120° can cover the whole Earth except
(EOS-01) the extreme polar regions. This type of orbit is used
for meteorological satellites.
India successfully launched its latest Earth Observation
Satellite EOS-01 and nine customer satellites from the • Starting with IRS-1A in 1988, ISRO has launched many
operational remote sensing satellites. Today, India
8
SPACE TECHNOLOGY
has one of the largest constellations of remote C51 from the first launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space
sensing satellites in operation. Centre in Sriharikota on Sunday.
o Currently, 13 operational satellites are in Sun- Amazonia-1
synchronous orbit – RESOURCESAT-1, 2, 2A o Amazonia-1, the main payload, an optical earth
CARTOSAT-1, 2, 2A, 2B, RISAT-1 and 2, OCEANSAT-2, observation satellite from Brazil.
Megha-Tropiques, SARAL and SCATSAT-1,
o Optical Earth observation is monitoring our planet
o 4 in Geostationary orbit - INSAT-3D, Kalpana & INSAT from satellites, using photography, imaging in various
3A, INSAT -3DR. wavelengths, lidar and other optical sensing
• Land and forest mapping and monitoring, mapping of technologies.
resources like water or minerals or fishes, weather o This satellite will provide remote sensing data to users
and climate observations, soil assessment, geospatial for monitoring deforestation in the Amazon region
contour mapping are all done through earth- and analysis of diversified agriculture across the
observation satellites. Brazilian territory.
o Amazonia-1 was the first commercial venture for
►RISAT ISRO’s two-year-old marketing arm, New Space India
• RISAT (Radar Imaging Satellite) is a series of Indian Limited. After ISRO’s earlier marketing company,
radar imaging reconnaissance satellites built by ISRO. Antrix, has been bogged down by long litigation in the
controversial Devas deal.
• They provide all-weather surveillance using synthetic
aperture radars (SAR). o The success of Brazil’s Amazonia-1 satellite by ISRO
marks a new high point in space cooperation between
o Synthetic-aperture radar is a form of radar that is
the two countries. It would “open the door for
used to create two-dimensional images or three-
multiple business and governmental opportunities”
dimensional reconstructions of objects, such as
and help “fulfil the environmental commitments of
landscapes.
the Brazilian government” towards the Amazon
o RADAR (Radio Detection and Ranging System) is a
rainforest.
detection system that uses radio waves to determine
the range, angle, or velocity of objects. Sunlight,
clouds, and rain do not affect radio waves ►NISAR: JOINT EARTH OBSERVING
observations.
MISSION OF NASA AND ISRO
• The RISAT series are the first all-weather Earth
• NASA and ISRO are collaborating on developing
observation satellites from ISRO.
an SUV-sized satellite called NISAR (short for NASA-
• Previous Indian observation satellites relied primarily
ISRO-SAR)
on optical and spectral sensors which were hampered
o SAR refers to the Synthetic Aperture Radar that NASA
by cloud cover.
will use to measure changes in the surface of the
• EOS-01 will have applications in agriculture, forestry
Earth.
and disaster management support. EOS-01 is nothing
• It will detect movements of the planet’s surface as
but another Radar Imaging Satellite (RISAT) that will
small as 0.4 inches over areas about half the size of a
work together with RISAT-2B and RISAT-2BR1
tennis court. Primary goal of observation
launched last year. EOS-01 was initially named RISAT-
2BR2 and was supposed to be the third of the three- o Tracking subtle changes in the Earth’s surface,
spacecraft constellation aimed at providing all- o Spotting warning signs of imminent volcanic
weather round-the-clock service for high-resolution eruptions,
images. o Helping to monitor groundwater supplies, and
o Tracking the rate at which ice sheets are melting.
►ISRO PUTS BRAZIL’S AMAZONIA-1 • The satellite will be launched in 2022 from the Satish
Dhawan Space Center into a near-polar orbit.
INTO ORBIT
• Synthetic Aperture Radar is used for producing high-
The Indian Space Research Organisation opened its
resolution images. Because of the precision, the radar
space calendar 2021 with the successful launch of PSLV-
9
SPACE TECHNOLOGY
can penetrate clouds and darkness, which means that ►COPERNICUS
it can collect data day and night in any weather.
• European Earth Observation Program.
• It will scan the globe every 12 days over the course of
• Main objective is to monitor of our planet and its
its three-year mission of imaging the Earth’s land, ice
ecosystems.
sheets and sea ice to give an unprecedented view of
the planet. • Constitutes a constellation of 6 families of satellites
• NASA will provide one of the radars for the satellite, a known as Sentinels
high-rate communication subsystem for science data, • Coordinated and managed by the European
GPS receivers and a payload data subsystem. Commission.
NISAR will be equipped with the largest reflector • Copernicus allows full, free and open access to all
antenna ever launched by NASA.
data collected.
• ISRO will provide the spacecraft bus, the second type
• Scientists, policy makers, entrepreneurs and ordinary
of radar (called the S-band radar), the launch vehicle
citizen can use this data.
and associated launch services.
• 6 themes
• Expected Benefits:
1. Atmospheric monitoring
o Better management of natural resources and hazards
2. Marine environment monitoring
o Information on effects and pace of climate change.
3. Land monitoring
o Better understanding of the causes and
consequences of land surface changes. 4. Climate change
o It will also add to our understanding of our planet's 5. Emergency management
hard outer layer, called its crust. 6. Security
COPERNICUS AND INDIA
►SENTINEL-6 SATELLITE: JASON-CS
• India joined Copernicus in 2018.
MISSION
• Accordingly European Commission will provide India
• Sentinel-6-Satellite is a part of the mission dedicated with free, full and open access to the data from the
to measuring changes in the global sea level. The Copernicus Sentinel family.
mission is called the Jason Continuity of Service
• On the other hand, Department of Space will provide
(Jason-CS) mission.
the Copernicus program with a free, full and open
• The satellite was launched from the Vandenberg Air access to the data from ISRO’s land, ocean and
Force base in California aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 atmospheric series of civilian satellites (OCEANSAT-2,
rocket
Megha-Tropiques, Scatsat-1, SARAL, INSAT-3D, INSAT-
• The objective of the Mission is to measure the height 3DR) except for commercial high-resolution satellites
of the ocean, which is a key component in data.
understanding how the Earth’s climate is changing.
• It is a Joint collaboration of the European Space
Agency (ESA), National Aeronautics and Space OTHER REMOTE SENSING
Administration (NASA), European Organisation for the
Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT), SATELLITES
the USA’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) and the European Union (EU),
►CARTOSAT 3
with contributions from France’s National Centre for
Space Studies (CNES). • 3rd-generation agile advanced earth observation
satellite launched at an altitude of 509 km.
• The satellite will send pulses to the Earth’s surface
and measure how long they take to return to it, which • It has a pan-chromatic resolution capability of 25cm
will help in measuring the sea surface height. It (highest in the world).
will also measure water vapour along this path and • Application: Cartography for large scale urban
find its position using GPS and ground-based lasers. planning, rural resource and infrastructure
development, Land Information System and
10
SPACE TECHNOLOGY
Geographical Information System application for ►HYPERSPECTRAL IMAGING: BASICS
various uses, coastal land use.
• Hyperspectral imaging combines digital imaging and
►GISAT: GEO-IMAGING SATELLITE spectroscopy.
SERIES • For this it uses a critical chip called as ‘optical imaging

detector array’ which enables it to provide better
• New series of remote-sensing satellite
defined images that more clearly than regular optical
• GISAT series is the Earth Observation Satellites in the or remote sensing cameras.
Geo-synchronous orbit.
• ISRO has planned to launch 2 satellites in this series
►PRINCIPLE OF SPECTROSCOPY AND
including GISAT-1 and GISAT-12R
DIGITAL IMAGING
• It will yield multi-spectral and multi-resolution (50m to
1.5 km) images in visible, near infra-red and thermal • When an electromagnetic wave shines on the surface
spectrum of an object, some wavelengths are absorbed while
others are reflected.
• Multi-wavelength imaging for land mapping.
• Example: The colour of plant leaf is green because it
• Designed for both military and civilian purposes.
absorbs red and violet light but reflects green light
SIGNIFICANCE which what we see as colour green.
• Normally earth observation satellites are put in the • Similarly, all objects absorb and reflect certain
Low Earth Orbit at 600km above the surface of the wavelengths of electromagnetic spectrum unique to
st
earth. GISAT series is the 1 among the earth that object.
observation satellites in the Geo-stationary Orbit)
• Thus, every object has its own ‘spectral signature’.
• Currently imaging satellites map a particular area only
• The sensors or cameras which are sensitive to a
once in 22 days. (remember they in LEO)
particular wavelength (say visible light, UV light,
• GISAT can scan or map an area every 2nd day as it will Infrared etc) capture the image in that wavelength.
be placed in geostationary orbit.
• This ‘image’ captured in ‘visible light’, or ‘infrared’ is
super-imposed and converted to usable data.
►MICROSAT R
• Microsat R is target satellite chosen under Mission
►EMISAT
Shakti.
• It is an electronic intelligence satellite developed by
• Under Mission Shakti, A-SAT missile targeted and
ISRO and DRDO.
destroyed the live Microsat R satellite in the Low Earth
Orbit at about 300 km above the surface. • It was developed under project KAUTILYA of DRDO.
• The 435 kg EMISAT was launched in the low earth
►HYSIS: HYSPECTRAL IMAGING orbit, 749 km above the surface of the earth.
SATELLITE SIGNIFICANCE
• India’s first hyperspectral imaging satellite. • Satellite-based electronic intelligence to augment the
armed forces to counter radars.
• Sun-synchronous polar orbit, 636 km above the
surface of the earth. • Electronic Intelligence basically involves interception
of signals from radars.
• It observes earth’s surface in 3 different ranges
including visible, near infrared and shortwave • Once the signal is intercepted, the ELINT system
infrared regions in 55 spectral or colour bands. collects data related to radar signals including its
bandwidth, intensity, location from where it is emitted
• In short HysIS enables us to do a ‘CATSCAN’
etc creating what is called a RF signature. (Radio
equivalent of Earth from space.
frequency)
APPLICATION
• Once the RF signature is created it can be used for
• Monitoring agriculture, forestry locating and identifying the radar in subsequent
• Assessment of coastal zones, inland waters, soil encounters.
• Oil and minerals mapping • It can also help in developing appropriate jamming
• Military surveillance techniques to counter the enemy radar.
11
SPACE TECHNOLOGY
INDIAN REGIONAL • BeiDou – China
NAVIGATION SATELLITE ►TUNDRA SATELLITE

SYSTEM • Tundra series of satellites, also known as EKS (Edinaya
Kosmicheskaya Sistema), is the next generation of
• Also called NavIC, is like the GPS.
Russian early-warning satellites.
• While GPS has a constellation of 24 satellites, IRNSS
• The EKS was first developed in the year 2000.
has a 7-satellites constellation.
• In the event of a nuclear war, these satellites will carry
• NavIC has a position accuracy of 20 metres in its
a secure emergency communications payload.
primary coverage area.
• They are launched into Molniya-orbits, which are
• It can service regions extending up to 1500 km
inclined extremely elliptical 12 h orbits, using Soyuz-2-
around India's boundary.
1b Fregat rockets.
• There are currently seven IRNSS satellites (1A to 1G)
TUNDRA ORBITS
in orbit.
• Tundra orbits are very elliptical geosynchronous
ο A, B, F, G are placed in a geosynchronous orbit. (1A
orbits with a high inclination (about 63.4°) and a one
is replaced by 1I recently)
sidereal day orbital period.
ο C, D, E, are in geostationary orbit.
• The phenomenon known as apogee dwell occurs
• NavIC provides two types of services
when a satellite in this orbit spends most of its time
ο Standard positioning service- meant for all users. over a certain location of the Earth.
ο Restricted service-Encrypted service provided only • This makes spacecraft ideal for communications
to authorised users like military and security satellites that serve high-latitude locations.
agencies.
• A satellite on a Tundra orbit has a closed figure 8
APPLICATIONS ground track with a smaller loop over the northern or
• Terrestrial, Aerial and Marine Navigation southern hemisphere.
• Disaster Management • This distinguishes them from Molniya orbits, which
• Vehicle tracking and fleet management have same inclination but half the period and do not
hover over a single location and are meant to serve
• Integration with mobile phones
high-latitude regions.
• Precise Timing
DOUBLE ASTEROID REDIRECTION TEST (DART)
• Mapping and Geodetic data capture MISSION: NASA
• Terrestrial navigation aid for hikers and travellers • The mission's major goal is to put to the test a newly
• Visual and voice navigation for drivers developed technology that allows a spaceship to
collide with an asteroid and alter direction.
►BeiDou NAVIGATION SATELLITE • The mission is a suicide mission, and the ship will be
SYSTEM destroyed altogether.
• China has recently completed its BeiDou Navigation • The spacecraft is aiming towards Dimorphos (Greek
Satellite System (BDS) constellation, which can for "two forms"), a tiny moonlet.
potentially rival the US Global Positioning System • It has a diameter of around 160 m, and it is predicted
(GPS). to crash with Earth when it is 11 million km distant.
• BeiDou uses a network of satellites and can provide • Dimorphos is orbited by Didymos (Greek for "twin"), a
positional accuracies of under ten meters (GPS bigger asteroid with a diameter of 780 m.
provides positioning accuracies of under 2.2 m). OBJECTIVES OF THE DART MISSION
OTHER NAVIGATION SYSTEMS • DART is the first technical demonstration of the
• Global Positioning System (GPS) – USA kinetic impactor method, which might be used to
• GLONASS – Russia prevent an asteroid from colliding with Earth.
• Galileo – European Union (EU) • The impulsive deflection of the asteroid by the abrupt
addition of momentum is the kinetic impactor
• IRNSS – India
12
SPACE TECHNOLOGY
mitigation approach. DART is being launched to crash • Dimorphos is orbited by Didymos (Greek for "twin"), a
with an asteroid to alter its orbital period. bigger asteroid with a diameter of 780 m.
CONFIGURATION WHY DIMORPHOS?
• Weight: This is a very low-cost spaceship. DART • Didymos is an ideal test system since it is an eclipsing
weighs around 610 KG before launch and will lose binary, meaning it contains a moonlet that circles the
some weight throughout flight, weighing about 550 asteroid on a regular basis and can be observed when
KG after impact. it passes in front of the main asteroid.
• The main structure is a box (1.2 1.3 1.3 m in length). • Earth-based telescopes can investigate this brightness
The spacecraft has two solar panels and is propelled change to figure out how long Dimorphos takes to
by hydrazine propellant. circle Didymos.
• The spacecraft carries a high-resolution imager called DART IS IMPORTANT FOR PLANETARY DEFENCE
Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for • NASA formed Planetary Defense Coordination Office
Optical Navigation (DRACO) that will provide scientists to oversee the agency's continuing planetary defence
with exact photos and data to assess the effect of the program.
collision on the asteroid's course.
• The PDCO's objectives are to offer early detection of
• LICIACube, a tiny satellite or CubeSat, will also be potentially hazardous items, monitor and describe
carried by DART (Light Italian CubeSat for Imaging of the objects, research tactics and technologies for
Asteroids). minimising potential consequences, and play a key
ASTEROID TARGETED BY THE DART MISSION role in US government response plans in the event of
• It will aim for Dimorphos, a binary (two-body) asteroid a real-world incident.
system's much smaller "moonlet." • PDCO's first planetary defence test mission is DART.
13
SPACE TECHNOLOGY
►CHANDRAYAAN 1
ISRO’S SPACE st
• ISRO’s 1 mission to the moon.
EXPLORATION MISSIONS • It is a lunar orbiter best known for helping to discover
►ASTROSAT evidence of water molecules on the moon.
• Orbited the moon for almost a year (between October
• India’s 1st dedicated multi-wavelength space
2008 and August 2009).
observatory.
• Major goals: to collect data on moon’s geology,
• Studies outer space objects in X-ray, limited optical
mineralogy and topography.
and UV spectrum.
• The 1500-odd kg satellite is launched into a 650 km
orbit. ►CHANDRAYAAN 2
MAIN OBJECTIVES • 2nd lunar exploration and 1st lander and rover
mission of ISRO.
• To estimate magnetic field of neutron stars
• Lunar Orbiter-Lander-Rover mission of India.
• Study of binary star system
• India’s 1st inter-planetary mission to land a rover on
• Study of regions where stars are born
any celestial body.
• Chandrayaan 2 is the world’s 1st lunar mission to the
►EXPOSAT South Pole of the Moon’s near side.
• ExpoSAT is a multi-wavelength space observatory to KEY COMPONENTS
study the deep space. • Orbiter: Placed in an orbit 100km above the moon.
• It is planned as the successor to ASTROSAT. • Orbiter payload
• It will explore X-ray sources in the universe. ο Large Area Soft X-ray Spectrometer (CLASS) for
• It will study neutron stars, supernova remnants, mapping of elements.
pulsars, black holes in multiple wavelengths. ο Synthetic Aperture Radar to collect evidence
confirming the presence of water ice below the
shadowed regions of the Moon.
►MANGALYAAN
st
ο Imaging IR Spectrometer for mapping of lunar
• Also called Mars Orbiter Mission, it is India's 1
surface for the study of minerals, water molecules
interplanetary mission.
and hydroxyl
• Main Objective: Exploration of Martian surface ο Neutral Mass Spectrometer (ChACE-2) to study the
features, morphology, mineralogy and atmosphere lunar exosphere.
IMPORTANT PAYLOADS ο Terrain Mapping Camera-2 for preparing a 3-d map
1. Lyman-Alpha Photometer: Measures the deuterium for mineralogical and geological studies.
and hydrogen concentration in the upper LANDER: ‘VIKRAM’ AND ROVER NAMED ‘PRAGYAN’
atmosphere to estimate the water loss to outer • The lander-rover integrated module was supposed to
space. soft-land near south pole (about 600 km) of the moon
2. Methane Sensor: To measure methane in Martian • The 6-wheeled rover was planned to spend one lunar
atmosphere and to map its sources. day or 14 Earth days on the moon's surface and walk
3. Thermal Infrared Imaging Spectrometer: To study up to 150-200 km.
the composition and mineralogy of Martian surface • However, a last-minute software glitch led to crash-
by creating a temperature map by recording the lading of Vikram and Pragyan.
emission radiation. LANDER PAYLOAD
• Note: ISRO is also planning a Lander mission to Mars • A seismometer to study moonquakes
under Mangalyaan-2 by 2024. The main objective is to • Langmuir probe to measure characteristics of plasma
study the surface geology, magnetic fields and on the moon surface.
interplanetary dust. ROVER PAYLOAD
14
SPACE TECHNOLOGY
• Laser-induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS) • The Chandrayaan-1 mission, launched in October
• Alpha Particle Induced X-ray Spectroscope (APIXS) 2008, was ISRO's first exploring trip to the moon, or
any other celestial body.
PURPOSE
• The mission's only purpose was to circle the moon
• To find traces of water and helium 3.
and conduct observations using the sensors aboard.
• On-site chemical analysis of the surface
• The Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft reached the closest to
• To send pictures to earth via the orbiter. the moon at 100 km from its surface.
►CHANDRAYAAN-3 ►CHANG’E-5 LUNAR MISSION

The Chandrayaan-3 mission is a follow-up to • About 2 kg of stony pieces from Moon were
Chandrayaan-2, which landed a rover on the lunar South transported to Earth by Chang'e-5 lunar mission.
Pole in July 2019. • It had landed the far side of the Moon that had never
THE ORBITER'S USEFULNESS been landed upon.
• The Orbiter component of the mission has been • As a result, it was able to gather bits of youngest lunar
performing well. It has eight instruments on board. rocks ever brought back to Earth for study in labs.
• Each of these devices has generated a substantial • The rocks are also not same as ones that were
quantity of data that shines fresh light on the moon returned decades ago.
and provides new insights that might be useful in KEY FINDINGS
future exploration. • 90% of the elements gathered by Chang'e-5 are
LAUNCH OF CHANDRAYAAN 3 assumed to have come from landing site and its
immediate surrounds, which are composed of'mare
Following the failure of the Vikram lander, another
basalts.'
mission was launched to show the landing capabilities
required for the Lunar Polar Exploration Mission, which • These volcanic boulders may be seen as deeper grey
regions that spilled across most of the Moon's
was planned in collaboration with Japan for 2024.
nearside during previous lava outbursts.
DESIGN
• However, 10% of the pieces had chemical
• Only four throttle-able engines would be available on compositions that are markedly different and
the Chandrayaan-3 lander. 'strange.'
• Unlike Vikram, who had five 800N engines on EXOTIC COMPOSITIONS
Chandrayaan-2, one of which was centrally installed
• The different 10% pieces might have records of other
and had a set thrust.
sections of the lunar surface, as well as insights about
• A Laser Doppler Velocimeter will also be installed on the sorts of space objects that have collided with the
the Chandrayaan-3 lander (LDV). Moon's surface.
CHANDRAYAAN-2 • Researchers investigated into sources of quickly
• Chandrayaan-2 was made up of three spacecraft: an cooled glassy material particles.
orbiter, a lander, and a rover, all of which were • They've linked the glassy droplets to the 'Rima Mairan'
equipped with scientific equipment for studying the and 'Rima Sharp' extinct volcanic vents.
moon. These shards might provide details about previous
• From a 100-kilometer orbit, the Orbiter would periods of explosive, fountain-like volcanic activity on the
observe the moon, while the Lander and Rover Moon.
modules would be separated for a gentle landing on
the moon's surface. ►ADITYA-L1
• The Lander module was given the name Vikram in • India’s 1st first mission to study the Sun to be
honor of Vikram Sarabhai, India's space pioneer, launched in early 2020
while the Rover module was given the name • Its main objective is to study the solar corona.
Pragyaan, which means wisdom. • Corona is the outermost region of the Sun’s
CHANDRAYAAN-1 atmosphere. Interesting thing about Corona is it has
15
SPACE TECHNOLOGY
high temperatures of more than 1-million-degree • In 2014, this crew module built by HAL had its maiden
Kelvin far higher than the surface of the Sun (6000 unmanned testing flight.
degrees Kelvin). • Critical human-centric systems and technology
• The reason for this is still unknown and this is what including as space-grade food, crew healthcare,
Aditya L-1 will aim to understand. (NASA’s Parker radiation monitoring and protection, parachutes for
probe is currently exploring this aspect). the safe return of the crew module, and a fire
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION suppression system will be supported by DRDO.
• Solar Wind: Corona ejects millions of tonnes of high- COMPONENTS OF GAGANYAAN

speed solar wind that engulfs the entire solar system • Rocket: GSLV Mk-III
including earth. • Crew Module
• These solar winds are basically composed of electrons ο A crew module and service module.
and nuclei of hydrogen and helium atoms. According
ο The crew members will be selected by the IAF and
to the scientist, interaction of magnetic fields of
ISR.
opposite polarity — North and South — through a
ο Crew will perform micro-gravity and other scientific
process that solar physicists call magnetic flux
cancellation provides the energy for the eruptions experiments for a week.
called solar spicules. CREW MODULE ATMOSPHERIC RE-ENTRY
• Significance: Earth’s magnetic field acts as a protective TECHNOLOGY - CARE
shield against the solar wind. However, these solar • Satellites that are launched for communication or
winds can be harmful to space-based instruments like remote sensing are meant to remain in space.
satellites and thus to our communication networks, • However, a manned spacecraft needs to come back.
GPS etc
• While re-entering Earth’s atmosphere, the spacecraft
needs to withstand very high temperatures created
►GAGANYAAN MISSION due to friction.
• Gaganyaan is a crewed orbital spacecraft that will • A prior critical experiment was carried out in 2014
serve as the foundation for India's human spaceflight along with GSLV MK-III when the CARE (Crew Module
program (IHSP). Atmospheric Re-entry Experiment) capsule
• ISRO launched the IHSP in 2007 with the goal of successfully demonstrated that it could survive
developing the technology required to launch crewed atmospheric re-entry.
orbital spacecraft into low Earth orbit. CREW ESCAPE SYSTEM - PAT
• Gaganyaan 1, the first uncrewed mission, is set to • The Crew Escape System is an emergency accident-
launch on a GSLV Mark III rocket no sooner than June avoidance measure.
2022. • In July 2018, ISRO completed the first successful flight
• ISRO had been testing relevant technologies for the ‘pad abort test’ or Crew Escape System.
project, including a Crew Module Atmospheric Re- ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL & LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEM
entry Experiment and a Pad Abort Test. ECLSS
• After Russia, the United States, and China, India will • ECLSS will
become the fourth country to perform independent
ο Maintain steady cabin pressure and air
human spaceflight if the project is completed in the
composition
meanwhile.
ο Remove carbon dioxide and other harmful gases
DETAILS OF THE MISSION
ο Control temperature and humidity
• The spaceship will be able to transport three people,
ο Manage parameters like fire detection and
and an updated version will be able to rendezvous
suppression
and dock with another spacecraft.
• This capsule will circle the Earth at 400 km altitude for
up to seven days on its first crewed mission, with a
►SUBORBITAL FLIGHT
two or three-person crew on board. • Sirisha Bandla, an Indian-born astronaut, was a
member of the crew. After Kalpana Chawla and Sunita
16
SPACE TECHNOLOGY
Williams, she was the third woman of Indian descent • This is an idea proposed by NASA scientist Donald
to journey to space. Kessler in 1978.
• Virgin Galactic is a United States-based British- • It states that if there was too much space junk in
American spaceflight firm. orbit, it could result in a chain reaction where more
• Once an object is above the atmosphere and and more objects collide and create new space junk in
travelling at a horizontal speed of 28,000 km/hr or the process, to the point where Earth’s orbit becomes
higher, it enters orbit. unusable.
• To circle Earth, the satellites must attain that speed • It is also known as collisional cascading.
(orbital velocity). HOW CAN KESSLER SYNDROME BE AVOIDED?
• Due to gravity, such a satellite would accelerate • The successful ‘passivation’ of all spacecraft, which
towards the Earth, but its horizontal movement would would limit on-orbit breakups, and the widespread,
be rapid enough to counteract the downward motion, i.e., more than 90%, adoption of effective disposal
resulting in a circular course. strategies at the end of missions would contribute to
• Any object that travels slower than 28,000 km/hr must containing the growth of space debris.
ultimately return to Earth. • Clean Space by cutting debris production from future
• Any item that is launched into space but does not space missions.
attain a sufficient horizontal velocity to remain in • Then an urgent need to reduce the total mass of
space returns to Earth. As a result, they follow a current debris, such as the robotic salvage of derelict
suborbital trajectory. satellites.
• This implies that although these spacecrafts will cross PROJECT NETRA
the ill-defined space border, they will not be able to
• NETRA stands for Network for space objects TRacking
remain in space once they are there.
and Analysis. It is a project of ISRO to develop orbital
IMPORTANCE OF SUBORBITAL FLIGHTS debris tracking capability. This will provide early
• Due to the high expected flight rates, it would give warning system to safeguard space assets.
more flight access for design innovation and • It includes a network of observational facilities like
experimental modification. connected radars, telescopes, data processing units
• Microgravity studies will benefit from suborbital and a control centre.
flights. The state of microgravity is when individuals
• The system can spot, track and catalogue objects as
or things are weightless.
small as 10 cm, up to a range of 3,400 km and equal
• Suborbital flights might potentially be a viable to a space orbit of around 2,000 km.
alternative to parabolic aircraft flights, which are now
• The system is deployed to predict threats to Indian
used by space organisations to mimic zero gravity.
satellites from space debris, space attacks etc.
• Zero Gravity, often known as Zero-G, is the state or
• The telescopes and radars under the network would
situation of being weightless.
be set up at four locations:
• They would be a fraction of the cost of sending
ο Ponmudi in Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala)
experiments and people to the International Space
Station. ο Mount Abu (Rajasthan)
ο One in Deep North (Leh)
►SPACE DEBRIS ο One in the Northeast region
• Most Space debris comprises human-generated ο Multi Object Tracking Radar at Nellore
objects, such as pieces of spacecraft, tiny flecks of • The telescope network will be set up under the
paint from a spacecraft, parts of rockets, satellites Directorate of Space Situational Awareness and
that are no longer working, or explosions of objects in Management at Bengaluru.
orbit flying around in space at high speeds.
NORAD
• Most space junk is moving very fast and can reach
• ISRO currently depends on NORAD (North American
speeds of 18,000 miles per hour, almost seven times
Aerospace Defence Command) for tracking of space
faster than a bullet.
debris and protect its satellites in course and during
KESSLER SYNDROME launches.
17
SPACE TECHNOLOGY
• NORAD is an initiative of USA and Canada. It shares • Exchange information on space debris research
selective debris data with many countries. activities between member space agencies.
• It uses satellites, ground & air radars to secure USA & • Facilitate opportunities for cooperation in space
Canada against attacks from air, space & sea. debris research.
SPACE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS PACT • Identify debris mitigation options
• Bilateral Space Situation Awareness Pact was signed • Review progress of ongoing cooperative activities
between Department of Space of India and • Members: Space agencies of 13 space faring nations.
Department of Defence of USA. Benefits of this ISRO is also a member.
agreement are:
• Facilitate India to receive data from USA about space ►NEW SPACE INDIA LIMITED
debris and other objects in space and potential threat
Newly created second commercial arm of the Indian
that may pose to safety & security of new and existing
Space Research Organisation.
satellites and other space assets.
• Ensure sharing of data & services for long term IMPORTANT MISSIONS OF
sustainability of outer space activities of two both
countries by protecting satellites of both countries NASA
from natural and manmade threats.
INDIA AND SPACE DEBRIS ►NASA’S SunRISE MISSION
• NASA releases the quarterly report called Orbital NASA has announced a new SunRISE (The Sun Radio
Debris Quarterly News. According to this report, India Interferometer Space Experiment) mission to study giant
has 103 active or defunct spacecraft and 114 objects solar particle storms.
categorised as space debris.
• It will investigate how Sun generates and releases the
• USA has 4,144 spacecraft (active and defunct) and
giant weather storms, known as the Solar particle
5,126 objects that can be categorised as space debris
storms, into space.
in Earth’s orbit. China has 517 spacecraft and 3,854
objects as space debris. • The mission will help understand how such storms
• ISRO has established a Directorate of Space affect interplanetary space can help protect
Situational Awareness and Management at its spacecraft and astronauts.
headquarters to deal with issues related to space
debris.
►SOLAR ENERGETIC PARTICLES (SEP)
• A dedicated Space Situational Awareness Control
• They are high-energy particles coming from the Sun.
Centre is set up in Bangalore to coordinate all space
debris related activities within ISRO and to safeguard • They were first observed in the early 1940s.
Indian operational space assets from collision threats. • They consist of protons, electrons and HZE ions with
• India has been pursuing Active Debris Removal to energy ranging from a few tens of keV to many GeV.
contain growth of space debris objects. • They are of particular interest and importance
ACTIVE DEBRIS REMOVAL (ADR) because they can endanger life in outer space
• ADR refers to complex technology. (especially particles above 40 MeV). But their onset is
• Examples of Active Debris Removal Technologies: extraordinarily hard to predict, in part because we still
o Self Eating Rockets

don’t know exactly where on the Sun they come from.
o Vanishing Satellites • The greatest mystery about gradual SEPs is not what
speeds them up, but where they come from in the
INTER-AGENCY DEBRIS COORDINATION COMMITTEE
(IADC) first place. For reasons still not fully understood, SEPs
contain a different mix of particles than the other
An international government forum for worldwide
solar material streaming off the Sun in the solar wind
coordination of activities related to the issues of man-
made and nature debris in space. – fewer carbon, sulfur, and phosphorous ions, for
instance.
Functions:
18
SPACE TECHNOLOGY
• Many scientists thought Solar Energetic Particles • CMEs that move faster than the solar wind may cause
would be found at the edges of the active region shock waves.
where the magnetic field is already open, and • That increases the potential for or intensity of
material can escape directly. But the fingerprint radiation storms.
matched only in regions where the magnetic field is
still closed. ►EUVST AND EZIE
• The SEPs had somehow broken free from strong NASA has approved two missions to explore the Sun and
magnetic loops connected to the Sun at both ends. the system that drives space weather near Earth. These
These loops trap material near the top of the two missions are:
chromosphere, one layer below where solar flares
i. Extreme Ultraviolet High-Throughput Spectroscopic
and coronal mass ejections erupt.
Telescope Epsilon Mission, or EUVST
ii. Electrojet Zeeman Imaging Explorer, or EZIE.
►CORONAL MASS EJECTIONS (CMEs) NASA's contribution to the missions will help us
• Strong magnetic fields shape the corona, the outer understand the Sun and Earth as an interconnected
solar atmosphere. When these fields are closed, system. Understanding the physics that drive the solar
frequently over sunspot groups, the constrained solar wind and solar explosions -- including solar flares and
atmosphere may forcefully discharge coronal mass coronal mass ejections -- could one day help scientists
ejections. predict these events, which can impact human
technology and explorers in space.
• CMEs are enormous plasma and magnetic field
expulsions from the Sun's corona. CMEs may excite
electrons and protons trapped in Earth's changing ►EUVST
magnetic field. • Led by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), in
• There is an embedded magnetic field (frozen in flux) partnership with other international organizations.
that is greater than the baseline solar wind • Planned to be launched in 2026.
interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). • It is a solar telescope that will study how the sun’s
• CMEs leave the Sun at speeds ranging from less than atmosphere releases solar wind and drives eruptions
250 km/s to about 3000 km/s. of solar material. NASA will do hardware
• The fastest Earth-directed CMEs arrive in 15-18 hours. contributions to the mission
Slower CMEs might come days later.
• They grow as they travel away from the Sun, and by ►EZIE
the time they reach Earth, they may be a fifth of the • To be launched by NASA in June 2024.
distance between Earth and the Sun. • The EZIE mission is made up of three Cubesats which
IMPACT OF CORONAL MASS EJECTIONS (CMES) will study electric currents in Earth’s atmosphere
• Magnetic reconnection occurs when highly twisted linking aurora to the Earth’s magnetosphere.
magnetic field structures (flux ropes) in the Sun's
lower corona become too strained and realign into a ►DART MISSION
less tension form.
• Double Asteroid Redirection Test Mission
• This may cause a solar flare, which is usually
• It is a kinetic impactor technique to change the motion
associated with a CME (coronal mass ejection).
of an asteroid to prevent its impact on Earth.
• These CMEs originate from areas of the Sun with high
• It will impact on the small moon of asteroid Didymos.
magnetic fields, such as active zones associated with
sunspot groups. CMEs may also come from filaments
and prominences in the inner corona, where cooler,
►HAMMER
denser plasma is trapped and suspended by magnetic It is a spacecraft designed to serve as
flux. Changes in flux rope configuration may result in 1. Kinetic impactor is like a ram that can be used to
either a quiet resorption of the dense filament or nudge asteroid from its path.
prominence or a CME.
19
SPACE TECHNOLOGY
2. As a transport vehicle for a nuclear device to ►CURIOSITY
annihilate the asteroid before it reaches the earth
Mars Rover Mission
►EUROPA CLIPPER
►KEPLER MISSION
• Spacecraft to conduct a detailed survey of Jupiter's
• Mission to search for Earth-like planets around the
moon Europa.
Milky Way galaxy that might harbour life.
• It is aimed at assessing the suitability of Europa to
• Kepler Mission retired recently
harbour life.
IMPORTANT DISCOVERIES
CHARACTERISTICS OF EUROPA
st
• Kepler-22b: 1 planet found in the “habitable zone”.
• Icy Planet
• A habitable zone or ‘goldilocks zone’ is a region
• Hubble Space Telescope observed water vapor above
around a star at a distance where liquid water could
Europa.
pool on a planetary surface and possibly support life.
• It means that it has a subsurface ocean.
• TRAPPIST-1 system: home to seven Earth-size planets.
►MESSENGER
►TRANSITING EXOPLANET SURVEY
Mission to Mercury
SATELLITE (TESS)
• Successor of Kepler Mission
►NASA’S MISSION TO VENUS
• 2-year mission in search of exoplanets.
• Mariner 2: 1st flyby of Venus in 1962
• Magellan: Orbiter Mission
►MODIS
• Earth observation satellite of NASA
►CASSINI HUYGENS
• Monitoring large-scale changes in the biosphere to
• Joint mission of NASA, ESA and Italian Space Agency
understand change in global carbon cycle.
to Saturn
• Final flyby in 2017
►DAWN MISSION
• 1st spacecraft to observe presence of hydrocarbon
• Main aim was to study two important objects in the
rains, rivers, lakes and seas on Titan.
asteroid belt, Ceres and Vesta.
ο Ceres: A dwarf planet and the largest object in the
►DISCOVERY
asteroid belt
Mars lander and Rover Mission
ο Vesta: a protoplanet, is the second largest object in
the region.
►INSIGHTS st
• 1 spacecraft to orbit a body in the region between
Mars’ lander mission under Discovery program, Landed Mars and Jupiter.
st
near the equator of Mars to study its interior. • 1 mission to visit a dwarf planet.
st
• NASA’s 1 deep space mission to be propelled by an
►OTHER MISSIONS TO MARS ion engine.
• Mars Exploration Rovers ‘Spirit’ and ‘Opportunity’.

►SOHO
• Viking Mission also flew past Mars
• Short for Solar and Heliospheric Observatory.
• MAVEN: Mars Atmosphere And Volatile Evolution
Mission • Joint project between ESA and NASA.
• Main goal is to study the Sun, from its deep core to
the outer corona, and the solar wind. (Remember
►OPPORTUNITY
Aditya: only Corona)
• Mars Rover Mission.
• Objective of SOHO is to study the fundamental
• Formal ended recently scientific questions about the Sun including
20
SPACE TECHNOLOGY
ο What is the structure and dynamics of the solar ο Davinci
interior? ο Io Volcano Observer
ο Why does the solar corona exist and how is it heated ο Veritas
to the extremely high temperature of about 10
ο Trident
Lakh°C?
ο Where is the solar wind produced and how is it
accelerated?
►LUCY MISSION
• Lucy will pass by eight Jupiter asteroids—seven
►NEW FRONTIER’S PROGRAM Trojans and one main-belt asteroid.

• First time in NASA history that a single spacecraft has
• Aimed at exploring the solar system
explored so many distinct asteroids.
• Various missions under New Frontiers Program are
• Lucy will be powered entirely by solar energy and will
1. New Horizons – Launched in 2006 to investigate
travel 850 million km from the Sun.
distant solar system object including Pluto and its
moons and Kuiper Belt. • According to NASA, this makes it the farthest-flung
solar-powered spacecraft ever.
2. Juno – launched in 2016 to study Jupiter
JUPITER TROJAN ASTEROIDS
3. OSIRIS-REx mission to collect samples from an
asteroid (Bennu) and carry it to Earth for further study • They are a collection of asteroids that share Jupiter's
orbit around Sun. Known as Trojans.
4. Dragonfly – To be launched in 2026 to study Saturn
and its icy moons • In a gravitationally stable environment, thousands of
similar asteroids exist.
►NEW HORIZON • Jupiter is led and followed by swarms as it orbits Sun.
• NASA’s space mission to Pluto TROJANS
• Also, the 1st mission to explore the solar system’s • Lucy's Trojan destinations are stranded at Jupiter's
region beyond the giant planets called Kuiper Belt. Lagrange (L) points, which are gravitationally stable
areas where the Sun's and Jupiter's gravity cancels
• Ultima Thule is a small rocky and icy trans-Neptunian
out.
planetesimal in Kuiper belt. (recent encounter of New
Horizon) • This indicates that their orbits are steady, and the
Trojans are locked between them.
• Arrokoth: Recently New Horizon encountered this
primordial body in Kuiper Belt. This is a planetesimal • Asteroids are also the same distance from Jupiter as
and thus will help us understand early solar system they are from the Sun.
and its origin. • The leading and trailing Lagrangian points (L4 and L5)
of Jupiter have remained constant throughout the
►DRAGONFLY solar system's history.
• Lander Mission to Saturn’s Titan • This suggests that many asteroids have gathered in
their orbits.
CHARACTERISTICS OF TITAN
• A Trojan is a co-orbital object since it revolves around
• Nitrogen-based atmosphere
one of the two stable Lagrangian points.
• Clouds and rain of methane.
LAGRANGE’S PROPOSITIONS
• Over a century ago, Mathematician Joseph-Louis
►DISCOVERY PROGRAM
Lagrange anticipated this situation of strange
• It is a series of Solar System exploration missions. behaviour.
• It is a faster, better, cheaper planetary • From the viewpoint of the planet, Lagrange
science missions of NASA.
postulated that if a tiny celestial body is put at one of
• Important Discovery missions two stable locations in its orbit around the Sun (the L4
ο Lucy and L5), the asteroid would stay stationary.
ο Psyche • This is due to the planet's and the Sun's combined
gravitational pull.
21
SPACE TECHNOLOGY
• As a result, Lagrange's prognosis gained credence.
Over the next several months, other asteroids of this ►PARKER SOLAR PROBE
kind were identified at Jupiter's Lagrange point L5.
• First ever visit to a star. It will be 6.2 million km to Sun
ORIGIN OF NAME: LUCY at closest approach.
• It's the remains of a hominid from 3.2 million years • It will fly through Sun’s Inner atmosphere to trace
ago. how energy flows through the corona.
• She is regarded as one of history's most renowned • Robotic spacecraft to probe outer corona of the Sun
pre-human fossils.
• A team of paleoanthropologists headed by Donald
►PUNCH MISSION
Johanson uncovered about 40% of the fossilised
• It is a NASA mission which aims to understand the
skeleton of this hominid in 1974.
transition of particles from Sun’s outer corona to the
• The name was inspired by the Beatles' song "Lucy in
solar wind that fills interplanetary space.
the Sky with Diamonds," which Johanson's crew was
• It will have a constellation of four suitcase sized
listening to at camp the night of their discovery.
microsats that will orbit the Earth.
• It will image and track the solar wind and coronal
►PSYCHE
mass ejections.
• It is a NASA mission to explore the origin of planetary
• Will be launched in 2022.
core by studying metallic asteroid Psyche.
• Psyche is the heaviest known Metallic asteroid in the
►HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE
asteroid belt. It is thought to be exposed iron core of
a protoplanet. • Edwin Hubble, an astronomer, was the inspiration for
• It appears to be the exposed metal core of an early the name.
planet. (made of nickel-iron like earth’s core) • Since its launch, the observatory has achieved
• Psyche Mission is NASA's 1st mission to examine an ground-breaking discoveries in astronomy as the first
object made not of rock and ice, but metal. significant optical telescope to be put in space (into
Low Earth orbit in 1990).
• The "biggest important improvement in astronomy
►DAVINCI
since Galileo's telescope," according to the press
• Proposed atmospheric probe to Venus. release.
• Short for Deep Atmosphere Venus Investigation of • It's part of NASA's Great Observatories Program,
Noble gases, Chemistry, and Imaging which includes four space-based observatories that
• Main aim is to study the chemical composition of each look at the Universe in a unique way.
Venus' atmosphere • The visible-light Spitzer Space Telescope, the
Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory (CGRO), and the
►IO VOLCANO OBSERVER Chandra X-Ray Observatory are among the other
To study volcano on IO. (one of the Galilean moons of missions in the program (CXO).
Jupiter) • Its length (13.3 m) is longer than a school bus, and it
boasts a 7.9-foot mirror.
►VERITAS • It takes photographs of deep space and aids scientists

with their understanding of the cosmos by seeing the
• Venus Emissivity, Radio Science, InSAR, Topography,
furthest stars, galaxies, and planets.
and Spectroscopy mission
• On any given day, anybody may check the Hubble
• Proposed mission to map with high resolution the
database to see which new galaxy it discovered, what
surface of planet Venus.
remarkable features it saw about our stars, solar
system, and planets, and what patterns of ionized
►TRIDENT: NEPTUNE’S MOON gases it discovered.
Proposed mission to study Neptune's largest CONTRIBUTION OF HST
moon Triton.
22
SPACE TECHNOLOGY
• The accelerated expansion of the universe in the • It took 30 years and $10 billion to build and is being
1990s led to the conclusion that dark energy made up hailed as one of the most significant scientific
most of the universe. achievements of the twenty-first century.
• Southern Ring Nebula (1995) revealed two stars, a GOAL OF THE JWST
dazzling white star and a duller star at the nebula's • Entire sky can be seen it.
core, where the dull star created the nebula.
• It does, however, have one overarching goal: to
• Dwarf galaxy merger (1998), one of which is I Zwicky observe the light emitted by the Universe's very
18. This created a new Star. earliest stars.
• Colorful gas patterns in the ‘Circinus Galaxy', • About 100-200 million years after the Big Bang, or a
propelled by a black hole (1999). little more than 13.5 billion years ago, these pioneer
• Two galaxies UGC 06471 and UGC 06472 collide stars are expected to have turned on.
(2000). • Webb will separate these stars into groups.
• Neptune (2011): The scan of the furthest planet • They are so far away that even if light travels at
shows high-altitude clouds made of methane ice. 300,000 km/s, it will take billions of years for it to
• In 2012, two planets, light-scattering dust, and debris reach us.
were identified in the disc encircling the star ‘Beta JWST MIRROR
Pictoris'.
• A huge mirror, which will assist gather light from the
• ‘Galaxy Cluster Abell 2744' in 2013. In it are multiple things being seen, will be one of the most crucial
clusters of tiny galaxies. items it will carry.
• It also has a powerful gravitational field that functions • The main mirror is made up of 18 hexagonal mirror
as a lens for over 3,000 nearby galaxies. pieces, each measuring 1.32 m in diameter, which are
• In 2014, a comet dubbed C/2013 A1 collided with sewn together in a honeycomb pattern.
Mars. • The main mirror is an engineering wonder.
• ‘Comet Siding Spring' passed Mars at just 87,000 km. • When completely deployed, the lightweight mirrors,
• ‘Gum 29', a 20,000-light-year distant bright stellar coatings, actuators and motors, electronics, and
being ground, was caught in 2014. thermal blankets combine to create a single accurate
• This massive star cluster is named Westerlund 2. mirror.
• In 2016, the comet 332P/Ikeya-Murakami • Each mirror piece is composed of beryllium and
disintegrated. weighs around 20 kg.
• In 2017, the Triangulum Galaxy was seen with a BERYLLIUM

dazzling blue glow spreading over the galaxy in • According to NASA, beryllium was chosen because
spectacular nebulas of heated gas. element is both powerful and light.
• Observation of Galaxy ESO 243-49 in 2012. • Beryllium is a lightweight metal that retains its form
• The 20,000 suns black hole was located on a galaxy well over a wide range of temperatures. Beryllium is a
glacier plane. non-magnetic metal that conducts electricity and heat
well.
SUCCESSOR OF HST
• Beryllium is utilised to make components for
• James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), Hubble's
supersonic jets and the Space Shuttle because it is
replacement, is set to launch later this year.
light and robust.
• Many astronomers, though, believe that the two will
• It went on to say that while dealing with beryllium,
be able to work together - at least for the time being.
extra caution was necessary since inhaling or
swallowing beryllium dust is harmful.
►JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE
OTHER FUTURE OBSERVATORIES OF NASA
(JWST)
NANCY GRACE ROMAN SPACE TELESCOPE
• It's a space telescope that NASA, the European Space
• Formerly known as WFIRST (Wide Field Infrared
Agency (ESA), and the Canadian Space Agency are
Survey Telescope), is a next generation observatory to
working on together (CSA).
23
SPACE TECHNOLOGY
be launched to study exoplanets, dark energy and • Besides there are some “rogue” exoplanets that are
galaxies. not a part of any star system.
• This telescope will employ a mirror of 2.4 m in • According to NASA, there are more than 5,000
diameter of same size and sensitivity as Hubble Space confirmed exoplanets. They are part of NASA
Telescope’s primary mirror. But the mirror will have Exoplanet Archive. The archive records discoveries
field of view 100 times larger than Hubble. that appear in peer reviewed and have been
confirmed by multiple detection or analytical
►ARTEMIS techniques.
• Joint mission of NASA, ESA, JAXA and Canadian Space • Some types of Exoplanets: (a) ‘Hot Jupiters’: These are
Agency. exoplanets which are gaseous and very close to their
stars. (b)
• Aim is to land the first female and next man on the
Moon, specifically at the lunar south pole region by • The search for exoplanets is also the search for alien
2024. Further, it will establish sustainable exploration life and habitable spaces beyond our star system.
by 2028. Learnings from the mission will be used to • NASA’s Kepler and K2 missions have identified several
send astronauts to Mars. such candidates.
• To study effects of solar wind from a lunar orbit. • To be considered habitable exoplanets must orbit
• Deployed primarily to observe Moon’s interaction within a distance of their stars in which liquid water
with the solar wind. can exist on the planet’s surface. This distance is
called the “Goldilocks” zone.
►LUNAR ORBITAL PROGRAM – • It is found that red dwarfs are the best place to find
GATEWAY (LUNAR GATEWAY) ‘exoplanets.
• It is an in-development space station in lunar orbit FUTURE MISSIONS FOR EXOPLANETS

intended to serve as a solar powered ARIEL SPACE MISSION OF ESA
communications hub, science laboratory, short term
European Space Agency (ESA) has formally adopted
habitation module, and holding area for rovers and
ARIEL (Atmospheric Remote-sensing Infrared Exoplanet
other robots. Critical to human presence on Moon.
Large-survey), the explorer that will study the nature,
• It would play major role in NASA’s Artemis Program. formation, and evolution of exoplanets, by surveying
• It is being developed by all International Space Station
• First mission of its kind dedicated to measuring
partners: ESA, NASA, Roscosmos, JAXA and Canadian
chemical composition & thermal structures of
Space Agency.
hundreds of exoplanets.
• It will focus on exceptionally hot planets in our galaxy,
►COBE SATELLITE o
with temperatures greater than 600 F. Such planets
• Short for Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) are more likely to transit their stars than planets
st
• 1 to confirm CMB radiation orbiting farther out, and their short orbital periods
provide more opportunities to observe transits in a
►AURA given period of time.
Earth observation satellite for stratosphere ozone and • First spacecraft to be fully dedicated to observing
aerosol in upper atmosphere. hundreds of exoplanet atmospheres.
• The mission is expected to be launched in 2029.
PLATO MISSION OF ESA
OTHER IMPORTANT • PLATO stands for PLanetary Transits and Oscillations
MISSIONS of stars. ESA’s next generation planet hunting mission

as part of its COSMIC VISION PROGRAM.
►EXOPLANETS • Objective: To find and study many extrasolar

planetary systems, with emphasis on properties of
• Definition: Planets outside our solar system.
terrestrial planets in the habitable zone around solar-
• Most exoplanets are part of star systems. like stars.
24
SPACE TECHNOLOGY
• It has been designed to investigate seismic activity in • This process continues until the grains reach the size
stars, enabling the precise characterisation of the of a planetary core, at which time the newborn
planet host, including its age. planet's gravitational potential is strong enough to
accrete gas that will create its atmosphere.
►MOON-FORMING REGION SEEN • Some embryonic planets draw a disc of material

around them, resulting in the production of moons
AROUND AN EXOPLANET
around planets by the same mechanism that
EXOPLANETS produces planets around stars.
• Exoplanets are planets that have been found outside • The disc surrounding PDS 70c has enough material to
of our solar system. form up to three moons the size of Earth's moon, with
• Most exoplanets circle other stars, while rogue a diameter about comparable to the distance
planets, or free-floating exoplanets, orbit the galactic between the Earth and the sun.
center and are unattached to any star.
• Except for the two newborn gas planets circling PDS ►BEPI COLOMBO
70, no circumplanetary discs have been discovered
Joint mission of ESA and JAXA to Mercury.
until today since all known exoplanets were in
"mature" – completely matured – solar systems.
►JUICE
NEW FINDING
• JUpiter ICy moons Explorer of ESA’s (European Space
• A disc of spinning material has been seen collecting
Agency)
around one of two young planets, according to the
researchers. • Orbiter mission to explore Jupiter and three of its icy
moons: Europa, Callisto and Ganymede.
• They were discovered circling a young star named
st
PDS 70, which is just 370 light-years away from Earth. • 1 non-American outer Solar System mission
• It's a circumplanetary disc, and it's from this that

moon emerges. ►ROSETTA MISSION
• The finding adds to our knowledge of how planets ESA’s mission to Comet Rosetta
and moons develop.
FORMATION OF DISC ►SOLAR ORBITER
• The spectacular rings of Saturn, a planet with more • Will perform unprecedented close-up observations of
than 80 moons around it, are a remnant of a the Sun and from high latitudes, providing the first
primordial moon-forming disc in our solar system. images of uncharted polar regions of the Sun, and
• PDS 70, an orange-colored star having approx. same investigating Sun-Earth connection.
mass as our Sun, is just around 5 million years old– a • Collaboration of NASA and ESA.
blink in cosmic time. • At its closest, it will 42 million km, inside the orbit of
• Even younger are the two worlds. Jupiter, a gas giant, planet mercury.
is comparable to both planets (but Jupiter is bigger). • It will use the gravity of Venus to enter a highly
• A Moon-forming disc was discovered surrounding one elliptical orbit around the Sun.
of the two planets, designated PDS 70c.
BIRTH OF A MOON ►COSMIC VISION
• Within clouds of interstellar gas and dust dispersed • ESA’s campaign for space exploration like Discovery
across galaxies, stars erupted. and New Frontiers Programs of NASA
• Planets form from leftover material revolving around • Will include several missions in solar system
a young star, and circumplanetary discs around exploration including
certain planets produce moons in the same way.
o CHEOPS
• "Core accretion" is the major process assumed to
o Comet Interceptor
underlie planet creation.
o LISA
• Small ice-coated dust grains get bigger and larger
when they collide with other grains in this scenario. o ATHENA
25
SPACE TECHNOLOGY
►CHEOPS ►FAST ARRAY/ TIANYAN

• ESA’s measure known exoplanets' size by photometry • Chinese Radio Telescope
• Short for the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical
►ATHENA radio Telescope
• Advanced Telescope for High Energy Astrophysics • Also called “Sky Eye" or "The Eye of Heaven"
• X-ray telescope planned for 2031

►HAYABUSA MISSION
►AIDA • Japanese space exploration mission to study
asteroids.
• Short for Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment
• Hayabusa 1 (2003): to study the features of asteroid
• Space probe to test impact models of whether a
‘Itokawa’.
spacecraft could successfully deflect an asteroid on a
• Hayabusa 2 mission (2014): asteroid ‘Ryugu’
collision course with Earth.
►HERACLE
►COMET INTERCEPTOR
Joint lunar mission of ESA, JAXA and Canada
• Robotic spacecraft mission of ESA planned for a 2028
launch.
►BIRDS PROJECT
• It will be parked at the Sun-Earth L2 point (Lagrange
• Japan’s project to support non-spacefaring countries
Point)
to build their first satellite.
• It is to intercept a long-period comet that will flyby in
• Called as The Joint Global Multi-Nation Birds Satellite
2-3 years
project (BIRDS).
• Birds1: Five countries participated in the first Bird
►VENUS EXPRESS BY ESA program: Ghana, Mongolia, Nigeria, and Bangladesh.
Orbiter mission of European Space Agency launched in • Birds-2: Bhutan, the Philippines, and Malaysia
2005
►SPICA
►TIANGONG-1 • Joint effort of Japan and ESA.
• Chinese space station • Proposed infrared space telescope
• Also called Heavenly Palace or Celestial Palace 1. • Short for Space Infrared Telescope for Cosmology and
Astrophysics
• Launched in 2011, retired in 2018
• Aims to elucidate the process that enriched the
universe with metal and dust and led to the formation
►TIANGONG-2
of habitable world by observing "metal and dust
• Launched in 2016 enrichment through galaxy evolution" and "planetary
• Successor to Tiangong-1. system formation of habitable systems".
• Currently in orbit
• Aim is to test capabilities for long-term human  TELESCOPES
presence in space.
►THE GIANT METERWAVE RADIO
►TIANZHOU 1 TELESCOPE
st
1 Chinese cargo spacecraft to service the Tiangong 2 • Located near Pune
• Deep space objects such as galaxy, neutron star,
►TIANHE-1 pulsar, etc.

• An array of 30 fully steerable parabolic radio
• Permanent space module of China
telescopes of 45 metre diameter.
• Also called “Harmony of the Heavens”
26
SPACE TECHNOLOGY
►GEMINI TELESCOPE IN HAWAII • DESI will peer deeply into the universe’s infancy and
early development—up to about 11 billion years
• Radio telescope of USA
ago—to create the most detailed 3-D map of the
• It was used to measure the distance to the galaxy. universe.
• The distance of radio galaxies is measured in redshift.
• The farther away galaxies are, the faster they move ►MEERKAT
away from us and therefore appear to be redder due
• Inaugurated by South Africa, it will be the biggest
to Doppler shift.
radio telescope of its kind in southern hemisphere.
• It will be incorporated into complex Square Kilometre
►EVENT HORIZON TELESCOPE Array (SKA) instrument.
• Imaged the 1st ever picture of Black Hole. • It will address some of the key science questions in
• Network of 8 radio telescopes located in Hawaii, modern astrophysics – formation of galaxies, how are
• Arizona, Chile, Mexico and Spain, and at the South they evolving, how did we come to be here.
Pole.
• It is synchronized in such a way in effect they form a ►STARLINK INTER-NET
radio telescope of the size of the earth itself. CONSTELLATION
• The name of the Blackhole captured was kept • SpaceX deployed all 60 Starlink satellites into orbit
‘Powehi’. through Falcon 9 rocket. Starlink satellite
constellation will eventually have close to 12,000
►THIRTY METER TELESCOPE satellites.
• These satellites will be deployed in Low Earth Orbit
they will be deployed in the altitude band of 350 km
to 1200 km.
WHY LOW EARTH ORBIT FOR SPACE INTERNET?
1. It will have lower latency when compared internet
provided by satellites in Geostationary orbit. (Less
distance to travel)
2. However, to cover the area of the earth and provide
continuous internet cover, many more thousands of
satellites will be needed.
AIMS
1. Provide low-cost, reliable and uninterrupted space-
• Multi-wavelength Large telescope in near-ultraviolet based internet services to the world.
to mid-infrared observations
2. About 4 billion people do not have access to reliable
• Proposed sites: Mauna Kea in Hawaii, Hanle in India internet as the traditional method to access internet
• Funding from Canada, China, Japan and India. using fibre optic networks and wireless networks
►DARK ENERGY SPECTROSCOPIC

SPEED TEST - 3
INSTRUMENT (DESI)
i. Every known matter has an antimatter which has
• It is designed by Lawrence Berkeley National the same mass and volume; only difference being
Laboratory, to explore the mystery of dark energy. the inherent charge.
• DESI’s components are designed to automatically ii. Thus, according to the standard model elementary
point at preselected sets of galaxies, gather their light, particles in nature are Quarks, Leptons and
and then split that light into narrow bands of color to Bosons.
precisely map their distance from Earth and gauge
iii. Neutrinos have zero mass.
how much the universe expanded as this light
iv. Existence of Dark matter comes as a natural
travelled to Earth.
outcome of Einstein’s theory of relativity.
27
SPACE TECHNOLOGY
v. Dark matter doesn't interact with matter and is • These particles interact with each other in accordance
completely invisible to light and other forms of with rules known as the ‘four fundamental
electromagnetic radiation. interactions’ which are
vi. Dark matter causes the universe to expand faster ο Gravity
and faster. ο Electromagnetism
vii. The further away the galaxies are, the faster they ο Weak Nuclear force
are moving.
ο Strong Nuclear force
viii. Einstein was convinced of the real existence of
• For the weak and strong nuclear interactions to work,
Black holes and predicted them to discovered
the Standard Model predicts the presence of a
latter.
particle called Higgs Boson.
ix. Black hole is made up Dark matter.
• Thus, according to the standard model elementary
x. Light can be bent by Black hole.
particles in nature are Quarks, Leptons and Bosons.
xi. Bodies behind the Black hole can be visible to us.
QUARKS
xii. Radio telescopes are used to study Black holes.
• They join to form hadrons, such as protons and
xiii. Black holes always remain stationary in the space.
neutrons, which are components of the nuclei of
xiv. Event Horizon Telescope project is a joint initiative
atoms.
of NASA and ESA.
• The antiparticle of a quark is the antiquark.
xv. Isotropic component of gravitational wave has not
been detected yet. • There are 6 principal quarks and, hence, 6 anti-
quarks.
xvi. Sagittarius A* is a star.
xvii. The first woman to win the prize was Marie Curie in • Quarks and antiquarks are the only two fundamental
1903. She won it for discovery of radium. particles that interact through all four fundamental
forces of physics: gravitation, electromagnetism, and
xviii. Marie Curie is the only person to be honored by
the strong interaction and weak interactions.
Noble Prize in two separate sciences.
xix. So far only four women have received Noble Prize • A quark exhibits confinement, which means that the
in physics. quarks are not observed independently but always in
combination with other quarks.
xx. Radio signal from an exoplanet hint towards life on
the planet. • This makes determining the properties (mass, spin,
and parity) impossible to measure directly.
LEPTONS
BASIC PHYSICS AND • Like quarks, leptons too are of 6 types. However, they
ASTRONOMY do not have any fractional charge. The leptons
are ELECTRON, MUON, TAU and 3 Types OF
►STANDARD MODEL OF PHYSICS NEUTRINOS.
• The fundamental questions that has intrigued • Electron being a Lepton is a fundamental elementary
humans for long are “What is the world made of?" particle.
and "What holds it together?”. FERMION
• The Standard Model is an attempt to explain these • Fermions are particles which have half-integer spin
and therefore are constrained by the Pauli Exclusion
questions.
Principle. Fermions include electrons, protons,
ο According to Standard Model, all the known matter neutrons.
is made up of fundamental particles called quarks
• Fermions include all quarks and leptons.
and leptons.
• The fact that electrons are fermions is foundational to
ο Nucleus of an atom consists of protons and the build-up of the periodic table of the elements
neutrons which are made of fundamental particles since there can be only one electron for each state in
called quarks. an atom (only one electron for each possible set of
quantum numbers).
• Electrons are made up of leptons.
28
SPACE TECHNOLOGY
• The fermion nature of electrons also governs the ►GOD PARTICLE
behaviour of electrons in a metal where at low
• Peter Higgs suggested that particles did not have
temperatures all the low energy states are filled up to
mass just after Big Bang. As universe cooled and
a level called the Fermi energy.
temperature fell below critical point, an invisible force
BOSON field got formed which has been termed Higgs Field.
Boson is a collective name given to particles that carry • The associated particles with the Higgs field have
forces. It has been named after Indian scientist been termed the Higgs Boson. It has been theorized
Satyendra Nath Bose. Gravity as a force of nature is yet that any particle that interacted with these Higgs
not accepted by the Standard Model due to the failure to Boson got mass and those particles that were left out
discover its Boson. Strong Nuclear Force is the strongest of the Higgs field remained massless.
known force while gravity is the weakest. • As these Higgs Bosons have the capability to grant
mass, the primary condition for the existence of
►Muon g-2 EXPERIMENT matter, they were termed as the God particle.
Fermilab has released the first results from its ‘muon g-2’ • Big Bang Theory is the leading explanation about how
experiment. universe began. It talks about universe as we know it
starting with a small singularity, then inflating over
MUON
next 13.8 billion years to cosmos that we know today.
• The muon, a heavier cousin of the electron, is
• Scientist at CERN observed Higgs boson decaying to
expected to have a value of 2 for its magnetic
fundamental particles known as bottom quarks.
moment (g).
• It occurs naturally in cosmic ray showers and has
been produced copiously in the Fermilab experiments
►NEUTRINOS
• Like the electron, the muon has a magnetic moment • Neutrinos are subatomic particles that are almost
because of which, when it is placed in a magnetic mass less.
field, it spins. As the muon spins, it also interacts with • They are generally emitted during nuclear decays
the surrounding environment, which consists of • They move nearly at the speed of light.
short-lived particles popping in and out of a vacuum.
• The neutrinos are particles that have no electric
So, its g value (magnetic moment) is altered by its
charge and are not affected by electric or nuclear
interactions with these short-lived excitations.
forces.
THE ‘muon g-2’ EXPERIMENT RESULT
• Under most conditions matter is transparent to
Fermilab has announced that the measured ‘g’ deviated
neutrinos and thus neutrinos pass through all matter
from the amount predicted by the Standard Model. That
almost entirely. Therefore, they are difficult to detect.
is, while the calculated value in the Standard Model is
• Indian Neutrino observatory is being constructed at
2.00233183620 approximately, the experimental results
show a value of 2.00233184122. Bodi Hills, in the Theni District of Tamil Nadu.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RESULT • Japan is planning to build Hyper-Kamiokande

neutrino detector which will be world’s largest
• The Standard Model is supposed to contain the
neutrino observatory.
effects of all known particles and forces at the particle
level., if the measured g factor differs from the value Q. India-based Neutrino Observatory is included by
calculated by the Standard Model, it could signify that the Planning Commission as a mega science
th
there are new particles in the environment that the project under the 11 Five Year Plan. In this
SM does not account for. context, consider the following statements: [2010]
• So, a contradiction of the Standard Model would 1. Neutrinos are chargeless elementary particles that
imply that there exist new particles, and their travel close to the speed of light.
interactions with known particles would enlarge the 2. Neutrinos are created in nuclear reactions of beta
canvas of particle physics. decay.
• These new particles could be the dark matter particles 3. Neutrinos have a negligible, but nonzero mass.
which people have been looking out for, in a long
4. Trillions of Neutrinos pass through human body
time.
every second.
29
SPACE TECHNOLOGY
Which of the statements given above are correct? amount of Dark matter remains constant, Dark
Energy which is a property of space itself is bound to
a) 1 and 3 only
increase exponentially. Eventually, Dark energy would
b) 1, 2 and 3 only
overcome the influence of dark matter and lead to
c) 2, 3 and 4 further expansion of the universe.
d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
►LITHIUM IN STARS
►ANTIMATTER • As stars grow into red giants, they deplete lithium,
Every known matter has an antimatter which has the according to established evolutionary principles.
same mass and volume; only difference being the • Planets have been found to contain more lithium than
inherent charge. Antimatter has an opposite charge their stars, as Earth-Sun pair does.
when compared to its matter. While the Anti-matter of a • However, several lithium-rich stars were discovered,
proton is called Anti-Proton, the Antimatter of an resulting in a paradox.
electron is called Positron.
• A recent study by an Indian researcher demonstrates
that stars create lithium as they go from the Red
►DARK MATTER Giant stage to the Red Clump stage.
• It was in 1930s when Fritz Zwicky observed that many • This is what enriches them with lithium and is known
galaxies were moving faster than theoretical as a Helium Flash.
calculations. This implied that there was some LITHIUM
mysterious gravitational pull towards the centre of
• Lithium is a chemical element with the atomic
those galaxies. The quantity of matter needed to
number 3 and the symbol Li. It's a silvery-white alkali
exert such a pull far exceed the observed matter. This
metal that's pleasant to the touch. It is the lightest
extra matter which invisible and undetected has been
metal and the lightest solid element under normal
termed as Dark Matter.
circumstances.
• It has not yet been observed yet directly. It doesn't
• S is a light element that is extensively employed in
interact with matter and is completely invisible to light
communication device technology nowadays. It has a
and other forms of electromagnetic radiation making
fascinating history.
it impossible to detect.
• It was created together with other elements in Big
• Scientists are confident it exists because of the
Bang, 13.7 billion years ago, when universe was born.
gravitational effects it has on galaxies and galaxy
clusters. • While the quantity of other elements has increased
millions of times, the current abundance of lithium in
• The light from distant galaxies gets distorted and
the universe is just four times what it was before the
magnified by massive, invisible clouds of dark matter
Big Bang. In the stars, it is truly obliterated.
in the phenomenon known as Gravitational Lensing.
• Sun contains 100 times less lithium than Earth.
►DARK ENERGY GAMMA RAY BURST (GRB)

• GRBs are very intense explosions that have been seen
• Roughly 68% of the universe is dark energy. It is a
in faraway galaxies.
property of space so does not get diluted as space
expands. As more space comes into existence, more • They are known to be the brightest and most intense
of this energy-of- space appears. As a result, dark electromagnetic occurrences in the cosmos.
energy causes the universe to expand faster and • The duration of a burst may range from 10
faster. milliseconds to many hours.
• While Dark matter exerts a “pull” on the universe, • After an initial burst of gamma rays, a longer-lasting
Dark Energy has a contrasting expansionary effect. As "afterglow" at longer wavelengths is released (X-ray,
is it evident, our universe is expanding, indicating that ultraviolet, optical, infrared, microwave and radio).
Dark Energy has a greater abundance than dark • Most GRBs are expected to be emitted after a
matter. supernova or super luminous explosion, which occurs
• By the laws of cosmology, the total amount of mass in when a massive star implodes to become a neutron
the universe cannot increase. Hence while the star or black hole.
30
SPACE TECHNOLOGY
WHY GRB IS SPECIAL? composition of the universe and fixed its age at 13.7
• The explosions are both tremendously powerful (a billion years.
typical burst releases as much energy in a few • After the CMB became imprinted on the universe, the
seconds as the Sun does over the course of its 10- cosmos became opaque at the shorter wavelengths,
billion-year lifespan) and exceedingly infrequent. due to the absorbing effects of the atomic hydrogen.
• Although a comparable class of occurrences, quiet This began a long period, known as the Dark Ages, so-
gamma repeater flares, relate to magnetars inside the called because of the absence of stars and the
Milky Way, all observed GRBs originated from beyond extremely dense intervening neutral hydrogen gas.
the galaxy. • Over time, the areas of higher-gas density began to
• A gamma-ray burst in Milky Way, directed straight at collapse under gravity and the neutral matter in the
Earth, is proposed as a cause of mass extinction. universe began to clump together. Eventually, these
regions cooled and collapsed, igniting nuclear fusion
in their cores, and leading to the first stars and
►EVOLUTION OF UNIVERSE
galaxies.
Modern day understanding of evolution of the universe
• As the first stars emerged, their energy heated the
says that the beginning of the universe was marked by a
surrounding medium, once again ionizing the
spectacular event called Big Bang.
hydrogen in the universe. At first, these areas were
EXPANDING UNIVERSE AND BIG BANG like small bubbles of ionized gas, surrounding the
• Newtonian understanding was that universe was an bright energy sources.
infinite expanse of stars that are static. • As these bubbles grew and punched ever-larger holes
• Hubble’s law changed this understanding by stating into the neutral universe, they eventually began to
that universe is expanding. overlap, enabling ionizing radiation to travel farther
• The Hubble’s law showed that the universe has been and farther through the space. The first stars also
expanding for billions of years which means that in significantly altered the chemical makeup of the
the past the matter in the universe must have been cosmos. Through nucleosynthesis in the cores of
closer together and therefore denser than it is today. these short-lived stars – which may have been as
much as 1,000 times more massive than the Sun –
• This leads us to conclude that some sort of
and as a result of powerful supernovae, a fraction of
tremendous event caused ultra-dense matter to begin
the universe’s initial constituents of hydrogen and
the expansion that continues to the present day.
helium were converted into carbon, oxygen, iron and
• This event is what is called the Big Bang that marks other heavier elements.
the creation of the universe.
• Once the majority of the universe was re-ionized,
PERIODS OF UNIVERSE approximately one billion years after the Big Bang,
• For its first 3,70,000 years, the universe was filled with light across much of the electromagnetic spectrum
a hot, dense fog of ionized gas. As the universe cooled could travel unimpeded through the cosmos,
and expanded, electrons and protons were able to eventually revealing the universe, as we see it today.
combine to form the first neutral atoms. When this
COSMIC MICROWAVE BACKGROUND RADIATION AS
happened, thermal energy from the Big Bang was
PROOF OF BIG BANG
able to travel freely throughout the universe. This
• Immediately after the big bang, the universe was so
high-energy radiation has, over the cosmic time,
hot that the thermonuclear reactions (that are usually
cooled and been red-shifted by a factor of more than
seen in stars today) happened everywhere in the
1,000, due to the expansion of the universe. We see
universe leading to formation of primordial elements,
the remnants of this today as the Cosmic Microwave
hydrogen and helium.
Background (CMB).
• The thermonuclear fusion of hydrogen into helium
• Studies of the CMB, beginning in the early 1990s,
atoms led to release of high-energy shortwave
revealed that the very early universe, though
photons which is known to be cosmic background
generally smooth, contained tiny density fluctuations
radiation.
(on the order of one part in 1,00,000), that rippled
through the space. More fine-grained studies by • As the universe expanded this radiation also
instruments, such as the Wilkinson Microwave expanded becoming long-wave (microwave) which is
Anisotropy Probe (WMAP), helped better-establish the
31
SPACE TECHNOLOGY
why it is called cosmic microwave background • The unveiling of the first-ever picture of a black hole
radiation which fills the entire space. by the Event Horizon Telescope in April 2019. The
• Thus, CMB is evidence for expansion of universe. black hole is approx. 55 million light years away.
RED-SHIFT AS PROOF OF BIG BANG PROOF OF BLACK EXISTENCE
Astronomers have discovered that, in general, the • The existence of this black hole was first guessed at
further away a galaxy is, the more red-shifted its light is. because the Messier87 galaxy when imaged at radio
This means that the further away the galaxies are, the frequencies shows the signature twinjets of plasma
faster they are moving. This is like an explosion, where that are squirted out at near-relativistic speeds to
the bits moving fastest travel furthest from the reach well beyond the galaxy into intergalactic space.
explosion. Red-shift data provides evidence that the • Furthermore, studying the movement of gas clouds in
Universe, including space itself, is expanding. the central region shows gas moving at enormous
The discovery of red shift in light from distant galaxies speeds both towards and away from us, and these
led to the development of the Big Bang theory. The speeds are consistent with the hypothesis that the
discovery of the CMBR, after it had been predicted by gravitational force of a central billion-solar mass black
the theory, provided very strong support for the Big hole drives this gas.
Bang theory. • It is the hot gaseous material that is swirling into the
black hole that is being consumed by the black hole,
Q. Which of the following is/are cited by the
and the light is coming from this swirling material.
scientists as evidence/ evidence for the continued
expansion of universe? [2012] • Matter in the close vicinity of a black hole shines
because it gets extremely hot, and light from “behind”
1. Detection of microwaves in space
the black hole also reaches us because the
2. Observation of redshift phenomenon in space gravitational field of the black hole bends this light
3. Movement of asteroids in space towards us.
4. Occurrence of supernova explosions in space • We do not get any light or other signals from within
Select the correct answer using the codes given below: the black hole
(a) 1 and 2 DETECTING UNIFIED CALL OF BLACK HOLES

(b) 2 only Just as studying the cosmic microwave background tells
(c) 1, 3 and 4 us about the early universe, its formation, the stochastic
gravitational wave background would reveal the
(d) None of the above can be cited as evidence
structure of the universe around us.
Detections till now have been of events that were
►BLACK HOLES relatively close to us. Distant binary coalescences, milli-
• The term “black hole” refers to a point in space where second pulsars, etc are expected to produce a
matter is so compressed as to create a gravity field background, and detecting any of this would be a great
from which even light cannot escape. breakthrough.
• Albert Einstein explained the universe (relationship The gravitational wave background consists of an
between space, time, gravity and matter) through his isotropic component and an anisotropic component. The
theory of general relativity. It opened the door to the isotropic component is constant when you look in
theoretical possibility of a particularly mind-boggling different directions and the anisotropic component
phenomenon that would eventually be called black depends on the direction.
holes. Isotropic component has not been detected yet. Future
• For years, physicists questioned whether black holes improved versions of the detectors will have to work
could really exist but Mr. Penrose, a professor at the below this level to detect the background. “If the
University of Oxford, used mathematical modelling to gravitational wave background is discovered, it will be a
prove back in 1965 that black holes can form. His major discovery in astronomy, probably one of the most
calculations proved that black holes — super dense celebrated ones”
objects formed when a heavy star collapses under the BLACK HOLE RESEARCHERS GET NOBEL PRIZE FOR
weight of its own gravity — are a direct consequence PHYSICS
of Einstein’s general theory of relativity.
32
SPACE TECHNOLOGY
Roger Penrose of Britain, Reinhard Genzel of Germany ►GRAVITATIONAL WAVES
and Andrea Ghez of the U.S. won the Nobel Physics Prize
• Electric charges oscillating up & down produce
for their research into what the Nobel committee called
electromagnetic radiation. In a similar way, general
“one of the most exotic phenomena in the universe, the
theory of relativity predicts that oscillating massive
black hole”.
objects should produce gravitational radiation, or
Mr. Penrose won the Nobel Physics Prize for showing gravitational waves.
that “the general theory of relativity leads to the formation
• Gravitational waves are ripples in overall geometry of
of black holes”.
space and time produced by moving masses.
While Mr. Genzel, and Ms. Ghez, were jointly awarded
• Some cosmic events that produce such ripples are
for discovering “that an invisible and extremely heavy
exploding stars, collisions between ultra-dense
object governs the orbits of stars at the centre of our
neutron stars or merging black holes or supernovae.
galaxy”. They have led research since the early 1990s
• Gravitational radiation is exceedingly difficult to
focusing on a region called Sagittarius A* at the centre of
detect because gravity by nature is much weaker than
the Milky Way.
electromagnetic radiation.
Ms. Ghez is just the fourth woman to receive the physics
HOW ARE GRAVITATIONAL-WAVE PRODUCED?
prize since 1901 when the first Nobel prizes were
handed out. The first woman to win the prize was Marie • In 2016, gravitational waves finally were observed
Curie in 1903, who was also the first person to receive from merger of two neutron stars.
two Nobel prizes when she won the 1911 chemistry • Two neutron stars rotate around each other; the
prize. closer they get, the faster they spin. Eventually, they
MOVING BLACK HOLE collide. The energy from their spiralling and merging
releases energy in form of gravitational waves, or
• Scientists have discovered the first moving
ripples in space-time.
supermassive black hole whose mass is about three
million times that of our Sun.
• Scientists studied 10 faraway galaxies with
supermassive black holes in the center, expecting
them to have the same velocity as that of the galaxies
they reside in.
• As the spiraling mass circles around the black
hole before falling into it like liquid in a sink, it
produces a laser-like beam of radio light known as a
maser. These masers can tell the velocity of black
holes very accurately.
• Besides the empirical evidence, the enormous size of
these black holes had led people to imagine them to
SIGNIFICANCE OF DISCOVERY
be stationary objects planted in the middle of galaxies
• Discovery of gravitational waves is beginning of new
as opposed to objects floating around in space.
era in astronomy. So far, all observations of universe
• The observed blackhole is moving with a speed of
are made through electromagnetic radiation emitted
about 1,10,000 miles per hour inside its galaxy.
from objects from visible light to ‘gamma rays.
• Possible Causes for the Motion:
• Gravitational waves are a new way of “seeing” what
ο Two Supermassive Black Holes Merging: Scientists happens in space.
might have spotted the resulting black hole moving in
• We can now detect events that would otherwise leave
a rearward motion after the merger before settling
little to no observable light, like black hole collisions.
down in a position.
• It will also help untangle mysteries about the dense,
ο One in a Binary System of Black Holes, where not one
dead objects known as neutron stars.
but two supermassive black holes might exist within
LIGO
the host galaxy held together by a shared center of
gravity, which they might be orbiting. • Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory
(LIGO) is designed to detect gravitational waves.
33
SPACE TECHNOLOGY
• In 2017, for first time, scientists directly detected The mystery behind declining star formation
gravitational waves from collision of two neutron
Why are some galaxies forming more stars at the center
stars using US based LIGO, Europe-based Virgo and while others don’t?
detector & other ground & space-based observatories
HYPOTHESIS
• LIGO detectors use laser interferometry to measure
The current hypothesis is that the bar structure acts as a
minute ripples in space-time caused by gravitational
type of stellar nursery, fueling star birth at their centers.
waves from mergers of pairs of neutron stars or black
The bar is thought to act as a mechanism that channels
holes, or supernovae.
gas inwards from the spiral arms, in effect funneling the
• LIGO has detected the gravitational twice now, the flow to create new stars. This process is also thought to
second time witnessing the merging of a second black
explain why many barred spiral galaxies have active
hole pair. The signal from this merger was weaker
galactic nuclei.
than the 1st observed gravitational waves. Hence a
Since so many spiral galaxies have bar structures, it is
special technique called matched filtering was
likely that they are recurring phenomena in spiral galaxy
adapted for gravitational wave data analysis which
development. The oscillating evolutionary cycle from
was developed at IUCAA (Inter-University Centre for
spiral galaxy to barred spiral galaxy is thought to take on
Astronomy and Astrophysics), Pune.
the average about two billion years.
Recent studies have confirmed the idea that bars are a
sign of galaxies reaching full maturity as the "formative
years" end.
BARRED SPIRAL GALAXY
LIGO-INDIA
• IndIGO (Indian Initiative in Gravitational-wave
Observations) is a consortium of Indian physicists to
set up experimental gravitational-wave observatory
facilities in India.
• A barred spiral galaxy is a spiral galaxy with a central
• It is a planned gravitational-wave observatory to be in bar-shaped structure composed of stars.
India as part of worldwide network as part of • Some barred galaxies have shown a higher
collaborative project between a consortium of Indian concentration of newly formed stars, suggesting that
research institutions and LIGO observatory in US the bar nurtures star formation.
along with its international partners Australia, • The stars move in elongated orbits near the center so
Germany and UK. that, from far, this portion appears like an
• To establish this, a site near Aundha Nagnath in illuminated bar.
rd
Hingoli District, Maharashtra has been selected. • 2/3 of disc galaxies in local universe are found to
LISA PATHFINDER have this bar structure.
• The Milky Way Galaxy, where the Solar System is
• LISA stands for Laser Interferometer Space Antenna.
located, is classified as a barred spiral galaxy.
It is project led by European Space Agency to a build a
FIRST POTENTIAL RADIO SIGNAL FROM EXOPLANET
space-based observatory for detecting gravitational
waves. It will consist of three spacecrafts separated by An international team of scientists has collected the first
possible radio signal from a planet beyond our solar
2.5 million km in a triangular formation, following
system, emanating from an exoplanet system about 51
Earth in its orbit around the Sun. It is expected to be
light-years away.
launched in 2037.
34
SPACE TECHNOLOGY
TAU BOOTES STAR-SYSTEM • It is in a highly eccentric orbit around the
• Tau Bootes system contains a binary star system and Sun. It completes one orbit every 810 days.
an exoplanet. • It is faster than the speed at which most asteroids
• So far only the Tau Bootes exoplanet system has encounter Earth. The reason for the asteroid’s
exhibited a significant radio signature, outside our unusual speed is its close approach to the earth.
solar system. • It will provide an opportunity for astronomers to get a
more precise understanding of the asteroid’s size and
• Around 51 light-years away
albedo.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE OBSERVATION
ο When sunlight hits an asteroid’s surface, minerals in
• Observing an exoplanet’s magnetic field helps the rock absorb some wavelengths while reflecting
astronomers decipher a planet’s interior and others. By studying the spectrum of light reflecting off
atmospheric properties, as well as the physics of star- the surface, astronomers can measure the chemical
planet interactions. “fingerprints” of the minerals on the surface of the
• Earth’s magnetic field protects it from solar winds. asteroid.
Magnetic field of Earth-like exoplanets may contribute HAYABUSA 2
to their habitability by shielding their atmospheres • JAPAN’s JAXA has received a capsule from
from solar wind & cosmic rays and protecting the the unmanned Hayabusa 2, carrying the first
planet from atmospheric loss. extensive samples of dust from the asteroid Ryugu.
• Hayabusa 2 was launched in 2014 and took four years
►ASTEROIDS to reach the asteroid Ryugu.
• The mission builds on the original Hayabusa
• Asteroids orbit the Sun and are small bodies in the
mission that was launched in 2003 and successfully
solar system.
linked up with asteroid Itokawa in 2005. It returned
• They are made up of metals and rocks. samples to Earth in 2010 marking the first time when
• They tend to have shorter and elliptical orbits. sample materials from an asteroid were brought back
• They do not produce a coma or tail atmosphere. to Earth.
• The space probe orbited above the asteroid for a few
• Asteroid belt is a torus-shaped region in Solar System,
months to map its surface before landing. Then it
located between orbits of planets Jupiter and Mars.
used small explosives to blast a crater, collected the
• Many asteroids are known to have a small companion resulting debris and headed back to Earth in
moon (some have two moons). November 2019.
• Trojans: These asteroids share an orbit with a larger • The mission seeked to answer some fundamental
planet, but do not collide with it because they gather questions about the origins of the Solar system
around two special places in the orbit (called the L4 and where molecules like water came from.
and L5 Lagrangian points). There, the gravitational
Significance
pull from the sun and the planet are balanced.
ο Asteroids and comets are primitive bodies that can be
ο Lagrange Points: These are positions in space where the building blocks of the early Solar system and they
the gravitational forces of a two-body system like the hold a record of the birth and initial evolution.
Sun and the Earth produce enhanced regions of
ο They retain a record of when, where and in what
attraction and repulsion. These can be used by conditions they were formed. Exploration of these
spacecraft to reduce fuel consumption needed to primitive bodies is essential in gaining insight into the
remain in position. formation of the Solar system.
ASTEROID ‘2001 FO32’ ο Gases trapped in the rock samples could reveal more
• It is the largest to pass by Earth in 2021. about the chemical mixture from the planets formed.
• It provided a rare opportunity for astronomers to get ASTEROID 16 PSYCHE

a good look at a rocky relic that formed at the dawn NASA has found out that asteroid 16 Psyche,
of our solar system. which orbits between Mars and Jupiter, could be made
35
SPACE TECHNOLOGY
entirely of metal and is worth an estimated 10,000 • Allows researchers to study the details of the early
quadrillion US dollars. galaxies too far away to be seen otherwise with even
Unlike most asteroids that are made up of rocks or ice, the most powerful space telescopes.
scientists believe that Psyche is a dense and metallic
object thought to be the core of an earlier planet that ►FRANCE’S FIRST SPACE MILITARY
failed formation.
EXERCISE: ASTERX
NASA’S PSYCHE MISSION
France has begun its first space military exercises to test
• to be launched in 2022 its ability to defend its satellites. The exercise drills are
• to study this asteroid completely and confirm the codenamed "AsterX" to commemorate the first French
assumptions being made by the scientists. satellite Asterix from 1965.
• Psyche spacecraft will land on the asteroid in early • The exercises are part of France's strategy to become
2026. the world's third-largest space power, after the USA
• Since composition of Psyche is similar to Earth’s own and China.
core, its study will also give an insight to earth’s • These space military exercises are the first ever
violent history of collisions and accretion that created attempt not only for the French army but also for
it. Europe.
• Moreover, France has planned to develop anti-
►WORLD'S FIRST 6G TEST SATELLITE satellite laser weapons and to strengthen surveillance
capabilities to close the gap with rivals, China and
• China has launched world's first 6G satellite. It uses
Russia.
high frequency Terahertz waves to achieve data
transmission speeds many times faster than 5G. • In 2019, France announced its Commandment de
l’Espace (CdE) (French Space Command).
• Currently, there is no agreement among telecom
companies of 6G's specifications, so it is not certain SIMILAR INITIATIVES OF INDIA
yet, if the technology being developed by China will • IndSpaceEx: India’s first ever simulated space warfare
make it into final standard. exercise.
• Mission Shakti: An Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Missile Test.
►EINSTEIN RING
• It is also known as Einstein-Chwolson Ring or PRIVATE PARTICIPATION
Chwolson Ring.
• It is created when light from a galaxy or star passes by
IN SPACE SECTOR
a massive object en-route to Earth. SPEED TEST - 4
• Due to gravitational lensing, the light is diverted i. Anand is the first satellite to be launched from an
ABOUT GRAVITATIONAL LENSING Indian start-up.
The phenomenon occurs when a huge amount of ii. New Space India Limited (NSIL) now acts as a single-
matter, such as a massive galaxy or cluster of galaxies,

point interface between ISRO and everyone who
wants to participate in space-related activities
creates a gravitational field that distorts and magnifies
the light from the objects behind it, but in the same line- iii. Spacecom Policy 2020 allows for the commercial use
of satellites, orbital slots, and ground stations for
of-sight.
communication needs.
In effect, these are natural, cosmic telescopes. Thus, they
iv. Indian National Space Promotion Board would be set
are called gravitational lenses.
up under PMO to promote private space
• These large celestial objects will magnify the light entrepreneurs.
from the distant galaxies that are at or near the peak v. Amazonia-1 is an optical earth observation satellite
of star formation. from Brazil with the aim to monitor Amazon Forest.
• Helps to map the distribution of dark matter in the vi. ANASIS-II is the first military-only communications
space. satellite of France.
36
SPACE TECHNOLOGY
of the kind that US companies such as SpaceX have
ISRO through PSLV-C51 has recently launched been doing or provide space-based services.
Amazonia-1. Amazonia-1 is the first fully Brazilian-made ο Additionally, the demand for space-based
satellite, which would help to monitor the Amazon applications and services is growing even within India,
forests. and ISRO is unable to cater to this. The need for
However, a satellite from Pixxel India could be launched satellite data, imageries and space technology now
cuts across sectors, from weather to agriculture to
(which was planned earlier)
transport to urban development, and more.
Bengaluru-based Pixxel India has planned a vast
ο The main objective of NSIL is to scale up industry
constellation of earth-imaging satellites that would
participation in Indian space programs in comparison
continuously monitor every part of the globe and beam
to IN-SPACe which gives emphasis on the
high-resolution imagery and other data that can be used
for a variety of applications related to climate change, participation of the private sector.
agriculture, and urban planning. • Released the draft of a new Spacecom Policy 2020:
The government has initiated reforms, and within eight ο The policy will regulate the commercial use of
months, the first satellite Anand from a start-up called satellites, orbital slots, and ground stations for
Pixxel India was going to be launched. communication needs. The policy also details how
Space reforms that opened the space sector to facilitate private players can get authorization for setting up
participation of private companies new communication satellites and ground stations.
ο The private players in the space communication
• IN-SPACe: It will act as a single-point
interface between Indian Space Research sector will also enable India to keep pace with the
Organisation (ISRO), and everyone who wants to growing demand for satellite-based broadcasting,
network connectivity, and global mobile personal
participate in space-related activities or use India’s
space resources. communication.
It will also handhold, promote and guide the private IN-SPACE

industries in space activities through encouraging • Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization
policies and a friendly regulatory environment. Center (IN-SPACe)
• Indian National Space Promotion Board: It would be • IN-SPACe is an independent nodal agency under
set up to strengthen the Department of Space and for Department of Space for allowing space activities and
the promotion of the private space entrepreneurs or usage of DOS owned facilities by NGPEs as well as to
non-government space entrepreneurs. prioritise the launch manifest.
• Role of ISRO: The overall idea is to let ISRO • IN-SPACe will have a Chairman, technical experts for
concentrate on essential activities like research and space activities, Safety expert, experts from Academia
development, planetary exploration, and strategic use and Industries, Legal and Strategic experts from other
of space, while freeing itself from ancillary or routine departments, members from PMO and MEA of
work which could easily be done by private industry. Government of India.
• The Public Sector Enterprise ‘New Space India Limited • IN-SPACe is to be established as a single window
(NSIL)’ to re-orient space activities from a ‘supply nodal agency, with its own cadre, which will permit
driven’ model to a ‘demand driven’ model, thereby and oversee the following activities of NGPEs.
ensuring optimum utilization of our space assets. o Space activities including building of launch vehicles
• Demand Driven Model: By the support of New Space and satellites and providing space based services as
India Limited (NSIL), It would endeavour to reorient per the definition of space activities.
space activities from a ‘supply driven’ model to a o Sharing of space infrastructure and premises under
‘demand driven’ one, thereby ensuring optimum the control of ISRO with due considerations to on-
utilisation of the nation’s space assets. going activities.
ο Till now Indian industry’s role has been mainly that of o Establishment of temporary facilities within premises
suppliers of components and sub-systems. Indian under ISRO control based on safety norms and
industries do not have the resources or the feasibility assessment
technology to undertake independent space projects o Establishment of new space infrastructure and
facilities, by NGPEs, in pursuance of space activities
37
SPACE TECHNOLOGY
based on safety norms and other statutory guidelines • 3D printed rocket engine – Raman, named after Nobel
and necessary clearances. laureate CV Raman – has fewer moving parts and
o Initiation of launch campaign and launch, based on weighs less than half of conventional rocket engines
readiness of launch vehicle and spacecraft systems, with a similar capacity.
ground and user segment.
• It is India’s first 100% 3D-printed bi-propellant liquid
o Building, operation and control of spacecraft for rocket engine injector. Compared to traditional
registration as Indian Satellite by NGPEs and all the
manufacturing, this reduced overall mass by 50%,
associated infrastructure for the same.
reduced number of components & lead time by 80%.
o Usage of spacecraft data and rolling out of space-
based services and all the associated infrastructure
for the same.
►ANASIS-II
• SpaceX (Private Space company) has launched South
NEW SPACE INDIA LIMITED (NSIL)
Korea’s first-ever military communications satellite.
• The Public Sector Enterprise ‘New Space India Limited
• ANASIS-II aims to enhance South Korea’s ability to
(NSIL)’ will endeavor to re-orient space activities from
defend itself against nuclear-armed North Korea.
a ‘supply driven’ model to a ‘demand driven’ model,
thereby ensuring optimum utilization of our space • This launch made South Korea 10th country to own a
assets. military-only communications satellite, providing
• NSIL is a Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) under "permanent and secured military communications".
Department of Space and has been incorporated as a
wholly owned Government of India company under ►VENUS
DOS and is the commercial arm of ISRO.
Scientists have discovered phosphine gas on Venus.
• These reforms will allow ISRO to focus more on
Despite being similar in size to the Earth, having rocky
research and development activities, new
surface, and having an iron core, Venus has got very little
technologies, exploration missions and human
attention in space exploration.
spaceflight program.
Planet was considered hostile to life
• Some of the planetary exploration missions will also
be opened to private sector through an • Although Venus is the second closest planet to the
‘announcement of opportunity’ mechanism. Sun, it is still the hottest.
NSIL MANDATE • Surface temperatures is above 460° Celsius. Many

metals will be melted on the surface.
• Owning satellites for Earth Observation and
Communication applications and providing space- • Heavy atmosphere of carbon dioxide.
based services • Venus clouds are made of sulphuric acid, so acidic
• Building satellites and launching them as per demand that they are off our pH scale.
• Providing Launch Services for satellite belonging to Planned Missions to Venus

customer PHOSPHINE GAS
• Building launch vehicles through Indian Industry and • A compound of one phosphorous atom and three
launch as per satellite customer requirement hydrogen atoms.
• Space based Services related to Earth Observation • It is given out by some microbes during biochemical
and Communication satellites on commercial basis processes.
• Satellite building through Indian Industry • In an atmosphere rich in carbon
• Technology Transfer to Indian Industry. dioxide, it is likely to get
destroyed soon.
►INDIA’S FIRST PRIVATE UPPER • The researchers estimate that phosphine forms about
20 parts per billion of Venus’s atmosphere.
STAGE ROCKET ENGINE
Significance of Phosphine gas
• Space startup Skyroot Aerospace has successfully
tested an upper-stage rocket engine, becoming first • It is considered as a biosignature gas.
Indian private company to demonstrate capability to • Phosphene is natural biproduct of life. (It is either
build an indigenous rocket engine. manufactured by us or is produced as a by-product of
life.)
38
SPACE TECHNOLOGY
• Phosphene has no abiotic false positives (nothing but processes, interior geophysics and geodynamics and
life can naturally produce the gas on earth) atmospheric pathways of key volcanogenic gases
CURIOSITY WITH CAUTION • DAVINCI Mission of NASA: After exploring top of

Venus’s atmosphere, DAVINCI will drop a probe to the
• It is possible that the signal could be observed by
surface of Venus. In its hour-long descent, it will send
another gas, SO2.
close pictures images of the surface.
• Some researchers are suggesting that there could be
• VERITAS Mission of NASA: NASA orbiter to explore
thick shell of sulphur to defend themselves from
how Venus lost its potential to be a habitable world. It
sulphuric acid.
will help create first global high resolution
This can now only be taken further by making in situ
topographic and radar images of Venus. Make first
measurements in the atmosphere of Venus. This poses
maps of regions where geologic processes are actively
its own challenges. Apart from the high surface
deforming the surface of Venus. Produce first near
temperature and dense atmosphere, the presence of
global map of surface rock composition and refine
sulphuric acid in the atmosphere of Venus makes it a
our estimates of Venus’ core size and composition.
highly corrosive environment. Perhaps flying at a height
and sending down drones or balloons would be more
feasible than a landing. ►MARS
BIOSIGNATURE GASES • Fourth planet from Sun and second-smallest planet in
A biosignature is any substance – such as an element, Solar System. Mars is about half size of Earth.
isotope, or molecule – or phenomenon that provides • Similarity to Earth (Orbit and Rotation):
scientific evidence of past or present life. o Mars rotate every 24.6 hours, which is very similar to
On Earth, PH₃ is associated with anaerobic ecosystems, one day on Earth (23.9 hours).
and as such, it is a potential biosignature gas in anoxic o Mars' axis of rotation is tilted 25 degrees with respect
exoplanets. to the plane of its orbit around the Sun. Earth’s axial
Biosignature Gases tilt is of 23.4 degrees.
i. Oxygen o Like Earth, Mars has distinct seasons, but they last
ii. Ozone longer than seasons on Earth since Mars takes longer
to orbit the Sun (because it's farther away).
iii. Methane
• Reason Mars looks reddish is due to oxidation or
iv. Nitrous Oxide
rusting of iron in rocks, and dust of Mars. Hence,
v. Methyl Bromide called Red Planet.
vi. Methyl Chloride • Mars has largest volcano in solar system i.e., Olympus
vii. Hydrogen Sulfide Mons. It is 3 times taller than Earth's Mt. Everest.
viii. Carbonyl Sulfide • Mars has a thin atmosphere made up mostly of
ix. Phosphine carbon dioxide, nitrogen and argon gases.
x. Sulfur Dioxid • Mars has no magnetic field till date, but areas of
Martian crust in southern hemisphere are highly
PAST MISSIONS TO VENUS
magnetized, indicating traces of a magnetic field.
• There’s one spacecraft currently flying around Venus
• Mars has two small moons, Phobos and Deimos, that
— Japan’s Akatsuki orbiter. Second dedicated Venus
may be captured asteroids.
mission.
• Soviet Union in 1971 became first country to carry out
• ESA’s Venus Express mission operated in orbit around
a Mars landing, Mars 3. The second country to reach
the planet from 2006 through 2014.
Mars’s surface is the USA.
FUTURE MISSIONS TO VENUS
REASONS FOR FASCINATION WITH MARS
• Shukrayaan-1 Mission of ISRO: A proposed orbiter to
i. Mars is a planet where life may have evolved in the
Venus to study surface and atmosphere of Venus.
past. Conditions on early Mars were very similar to
• ENVISION Mission of ESA: It proposed orbiter of ESA
that of Earth. It was once warm enough to allow
which will explore surface and subsurface geological
water to flow through it. It had a thick atmosphere,
39
SPACE TECHNOLOGY
which enabled stability of water on surface of Mars. • It will orbit Mars for a few months before attempting
This means life could have existed there too. to land in May this year.
ii. Red Planet has several Earth-like features– such as • It will look for water under the Martian surface. The
clouds, polar ice caps, volcanoes, and seasonal rover is scheduled to land at Utopia Planitia, a
weather patterns.
location with possible ancient groundwater deposits.
iii. Mars is only planet that humans can visit or inhabit in
the long term. Mars is comparatively hospitable in
►PERSEVERANCE MISSION
terms of temperature, with an approximate range
between 20 degrees C at Equator to minus 125 • NASA’s 4th generation Mars Rover. It is the most
degrees C at poles. advanced, most expensive & most sophisticated
mobile laboratory sent to Mars. It is different from
iv. However, no human has set foot on Mars yet
previous missions as it can drilling & collect core
because atmosphere on Mars is very thin, consisting
samples of most promising rocks & soils.
of mostly carbon dioxide with no breathable oxygen,
making it difficult for astronauts to survive there. • It has landed at Jezero Crater - an ancient river delta
that has rocks and minerals that could only form in
water.
►MISSION TO MARS
• Goal is to look for biosignatures – hints of life – in
There are currently 10 spacecraft from five different either the chemical measurements or morphological
space agencies — United States, European Union, India, observations, in the dried-up lakebed at Jezero Crater.
China, and United Arab Emirates: • Perseverance will drill and collect rock samples that
• NASA has a lander - Mars Insight, a rover - Curiosity, will be returned to Earth by a subsequent European
and three orbiters - Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, Space Agency/NASA mission.
Mars Odyssey, MAVEN. • It has a Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric
• India has an orbiter – Mangalyaan-1 Generator (MMRTG) which converts heat from the
natural radioactive decay of plutonium (Plutonium
• EU has 2 orbiters – Mars Express and ExoMars Trace
Dioxide) into electricity.
Gas Orbiter
• Perseverance will carry the Radar Imager for Mars’
• China has an orbiter – Tianwen-1
Subsurface Experiment (RIMFAX). RIMFAX will provide
• UAE has an orbiter – Hope high resolution mapping of the subsurface structure
UAE’S HOPE MARS MISSION at the landing site. The instrument will also look for
subsurface water on Mars – which, if found, will
UAE’s first-ever interplanetary Hope Probe mission has
greatly help the case for a human mission or the
successfully entered orbit around Mars. The mission was
cause of a human settlement on Mars.
launched from Tanegashima Space Centre in Japan.
• One of the objectives of the mission is also to
Mission’s aim: The mission will collect data on Martian
demonstrate technology for future robotic and
climate dynamics and help scientists understand why human exploration. Perseverance will produce
Mars atmosphere is decaying into space. The oxygen on the Martian surface for the first time, using
instruments will collect different data points on the atmospheric CO2 from the Martian atmosphere.
atmosphere to also gauge seasonal and daily changes.
• Ingenuity Helicopter: It is the name of the small
Together, this will shed light on how energy and robotic helicopter onboard NASA’s Perseverance
particles, like oxygen and hydrogen, move through the mission to Mars. It became the first powered
atmosphere of Mars. controlled flight machine on a planet after Earth. It is
UAE become the fifth entity to reach the Red Planet, powered by solar power.
joining NASA, the Soviet Union, the European Space MOXIE
Agency and India. It is the Arab world's first • Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilisation Experiment
interplanetary mission. is known as MOXIE. It's a golden box that sits in front
TIANWEN-1 of the rover.
• It is the first mission to Mars from China. • "Mechanical Tree" is another name for MOXIE. This is
because it splits CO2 molecules into carbon and
• It carries an orbiter, a lander, and a rover.
40
SPACE TECHNOLOGY
oxygen. Carbon monoxide is produced as a byproduct Moon. These permanently shadowed craters have
of the operation. some of the lowest temperatures in the solar system,
o
• In its first run, MOXIE generated five gm of oxygen. down to -414 C. It is believed that some of these
For an astronaut undertaking a regular activity, it is craters have ice deposits. Ice at these temperatures is
equivalent to 10 minutes of breathing oxygen. MOXIE stable and studying it will allow us to know about
can produce 10 gm of oxygen in one hour. early solar system.
• Nickel-alloy was used to construct it. The alloy is heat • NASA’s LCROSS (Lunar Crater Observation and
resistant and can withstand temperatures as high as Sensing Satellite) showed that there are hydrogen,
1,470 degrees Fahrenheit. methane, ammonia, and metal like Sodium, mercury,
• MOXIE has a gold covering on it so that the heat it silver. Moon’s South pole has vast resources for
emits does not hurt the rover. future explores to use.
• The presence of ice on Mars has been confirmed by • Chandrayaan–2 was to attempt to soft land the lander
previous expeditions. Scientists think that obtaining – Vikram and rover – Pragyan in a high plain between
oxygen from the carbon dioxide-rich Martian two craters, Manzinus C and Simpelius N, at a latitude
atmosphere is more possible than extracting oxygen of about 70° south.
from ice on the planet's surface.
• LUPEX MISSION: A joint mission of ISRO (India) and
JAXA (JAPAN) to send a rover and lander to explore
►INDIA’S MARS ORBITER MISSION south pole of Moon. JAXA will provide its H3 launch
vehicle and rover, while ISRO would be responsible
Also known as Mangalyaan, it was launched from Satish
for lander.
Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh by ISRO in
2013. • Chandrayaan-3: India is working on Chandrayaan-
3 (successor to Chandrayaan-2) and it will likely
It was launched on board a PSLV C25 rocket with aim of
attempt another soft-landing on lunar surface.
studying Martian surface and mineral composition as
well as scan its atmosphere for methane (an indicator of • Chang'e 4: Chinese spacecraft, was first to soft land
life on Mars). in Von Kármán crater, which is within South Pole -
Aitken Basin on southern far side of Moon.
►PHOBOS • Chang’e-5 mission will seek to collect lunar material to
• Mars Color Camera onboard ISRO's Mars Orbiter help scientists understand more about moon’s origins
Mission has captured image of Phobos, the closest and formation.
and biggest moon of Mars. • UAE’s Rashid: UAE has decided to send an unmanned
• Phobos is made up of carbonaceous chondrites. spacecraft named Rashid to the moon in 2024.
• Stickney, the largest crater on Phobos along with OTHER MISSIONS PLANNED TO MOON
other craters (Shklovsky, Roche & Grildrig) are also
seen.
International Lunar Research Station
• Joint project of China & Russia to build an
International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) on moon's
LUNAR MISSIONS surface.
►LUNAR SOUTH POLE • The station will be built on lunar surface and/or lunar
orbit and help carry out scientific research for lunar
• South Pole of the Moon is known to contain ice. This
exploration and utilisation, lunar-based observation,
has evinced great curiosity about this region among
basic scientific experiment and technical verification.
astronomers.
Beresheet 2
• Permanent Shadows on Poles of Moon: There places
on Moon that never receive direct sunlight. Most of • It is an unmanned private spacecraft to launch on
these sites are located at lunar poles. Reasons: Low Moon in 2024. The spacecraft will be sent by Israel
angle at which sunlight strikes Moon’s surface in polar foundation SpaceIL.
regions (Moon’s tilt on its axis 1.54 degrees compared • This mission has been planned after the failure of
to 23.5 degrees for Earth) and no atmosphere on Beresheet Mission to Moon by SpaceIL.
41
SPACE TECHNOLOGY
►RUSTY MOON the crew to space, provide emergency abort

capability, sustain astronauts during their missions
As per data acquired by Moon Mineralogy Mapper
and provide safe reentry from deep space return
onboard Chandrayaan-1, there are oxidized iron mineral
velocities.
called hematite (Fe2O3) at high latitudes on Moon.
• Space Launch System: It is a super heavy lift launch
• This lunar hematite is formed through oxidation of
vehicle (capacity to send more than 50 tones to Low
iron on Moon's surface by oxygen from Earth's upper
atmosphere, as more hematite on lunar nearside has Earth Orbit). It is the only rocket that can send Orion,
been observed. (Moon is tidally locked with earth, astronauts and cargo directly to Moon on a single
meaning always same side of moon faces earth) Mission and will be world’s most powerful rocket. In
other configurations it will facilitate human space
• Along with the oxygen, water on the lunar surface and
travel to Moon and Mars & robotic scientific missions
heat from interplanetary dust also helped in the
oxidation process. to places like Moon, Mars, Saturn and Jupiter.
o Hematite is not absent on lunar far side. There, a • Gateway Lunar Orbiting Outpost: A small spaceship
small amount of iron oxides “might be formed under that will orbit the Moon, meant for astronaut missions
the presence of water and energies induced by to Moon and later, for expeditions to Mars. It will be
interplanetary dust impacts and then be decomposed much smaller in size (Studio apartment) compared to
to hematite.” ISS. It will act as an airport, where spacecraft bound
• Hematite formed at lunar craters of different ages for lunar surface of Mars can refuel or replace parts
may help understand the oxygen of Earth’s and resupply things like food and oxygen, allowing
atmosphere in the past 2.4 billion years and reveal astronauts to take multiple trips to the Lunar surface
facts about the evolution of Earth’s atmosphere in the and exploration of new locations across the Moon.
past billions of years. ARTEMIS ACCORDS
• NASA's ARTEMIS missions can bring some hematite • Artemis Accords are an intergovernmental agreement
samples, and detailed chemical studies can confirm if
between governments participating in Artemis
lunar hematite was indeed oxidised by Earth’s
Program of NASA.
oxygen.
• Drafted by NASA and U.S. Department of State, the
Accords establish a framework for cooperation in the
►ARTEMIS PROGRAM civil exploration and peaceful use of Moon, Mars, and
• NASA’s Program that aims to send first woman and other astronomical objects.
first person of color on Moon by 2024. Astronauts will
• They are explicitly grounded in UN Outer Space Treaty
be landed on Moon’s South Pole. of 1967, which signatories are obliged to uphold, and
• NASA will collaborate with commercial and cite most major U.N.-brokered conventions
international partners and establish the first long constituting space law.
term presence on the Moon (Artemis Base Camp).
• Signatories: Space agencies of more than dozen
Later, the Moon base will be used for sending first countries have signed these. India has not.
astronauts to Mars.
Key features:
• Artemis I is most likely to be launched 2021 and
• Peaceful purposes: All activities to be conducted for
involves an uncrewed flight to test the Space Launch
peaceful purposes, as per tenets of Outer Space
System (SLS) and Orion spacecraft.
Treaty.
• Artemis II will be the first crewed flight test and is
• Transparency: Partner nations to publicly describe
targeted for 2023.
their policies and plans in a transparent manner.
• Artemis III will land astronauts on Moon’s South Pole
• Interoperability: Partner nations to utilize open
in 2024.
international standards, develop new standards when
COMPONENTS OF ARTEMIS PROGRAM necessary and strive to support interoperability to the
• NASA’s Orion Spacecraft: It is a human spacecraft for greatest extent.
deep space missions with aim to carry humans to • Emergency Assistance: Reaffirm partner nations
Moon and first human mission to Mars. It will carry commitments to the Agreement on the Rescue of
42
SPACE TECHNOLOGY
Astronauts, Return of Astronauts and Return of • Space Resources: Space resource extraction and
Objects launched into Outer Space and taking all utilization can & will be conducted under terms of
reasonable steps to render assistance to astronauts Outer Space Treaty.
in distress. • Deconfliction of Activities: Partner nations will provide
• Registration of Space Objects: Reinforces critical public information regarding location and general
nature of registration and urges any partner which is nature of operations which will inform the scale and
not a member of the Registration Convention to join scope of ‘Safety Zones’ to prevent harmful
as soon as possible. interference.
• Release of scientific data: Partner countries will • Orbital Debris & Spacecraft Disposal: Partner nations
release their scientific data publicly to ensure benefit will plan for mitigation of orbital debris, including
for wider world from Artemis Journey and discovery. safe, timely and efficient passivation and disposal of
• Protecting Heritage: Partner nations will commit to spacecraft at the end of the missions.
protection of sites and artifacts with historic value.
43
SECTION-2
UCLEAR SCIENCE
for unsuccessful fissions, has a reasonable half-life
BASICS and is available in sustainable quantities.
• An atom is made up of a Nucleus (with Protons and
• The Uranium U-235 is a suitable candidate for a
Neutrons) and electrons revolving around the
nuclear fuel; however, it is not available in abundant
nucleus.
quantities across the world.
• The mass of the atom is concentrated in the nucleus.
TYPES OF FUEL
The number of protons (Z) in an atom determines the
atomic number of an element. While the term atomic • Fissionable Fuel consists of isotopes that can
deals with 10
-10
m, the term nuclear deals with 10^ (- undergo nuclear fission. Typical fissionable materials:
15) m. 232Th, 233U, 235U, 238U, 239Pu, 240Pu, 241Pu.
• The volume of an atom is about 1015 orders of • Fertile material are isotopes that are non-fissionable
magnitude larger than the volume of a nucleus. It is by neutrons but can be converted into fissile isotopes
the electrons that are responsible for the chemical (after neutron absorption and subsequent nuclear
behaviour of atoms, and which identify the various decay). Th- 232(Thorium) is a fertile isotope, Th-232
chemical elements. cannot be fissioned by a fast-moving neutron. Th-232
• The total number of Protons and Neutrons, called is not capable of sustaining a nuclear fission chain
Nucleons is called the Atomic Mass Number(A) reaction, because neutrons produced by fission of
• Atoms such as 1H, 2H whose nuclei contain the same 238U have lower energies than original neutron.
number of protons, but different number of Upon capturing a neutron, Th-232 converts to U-233
neutrons (different A) are known as isotopes. which is fissionable. Typical fissile materials: 235U,
Uranium, for instance, has three isotopes occurring 233U, 239Pu, 241Pu.
in nature – 238U, 235U and 234U.Hydrogen has 3 • Fissile material are fissionable isotopes that can
types of isotopes, Protium, Deuterium and Tritium. undergo nuclear fission. Typical fertile materials:
238U, 232Th.
 NUCLEAR FUEL NUCLEAR ENRICHMENT
• A good nuclear fuel is essential to sustainability of a • To ensure that the Nuclear Reaction is sustainable, a
nuclear power plant. A nuclear fuel generally sustains Nuclear Reactor uses such a fuel that has a high
probability of fission when bombarded by a fast-
a chain reaction, has a very high chance of fission
moving Neutron. To ensure this, a process called
when bombarded with neutrons, releases 2 or more
Enrichment is carried out.
neutrons under collision, enabling it to compensate
44
NUCLEAR SCIENCE
• The process of increasing the concentration of one
isotope relative to another is called “enrichment.”
• Naturally occurring uranium contains 0.72% of the U-

235 isotope. The remaining 99.28% is the u-238
isotope, which is a fertile isotope, but is not a fissile
isotope. The level of enrichment required depends
on specific reactor design (e.g., PWRs and BWRs
require 3% – 5% of 235U) and specific requirements
of the nuclear power plant operator. Without
ADVANTAGES OF NUCLEAR FUSION?
required enrichment these reactors are not able to
• Abundant energy: Fusing atoms together in a
initiate and sustain a nuclear chain reaction.
controlled way releases nearly four million times
• Enrichment accounts for almost half of the cost of more energy than a chemical reaction such as the
nuclear fuel and about 5% of the total cost of the burning of coal, oil or gas and four times as much as
electricity generated. Enrichment processes require nuclear fission reactions (at equal mass).
uranium to be in a gaseous form at relatively low
o Fusion has potential to provide base load energy
temperature, hence uranium oxide from the mine is
needed for electricity for cities and industries.
converted to uranium hexafluoride in a preliminary
• Sustainability: Fusion fuels are widely available and
process, at a separate conversion plant.
inexhaustible. Deuterium can be distilled from all
• The radioactive half-life for a given radioisotope is forms of water, while tritium will be produced during
the time for half the radioactive nuclei in any sample fusion reaction as fusion neutrons interact with
to undergo radioactive decay. After two half-lives, lithium.
there will be one fourth the original sample, after • No CO₂: Fusion doesn't emit harmful toxins like
three half-lives one eighth the original sample, and carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases into the
so forth. atmosphere. Its major by-product is helium: an inert,
non-toxic gas.
►NUCLEAR FUSION • No long-lived radioactive waste: Nuclear fusion

reactors produce no high activity, long-lived nuclear
• Nuclear fusion is defined as combining of several
waste.
small nuclei into one large nucleus with subsequent
• Limited risk of proliferation: Fusion doesn't employ
release of huge amounts of energy.
fissile materials like uranium and plutonium
o It is the opposite reaction of fission, where heavy
(Radioactive tritium is neither a fissile nor a
isotopes are split apart.
fissionable material).
• Harnessing fusion, the process that powers the Sun, • No risk of meltdown: It is difficult enough to reach
could provide a limitless, clean energy source. and maintain the precise conditions necessary for
o In the sun, the extreme pressure produced by its fusion—if any disturbance occurs, the plasma cools
immense gravity creates the conditions for fusion within seconds and the reaction stops.
to happen. FUSION IGNITION
• Fusion reactions take place in a state of matter called Recently, laser energy was put on fuel pellets to heat
plasma. Plasma is a hot, charged gas made of and pressurise them at conditions like that at the
positive ions and free-moving electrons that has centre of our Sun. This triggered the fusion reactions.
unique properties distinct from solids, liquids and These reactions released positively charged particles
gases. called alpha particles (helium), which in turn heated
the surrounding plasma. The heated plasma also
o At high temperatures, electrons are ripped from
released alpha particles and a self-sustaining reaction
atom’s nuclei and become a plasma or an ionised
called ignition took place. Ignition helps amplify the
state of matter. Plasma is also known as the fourth
energy output from the nuclear fusion reaction and
state of matter.
this could help provide clean energy for the future
45
NUCLEAR SCIENCE
 NUCLEAR FISSION VS FUSION

PARAMETER NUCLEAR FISSION NUCLEAR FUSION
Fission is the splitting of a large atom Fusion is the fusing of two or more lighter atoms into
Definition
into two or more smaller ones. a larger one.
Natural occurrence of Fission reaction does not normally occur

Fusion occurs in stars, such as the sun.
the process in nature.
By-products of Fission produces many highly Few radioactive particles are produced by
reaction radioactive particles. fusion reaction.
Conditions High-speed neutrons are required. High density & high temperature environment.
Extremely high energy is required to bring two or

Takes little energy to split two atoms in a
Energy Requirement more protons close enough that nuclear forces
fission reaction.
overcome their electrostatic repulsion.
The energy released by fission is a

million times greater than that released The energy released by fusion is three to four times
Energy Released
in chemical reactions, but lower than the greater than the energy released by fission.
energy released by nuclear fusion.
One class of nuclear weapon is a fission One class of nuclear weapon is the hydrogen bomb,
Nuclear weapon bomb, also known as an atomic bomb or which uses a fission reaction to "trigger" a fusion
atom bomb. reaction.
Fusion is an experimental technology for producing

Energy production Fission is used in nuclear power plants.
power.
Uranium is the primary fuel used in Hydrogen isotopes (Deuterium and Tritium) are the
Fuel
power plants. primary fuel used in fusion power plants.
NUCLEAR POWER water, heavy water and graphite rods are used as
moderators.
REACTORS CONTROL RODS
►FISSION REACTORS • In a nuclear reactor, generally only one of the
neutrons released from uranium fission is used to
WORKING
produce another fission reaction. The other is
• When a neutron hits a nucleus of a radioactive atom
absorbed using control rods.
(U-235, Plutonium-239), it triggers a breakup of that
• Control rods absorb neutrons but do not release
nucleus into two large pieces called fission
energy in the process.
fragments. In addition to the two large fragments,
two neutrons are usually released which in turn hits • Note: Plutonium (Pu-239) is sometimes
the nucleus of other atoms in the reactor setting up manufactured using U-238 by hitting the neutron so
what is called a chain reaction. The chain reaction of released in the reactor.
fission generates heat which is then used to move a CRITICAL MASS

turbine to produce electricity. • Minimum number of uranium-235 atoms required to
MODERATOR set up the chain reaction is called the critical mass.
• The neutron released in the chain reaction move at FUELS USED IN NUCLEAR REACTORS
extremely faster speed and may lead to uncontrolled • Fissile material
chain reaction leading to explosion. Thus, to slow • Only U235, Pu-239 and U-233 are fissile material,
down the neutron, the reactors use moderator. meaning they can set up chain reactions.
• Moderators are generally atoms with lighter nuclei • U-235 releases 2 neutron when the atom is split
and does not absorb neutron. Generally ordinary
46
NUCLEAR SCIENCE
• Plutonium-239: releases 3 neutrons instead of 2. temperature must be higher before the vapor
pressure reaches the surrounding pressure, so water
• U-233: U-233 is not found in nature. It is produced in
under pressure boils at a higher temperature. This is
Thermal breeder reactors where thorium-232
what happens in a PWR.
absorbs a neutron to form U-233 which is fissile.
• A similar condition also occurs in areas of higher
• Enrichment: About 99% of the uranium found on
altitudes, atmospheric pressure decreases. The vapor
earth is U-238 which is not suitable for fission as they
pressure reaches that pressure at a lower
are stable. As a result, U-238 is converted to U-235 temperature. This leads to early boiling of water
and this process is called enrichment. when cooking, however the food may not cook
• U-238 is generally used in ‘Breeder reactors’ where U- properly!
238 is converted to Plutonium -239 due to absorption HEAVY WATER REACTOR
of a neutron • It is also referred to as CANDU reactor. Use of heavy
• Thorium 232 is used to produce U-233. water (D2O) as both moderator and coolant. Can be
used with unenriched uranium fuel. Also known as
Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR).
►TYPES OF FISSION REACTORS
• The use of Deuterium instead of Hydrogen gives a
LIGHT WATER REACTOR
neutron to better perform the moderation and
• They use H20 as both moderator and coolant. They increases the probability of a chain reaction.
require the use of enriched fuel. Depending on the
FAST BREEDER REACTORS
type of technology employed they are further divided
• In contrast to most normal nuclear reactors,
into Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) and Pressurized
however, a fast reactor uses a coolant that is not an
Water Reactor (PWR)
efficient moderator, such as liquid sodium, so the
1. Boiling Water Reactor
neutrons remain high-energy.
• BWR uses boiling water to generate electricity.
• Although these fast neutrons are not as good at
Fukushima Daichi was the first such BWR. Tarapur
causing fission, they are readily captured by U-238,
Nuclear Power station in India hosts a BWR.
which then becomes plutonium Pu-239.
2. Pressurised Water Reactor
• These reactors are designed to maximize plutonium
• PWR uses specially built reactor where in the
production and produce more fuel than they
pressure inside the reactor core is greater than
consume (Breed). Pu-239 is formed in every reactor
atmospheric pressure. This prevents the water from
and fissions as the reactor operate.
boiling and allows the water to attain greater
temperatures. The hot water that leaves the pressure
vessel is looped through a steam generator, which in ►NUCLEAR FUSION
turn heats a secondary loop of water to steam that
• Fusion reactors is increasingly seen as future of
can run turbines and generator. (BWRs don’t have
energy security due to following factors:
any steam generator). INS Arihant and Kudankulam
Plant in Tamil Nadu use a PWR. o Abundance of fuel (Hydrogen in form of water in
oceans)
• All liquids, at any temperature, exert a certain vapour
pressure. The vapor pressure increases with o Clean source of energy as it involves no release of
temperature, because at higher temperature the carbon dioxide
molecules are moving faster and are more able to o Elimination of risk from nuclear waste
overcome the attractive intermolecular forces that
• Two main factors to achieve fusion reaction are fuel
tend to bind them together. Boiling occurs when the
and conditions for fusion.
vapor pressure reaches or exceeds the surrounding
pressure from the atmosphere. • A typical fusion reactor uses hydrogen as a fuel that
is abundant in the water of the oceans.
• At standard atmospheric pressure, water boils at
approximately 100 degrees Celsius. That is simply • However, the main problem in fusion is that the
another way of saying that the vapor pressure of hydrogen nuclei repel each other.
water at that temperature is 1 atmosphere. At higher • The electric repulsion of 2 hydrogen nuclei can be
pressures (such as the in a pressure cooker), the overcome by heating the hydrogen to temperatures
47
NUCLEAR SCIENCE
of millions of degrees C. This is what happens in a achieve conditions necessary for fusion.
typical hydrogen bomb
• However, the challenge for building a fusion reactor ►ITER
is that such high temperatures leads to high pressure
ITER stands for International Thermonuclear
posing the problem of explosion.
Experimental Reactor. It is a fusion reactor being built
• This problem is currently being addressed in 3 ways.
on Tokamak approach for completion by 2025.
1. The first is to make the hydrogen work at a very low
DETAILS
density, so the pressure will not get high. This is the
• Being built Saint-Paul-les-Durance, France.
approach used in Tokamak approach.
• It is a collaboration of 35 countries with following
2. The second method is to let the hydrogen explode,
members China, the European Union, India, Japan,
but to keep the explosions small. This is done in laser
Korea, Russia and the United States.
method.
• ITER is designed to produce 500 MW of fusion power
3. The third way to achieve fusion is by keeping the
from 50 MW of input heating power. (Net Energy
hydrogen cold. This is called cold fusion.
Positive ie Produce more energy than what is
COLD FUSION required to initiate the fusion).
• One way to get fusion without requiring high • It will not produce electricity, but it will take nuclear
temperatures is to cancel its electric charge fusion to the point where industrial applications can
(remember high temperature is required only to be designed. Based on learnings from this a
overcome the electric repulsion). This is done by demonstration fusion power plant called DEMO will
making a particle with negative charge stick to be established.
hydrogen nucleus.
• When a negative charge sticks to a hydrogen (or ►GENERAL APPLICATIONS OF
heavy hydrogen) nucleus, it cancels the proton
NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY
charge. This electrically neutral nucleus can then get
close to another hydrogen nucleus. Then the nuclear 1. Nuclear Medicine:
force brings the two nuclei together in fusion. a. Nuclear technology is applied to various
• To do this the hydrogen or deuterium is made to branches of medicine: Oncology, cardiology,
react with metals like palladium, zirconium and nickel neurology, pneumology or paediatrics.
at low temperature. (as these metals are hydrogen b. Medical professionals use diagnostic techniques
‘soakers’) such as radio pharmaceuticals, scans or radio-
• Cold Fusion is also called Low Energy Nuclear isotopes and apply radiotherapy treatments that
Reaction (LENR) include X-rays as well as radiations from radio-
active elements or radiation producing
• India’s Bhabha Atomic Research Centre has recently
equipment’s such as accelerators.
restarted research into it 25 years after it was shut.
c. Used in sterilisation of medical equipment, learn
TOKAMAK
about biological processes with use of tracers or
• It is a machine that confines a plasma using magnetic study of properties of tumorous cells. BARC is
fields in a donut shape (Torus). Tokamaks are leading planning to develop a Research Reactor for
plasma confinement concept for future fusion power production of radio-isotopes for nuclear
plants. medicines.
• At such high temperatures, hydrogen gas is in 2. Applications in Hydrology: Isotope hydrology is a
plasma state (electron and nucleus are not bound) nuclear technique that uses both stable and
and thus difficult for ordinary containers to hold the radioactive isotopes to follow the movements of the
hydrogen. water in the hydrologic cycle. These techniques help
• Thus, under Tokamak approach magnets are used research subterraneous fresh water resources and
which confines hydrogen if the nuclei are in motion. determine their origin, their charge, whether there is
• As a result, this method is sometimes called a risk of intrusion or contamination by salt water.
‘magnetic confinement”. In this, magnetic field coils 3. Sewage treatment: Nuclear technology is also
confine plasma particles to allow the plasma to employed in sustainable waste management. BARC
48
NUCLEAR SCIENCE
has set up a Technology Demonstration project 1ST STAGE
“Sewage Sludge Hygienisation Plant” in Ahmedabad, • Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors are based on
Gujarat. The plant is loaded with Cobalt-60 and is in natural uranium that contains 99.3% U-238 and 0.7%
continuous operation since then. U-235.
4. Food and agriculture: Radio-isotope and radiation • U-235 being fissile sets up the chain reaction and U-
techniques are used to improve the quality of food 238 being non-fissile gets converted to Pu-239 as a
by inducing mutations in plants and seeds to obtain by-product (spent fuel) which is in turn used in the
desired crop varieties. Nuclear technology is also Fast Breeder Reactors in the 2nd stage.
employed for pest control, increasing food
production and reducing fertiliser usage. Direct
irradiation of food reduces losses after harvest and
improves shelf life of food products. This technique
consumes less energy than conventional methods
and can replace or radically reduce the use of
additives and fumigants. (Ex. Employed to increase
shelf life of onions at Lasalgaon, Nashik,
Maharashtra).
5. Applications in Industry: Use of isotopes and
radiations in modern industry is highly important to
the development and improvement of processes,
measurement, automatization and quality control.
Use cases: Used to obtain information that makes it
2ND STAGE
possible to extend its operative life and obtaining X-
rays of the internal structure of certain pieces to • Fast Breeder Reactors are primarily based on
check their quality. Plutonium.
6. Art: X-ray radiography makes it possible to get a deep • Further the breeder reactors use mix of Plutonium-
look at a work of art to determine artists technique, 239 produced in the 1st stage and U-238 that is
change of composition, authenticity and age of art abundantly found on earth to produce Plutonium
works. inside the reactor.
7. Space Exploration: Nuclear batteries are used in • Note that U-238 is not fissile material and thus
space exploration as they can remain functional and cannot set up chain reaction.
active to power space missions over centuries. • Since the amount of Plutonium produced inside the
8. Strategic uses: Nuclear power submarines which reactor is more than that initially used, it is called
allow them to remain operational for long periods of Breeder reactor.
time without having to come to surface to energy • To increase the probability of neutron hitting U-238,
supplies. these reactors do not use a moderator to slow down
neutrons and thus they are called Fast Breeder
Reactors.
NUCLEAR SECTOR IN • Once the Plutonium-239 is completely used, Thorium

is introduced in the reactor to convert it into U-233
INDIA that will be used in 3rd stage.
3RD STAGE
• Thermal Breeder Reactors uses thorium-232.
3-STAGE NUCLEAR
• Thorium is also not radioactive and thus not fissile.
PROGRAM
• In these reactors thorium-232 is converted into
India has a 3-stage nuclear program. The 3-stage Uranium-233 which is a fissile material. (KAMINI)
nuclear program is developed with the aim of utilizing
• Since India has abundant thorium reserves in the
the vast Thorium reserves in India (about 25% of the
form of monazite sand, the 3rd stage is critical for
world) as India has limited availability of Uranium
India’s nuclear energy basket.
reserves (about 2% of the world’s uranium reserves)
49
NUCLEAR SCIENCE
NUCLEAR POWER IN INDIA Rajasthan
• Nuclear power contributes to 2.1% of the total Jaitapur, Maharashtra

EPR 6 × 1650 MW
energy basket of India. (France AREVA)
• Currently India has 22 nuclear reactors operating in 7 Kovvada, Andhra Light Water
5 × 1208
plants generating about 6780 MW of power. Pradesh (USA) Reactors
• India plans to build 48 new plants with a target of
Chhaya Mithi Virdi,
63000MW of power by 2032. 6 × 1000
Gujarat (USA)
Haripur, West Bengal

6 × 1000 MW
(Russia)
Bhimpur, Madhya
PHWR 4 × 700MW
Pradesh
BWR and 160 x 2 and

Tarapur, Maharashtra
PHWR 540 × 2
220 x 2 = 440
Narora, Uttar Pradesh PHWR
MW
►INDO-US CIVIL NUCLEAR DEAL

• India and USA signed the landmark Civil Nuclear
Agreement in 2008.
• The Indo-US Civil Nuclear Agreement enabled the
transfer of nuclear technology and fuel to India by US
companies.
►INDIA’S NUCLEAR COMMERCE

►NUCLEAR RECTORS IN INDIA • Despite the signing of Indo-US nuclear deal, the
nuclear liability regime in India was seen as hurdle
LOCATION & STATE TYPE CAPACITY
for foreign companies to invest in India’s nuclear
Kakra par, Gujarat PHWR 2X700MW sector.
100X1, 200X1, • The major hurdle for companies to do nuclear

Rawathbhata, PHWR
220 × 4 = commerce with India was the Civil Liability for
Rajasthan Nuclear Damage Act, 2010 (CLINDA) which held the
1080MW
suppliers of nuclear power projects liable in case of
Gorakhpur, Haryana PHWR 2 × 700MW
nuclear accidents.
Kudankulam, Tamil RATIFICATION OF CSC
VVER 2 × 1000
Nādu
• This was solved in 2016 when India ratified the
Kalpakkam, Convention of Supplementary Compensation.
Prototype Fast
Tamil Nadu • This marked India’s willingness to accede to
Breeder
(Being 500 international nuclear liability regime which holds the
Reactors
Implemented by operator liable to pay up for damage in case of
(PFBR)
BHAVINI) nuclear accidents. (However, it provides for operator
Chutka, Madhya to have the right to recourse with the supplier in the
PHWR 2 × 700 contract)
Pradesh
• India also launched an insurance pool with a liability
Kaiga, Karnataka PHWR 4 × 220
cap of ₹ 1,500 crore to cover the suppliers’ risk of
Mahi Banswara, PHWR 4 × 700 potential liability.
50
NUCLEAR SCIENCE
• As a result of this foreign companies have showed o Promote nuclear research
interest in nuclear commerce with India o Prospecting and extraction of atomic minerals in
India
►CIVIL LIABILITY LAW IN INDIA o Extends financial assistance to autonomous
• Accordingly in April 2015 India ratified the 1997 national institutes doing research
Convention on Supplementary Compensation for • Accordingly, 5 five research centres under AEC are
Nuclear Damage (CSC). CSC establishes a worldwide o Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai
liability regime and provides for increase in the o Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR),
amount of compensation available to the victims of Kalpakkam (Tamil Nadu)
nuclear accidents.
o Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced
• A State which is a party to either 1963 Vienna Technology (RRCAT), Indore
Convention or 1960 Paris Convention could become
o Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre (VECC), Kolkata
a party to the CSC. A State which is not a party to
o Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and
either of these conventions could also become a
Research (AMD), Hyderabad.
party to the CSC if its national law on nuclear liability
is following the provision of the. o Indian Neutrino Observatory (INO)
• India not being party to the Vienna, or Paris

Conventions signed the CSC on 29 October 2010 ►ATOMIC ENERGY REGULATORY
based on its national law namely the Civil Law for BOARD (AERB)
Nuclear Damage (CLND) Act. This has paved the way • AERB is the regulatory authority responsible for safe
for India to sign civil nuclear cooperation agreements operations of nuclear reactors as well as regulation
with number of countries. at all other nuclear facilities in India.
So far India signed civil nuclear agreements with 14
• It derives its powers from Atomic Energy Act, 1962
countries including USA, France, Russia, Canada,
and the Environmental (Protection) Act, 1986.
Argentina, Australia, Sri Lanka, the UK, Japan, Vietnam,
• Important functions include
Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, South Korea and Czech
Republic. o Ensuring safety of population and environment
from risks arising out of the use of radiation and
REGULATION AND nuclear energy.

o Overseeing the design and construction of the
DEVELOPMENT OF new reactors
NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY ►PUBLIC SECTOR INSTITUTIONS

IN INDIA • Electronics Corporation of India (ECIL), Hyderabad
• Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL), Mumbai
►DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY
• Uranium Corporation of India, Singhbhum (PSE for
• It is apex body under the direct charge of Prime uranium mining and processing)
Minister working toward development and regulation
• Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL), Mumbai,
of nuclear technology in India.
Maharashtra (PSE for generation of electricity from
• In addition, it is responsible for application of nuclear power)
radioactivity in the field of agriculture, medicine,
• Bhartiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI),
industry and basic research.
Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu (Operating Stage II FBR at
• DAE comprises of regulatory bodies, research Kalpakkam)
centres, industrial organisations, five public sector
undertakings etc. ►NUCLEAR POWER CORPORATION OF
INDIA LIMITED (NPCIL)
►ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION
• NPCIL is responsible for design, construction,
• It is the governing body of Department of Atomic
commissioning and operation of nuclear power
Energy
reactors under the Atomic Energy Act, 1962.
• Important function include
51
NUCLEAR SCIENCE
• NPCIL also has equity participation in BHAVINI which • NPT is an international nuclear disarmament treaty
implements Fast Breeder Reactors program in the to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and to
country. promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear
• In 2016 the Atomic Energy (Amendment) Act was energy.
passed by the parliament that enables NPCIL to form • Signed by 191 countries, the treaty restricts nuclear
joint ventures with any government company to non-weapon states (countries which had no nuclear
produce, develop, control, and use atomic energy. weapon till 1968) from developing or acquiring
• Accordingly, a license may be granted to any nuclear weapons.
government company to • On the other hand, the nuclear weapon states shall
o produce atomic energy work towards disarmament and share the benefits of
o acquire and use substances or minerals from peaceful nuclear technology (civilian) to countries
which atomic energy can be obtained that have signed the NPT.
• 5 states recognised as nuclear-weapon states include
the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom,
INTERNATIONAL France, and China.
ORGANISATIONS • The countries that receive nuclear technology or fuel

for civil nuclear purposes (power generation) are
►INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY subject to export controls under the Nuclear
AGENCY (IAEA) Suppliers Group and verification measures of the
IAEA Additional Protocol.
• It is also known as the world’s “Atoms for Peace”. The
organization works within the United Nations. • 4 UN member states that have never joined the NPT:
India, Israel, Pakistan and South Sudan.
• The IAEA is the international centre responsible for
cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy • Though Iran is a signatory to NPT, it was declared
under Nuclear non-Proliferation Treaty. non-compliant by IAEA in 2002. Recently in 2020 after
the US’s withdrawal from Joint Comprehensive Plan
• It is headquartered in Vienna.
of Action and consequent sanctions, Iran has
threatened to withdraw from NPT and resume
►WORLD ASSOCIATION OF NUCLEAR nuclear enrichment.
OPERATORS • North Korea had signed the NPT in 1985 as a nuclear
• It is an international NGO of nuclear scientists that non-weapon state. Thereafter in 1993 it unilaterally
certifies the safety of nuclear reactors. withdrew from NPT. However, there is no definitive
• India is a member of WANO legal opinion regarding the membership of N. Korea
which has resorted to nuclear test time and again.
►IMPORTANT NUCLEAR NON- IAEA SAFEGUARD AGREEMENT AND

PROLIFERATION TREATIES INDIA
• Though India is not a part of NPT, it has signed the
PARTIAL TEST BAN TREATY
Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement IAEA in 2009.
• Signed in 1963 by USA, USSR and UK, it prohibited all
• Besides India also signed the Additional Protocol in
test detonations of nuclear weapons except for those
2009 and entered into force in 2014.
conducted underground.
• Accordingly, India has kept 20 of its 22 civilian nuclear
• It is a treaty banning nuclear weapon tests in the
facilities under IAEA safeguards.
atmosphere, underwater and in outer space.
• One of the main aims of PTBT was to limit the
COMPREHENSIVE TEST BAN TREATY
amount of radioactive fallout emitted from nuclear (CTBT)
explosions. • Adopted in 1996 by UNGA, it prohibits all forms of
NUCLEAR NON-PROLIFERATION nuclear tests in space, water & underground.
TREATY • India has not signed the treaty as it does not talk
about nuclear disarmament.
52
NUCLEAR SCIENCE
• So far it has been signed by 184 states, of which 168 • Currently, it has 42 members including India, US,
have ratified the treaty. Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Australia, Japan, Russia,
• However, the treaty has not come into force yet as South Africa etc
many countries that possess nuclear technology have MISSILE TECHNOLOGY CONTROL
not yet signed or ratified the
REGIME
• Those that have signed but not ratified: China, Egypt,
• Established in 1987, MTCR aims to regulate the
Iran, Israel, USA.
export of weapon delivery systems signatories to
• Those that have not signed: India, Pakistan and North non-signatories.
Korea.
• It restricts export of weapon delivery system that
delivers any type of weapon including conventional
►EXPORT CONTROL REGIMES weapons, chemical weapons, biological weapons and
nuclear weapons.
NUCLEAR SUPPLIERS GROUP
• Accordingly, weapons delivery system carrying more
• Established in 1974 after Pokhran test. than 500 kg payload for over 300 km is restricted
• NSG is a mechanism to fulfil one of the key aims of under MTCR.
NPT; to share the benefits of peaceful use of nuclear • India officially became a signatory of MTCR in 2018
energy. which enabled India to
• It is a 48-member export-control regime that o increase the range of Brahmos (from 290KM to
regulates export of nuclear technology and fuel. 450KM)
• Accordingly, nuclear non-weapon states who have o get access to predator drones from different
signed NPT can have access to items listed in NPT. countries
• In 2008, India was granted a special waiver by NSG
for supply of nuclear fuel and technology to India. ►NUCLEAR FREE ZONES
Thus, India became the first and only non-NPT
• Antarctica by Antarctic treaty
signatory to have this privilege.
• Space by Outer Space Treaty
• Consequently, India signed civil nuclear agreements
• Seabed by Seabed arms control treaty
with 14 countries including USA, France, Russia,
Canada, Argentina, Australia, Sri Lanka, the UK, Japan, • Tlatelolco treaty for Latin America and Caribbean
Vietnam, Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, South Korea and • Bangkok Treaty for Southeast Asia
Czech Republic. • Pelindaba Treaty for Africa
AUSTRALIAN GROUP
• Established in 1985 during Chemical Weapon use in
►ROOPPUR NUCLEAR POWER
Iran-Iraq war in 1984 PROJECT
• It is aimed at controlling exports of biological and • India and Bangladesh have signed a Civil Nuclear
chemical agents used as weapons. Cooperation Agreement.
• Headquartered in Paris, its members include India, • Rooppur Nuclear Power Project is the collaboration
US, Canada, EU, Turkey, Argentina, Australia, Japan between India, Russia and Bangladesh.
etc. • This will be the first time Indian companies will be
able to participate in a nuclear power project abroad.
WASSEGNAR ARRANGEMENT
• It is a multilateral export control treaty that aims to
regulate the export of conventional arms/munitions
►CHINA TURNS ON ‘ARTIFICIAL SUN’
and dual-use goods and technology. China successfully powered up its “artificial sun” nuclear
fusion reactor for the first time.
• It includes not only arms but also technologies that
can be used for military purposes including The HL-2M Tokamak reactor is China’s largest and most
computers, sensors, lasers, electronics, surveillance advanced nuclear fusion experimental research device,
technologies etc. and scientists hope that the device can potentially
unlock a powerful clean energy source.
53
NUCLEAR SCIENCE
It uses a powerful magnetic field to fuse hot plasma and star’s core hydrogen-burning phase, as the source of
can reach temperatures of over 150 million degrees Li production. The Sun will reach this phase in about
Celsius, - approximately ten times hotter than the core 6-7 billion years.
of the sun. The reactor is often called an “artificial sun”
on account of the enormous heat and power it ►EXTREME HELIUM STAR (EHe)
produces and its mimic of the nuclear fusion process
• A study by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA)
that the real sun uses to generate energy.
which detected the presence of singly ionized
• A ‘Tokamak’ is a reactor design that resembles a fluorine for the first time in the atmospheres of hot
donut — a donut that generates powerful magnetic Extreme Helium Stars makes a strong case that the
forces to contain unimaginably hot plasma inside the main formation of these objects involves a merger of
reactor during nuclear fusion. The walls of a tokamak a carbon-oxygen (CO) and a Helium (He) white dwarf.
are built to absorb the massive amounts of heat from
• The origin and evolution of these Hydrogen deficient
the continuous splitting of atoms in the reactor’s
objects have been shrouded in mystery. Since there
core.
are no known conditions where stars devoid of
SIGNIFICANCE OF EXPERIMENT hydrogen can be formed from molecular clouds, it is
• Very large-scale continuous energy production, with theorized that they are the product of the mergers of
zero greenhouse gas emissions and no long-life helium-core and carbon-oxygen core white dwarfs.
radioactive waste.
• The project has been endorsement by International ►KAKRAPAR-3
Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), the
• The third unit of the Kakrapar Atomic Power Project
massive multinational initiative that aims to produce
(KAPP-3) in Gujarat achieved its first criticality a term
the world’s largest magnetic nuclear fusion device.
that signifies the initiation of a controlled but
This shoes that global energy aims will be a
sustained nuclear fission reaction.
collaborative and cooperative process.
• KAPP-3 is the country’s first 700 MWe (megawatt
• EAST will be one of only a few international devices
electric) unit, and the biggest indigenously developed
that can serve as an important experimental test
variant of the Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor
bench for conducting ITER-related steady-state
(PHWR).
advanced plasma science and technology research.
• The PHWRs, which use natural uranium as fuel and
heavy water as moderator, are the mainstay of
►LITHIUM PRODUCTION IN STARS India’s nuclear reactor fleet. Until now, the biggest
• Scientists from Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) reactor size of indigenous design was the 540
found that Lithium production is common among • MWe PHWR, two of which have been deployed in
low mass Sun-like stars during their He-core burning Tarapur, Maharashtra
phase.
• The first two units at Kakrapar of 220 MWe
• They identified “He flash” (on-set of He-ignition at the (Megawatt electric) each were based on Canadian
star's core via violent eruption), at the end of the technology. The third unit is fully indigenous.
54
SECTION-3
IOTECHNOLOGY
one from our father) with six billion base pairs in
►BASICS: DNA, every cell.
CHROMOSOME, GENE, • Chromosomes influence everything from a person’s

hair color to susceptibility to disease.
GENOME • For example, chromosome 1 contains the gene that
• Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) is a molecule that all controls whether you’re susceptible to some forms of
living organisms carry in every cell in their body. malaria while chromosome 16 has a gene that
influences hair color.
• DNA is a “code” that holds the detailed instructions
for the building of the organism. • Some people have a missing chromosome, an extra
chromosome, an inverted chromosome or any other
• In humans, this information is laid out in long linear
mutation, which can cause disorders.
strands of DNA in the nucleus.
• Rather than being one long DNA strand, we have DNA
in the form of many smaller, more manageable ►RIBONUCLEIC ACID (RNA)
pieces, called chromosomes. • RNA is a polymer of ribonucleotides.
• It is principally involved in the synthesis of proteins,
carrying the messenger instructions from DNA, which
itself contains the genetic instructions required for
the development and maintenance of life.
• RNA differs from DNA in three basic respects:
ο RNA employs uracil as a nitrogenous base, in place of
the thymine used in DNA.
ο RNA nucleotides possess a hydroxyl group at the
nd
2 position, while DNA is deoxygenated at that
position to a proton.
ο RNA is more often found single-stranded than DNA,
which is typically completely base-paired into a
double helix.
►DNA PROFILING
DNA profiling or DNA fingerprinting is creation of a
• Humans have three billion base pairs divided into two biometric database comprising DNA information of
copies of 23 chromosomes (one from our mother and individuals.
55
BIOTECHNOLOGY
ESTABLISHING DNA PROFILES • Thus, by counting the number of times these base-
• While DNA is unique to an individual’s genetic pair sequences are repeated in these variable regions
makeup, it is 99.9% similar between all individuals a DNA profile of an individual is established.
within the human species. APPLICATION
• The variable regions (0.1%) also called Variable • To establish the identity of persons.
Number of Tandem Repeats (VNTR) that are unique to • Helps in determining biological relationships to
individual’s DNA constitute the DNA profile of that establish parentage, viability of organ transplantation
individual. etc.
• The DNA profile of an individual varies in some
regions in terms of the number of times a sequence
of nucleotide base pairs is repeated.
HOW DO GENES WORK? messages encoded in the mRNA molecules are used
• Every cell in an organism contains all the information to build proteins
needed to manufacture every protein in its body. ABOUT GENOME SEQUENCING
• The genes in strands of DNA are a storehouse of • The full set of DNA present in an individual organism
information, an instruction book. is called its genome.
• The genes that an organism carries for a particular • DNA sequencing is a procedure for determining the
trait is its genotype and the physical manifestation of linear order of nucleotide bases in DNA.
the instructions are the organism’s phenotype. • Sequencing a gene is like reading a book one letter at
• Further a gene (a sequence of bases in a section of a time to look for any spelling mistakes.
DNA) affects the phenotype in two main steps. • Mapping out a person’s entire genetic code, or
• Transcription, in which a copy of a gene’s base genome or in other words reading each of the 3
sequence is made, and billion base pairs that make up a person’s genetic
• Translation, in which that copy is used to direct the code is called genome sequencing.
production of a protein. • By creating a genome sequence, we will be able to
• Transcription: Gene’s base sequence or code is copied test specific genes to detect the presence of
into a middleman molecule called messenger RNA mutations associated with genetic disorders.
(mRNA). • Within the next few years, experts expect the
• In translation, the mRNA moves out of the nucleus turnaround time to improve and the cost to drop so
and into the cytoplasm of the cell, where the much that analyzing a person’s genome will be no
more expensive than zeroing in on just one gene.
56
BIOTECHNOLOGY
• Techniques of DNA sequencing: • Used to treat diseases caused by a mutation that
1. Shotgun sequencing: It involves randomly breaking stops a gene from producing a functioning product,
up DNA sequences into lots of small pieces and then such as a protein.
reassembling the sequence by looking for regions of • This therapy adds DNA containing a functional
overlap. version of the lost gene back into the cell.
2. Next Generation Sequencing: It also known as • New gene produces a functioning product at
Massively Parallel Sequencing. This led to fall in time sufficient levels to replace the protein that was
and cost of Human Genome Sequencing and made it originally missing.
accessible.
2. Gene inhibition Therapy
• Suitable for the treatment of infectious diseases,
►GENOME MAPPING IN INDIAN OCEAN cancer and inherited disease caused by inappropriate
National Institute of Oceanography is going to launch gene activity.
project for Genome Mapping in Indian Ocean. • It aims to introduce a gene whose product either
AIM inhibits expression of another gene or interferes with
the activity of the product of another gene.
• To gather samples for genome mapping of
microorganisms in the Indian Ocean and • The basis of this therapy is to eliminate the activity of
a gene that encourages growth of disease related
• to understand the biochemistry and the response of
cells.
the ocean to climate change, nutrient stress and
increasing pollution
IMPORTANT ASPECTS
►MITOCHONDRIAL DNA & NUCLEAR
DNA
• Just like gene mapping is carried out on blood
samples collected from humans, scientists will map • The DNA we have been referring to is the DNA that is
these in bacteria, microbes found in ocean. present in the nucleus
• Mapping of DNA & Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) will show • In addition to DNA in the nucleus, some DNA is also
the nutrients present in them, and those lacking in present in the mitochondria.
different parts of the ocean. • During fertilization it the nuclear DNA (with 46
• It will give holistic understanding about nutrient chromosomes) that is formed where 23
cycling and productivity of the oceans. chromosomes is inherited from the mother and 23
from the dad.
• The project is expected to generate new information
about trace metals from underexplored regions of the • Mitochondrial DNA only has one chromosome and it
Indian Ocean. codes for only specific proteins responsible for
metabolism.
• The genome mapping will show the presence of
which these microbes have adapted to, in addition to • It is the nuclear DNA that is responsible for
their reaction to atmospheric carbon dioxide. inheritance (from both father and mother).
• Mitochondrial DNA is inherited only from the mother
and thus it is more effective to trace human ancestry.
►GENE THERAPY
• Gene therapy involves removal of defective stem cells
from patient’s bone marrow. ►THREE PARENT BABY
The stem cells so removed are genetically modified • Apart from receiving the usual “nuclear” DNA from its
for correction mother and father, the embryo would also include a
• The genetically modified cells are infused back in the small amount of healthy mitochondrial DNA from a
bone marrow using a virus vector. woman donor.
• The corrected stem cells in the bone marrow develop • This is resorted to when the actual mother is suffering
healthy blood cells. from an incurable mitochondrial disease.
TYPES OF GENE THERAPY TECHNIQUES • This technique involves removing the faulty
mitochondrial DNA from the actual mother and
1. Gene Augmentation Therapy
nucleus form the mother’s egg and the resultant egg
57
BIOTECHNOLOGY
fertilizes with the sperm cell of the father outside the • Somatic stem cells or adult stem cells are
body (in-vitro). undifferentiated cells present in differentiated cells in
a tissue or organ.
►STEM CELLS • They help in repair and maintenance of specific tissue
• The most basic unit of any organism is a cell. or organ where they are present.
• It is the smallest unit of life that can function INDUCED PLURIPOTENT STEM CELLS (IPS CELLS) AND
independently and perform all the necessary THEIR SIGNIFICANCE
functions of life.
• iPS are adult stem cells are adult stem cells, like in
• Cells develop to form tissues which in turn develop to umbilical cord cells or bone marrow cells, which can
form organs. be induced to show properties of stem cells. They are
• Broadly speaking, cells are of two types, differentiated pluripotent in nature are capable of differentiation
and undifferentiated. into ectodermal, mesodermal and endodermal cells.
• Differentiated cells are the building blocks of tissues They can be derived from somatic cells by a variety of
and organs and are specialised to from that tissue or genetic and epigenetic methods.
organ.
• They are mostly use in therapeutic cloning to treat
• Undifferentiated cells are those that have the degenerative diseases like diabetes, Parkinson’s,
potential to develop into many diverse types of cells Alzhiemers etc.
like those in muscles, kidney, liver etc.
• They are created by stimulating mature, already
• Stem cells are these undifferentiated, primitive cells. specialised cells back into a juvenile state without the
They are special cells which not only have ability of
need for an embryo.
self-renewal but can also be a lifelong source of
specialized functional cells of different human organs. • These can be derived from the patient themselves,
making them less likely to be rejected.
• Self-renewal ability of stem cells ensures that stem
cells are not depleted, and enough stem cells remain • The cells can be transformed into a range of diverse
to produce enough specialized cells of the organ types of cells, and their use is a key sector of medical
during long human lifespan. research.
• Stem cells are of two types, Embryonic and • Further owing to ethical issues embryonic cells are
Adult/Somatic stem cells. banned in countries such as Ireland and in Latin

America.
• Therefore, use of iPS cells in therapeutic cloning is

significant.
Diverse types of Stem Cells:
1. Mesenchymal stem cell:
2. Hematopoietic stem cell: A stem cell that gives rise to

all red and white blood cells and platelets.
Based on Potency:
1. Totipotent stem cell: Having the ability to give rise to

all the cell types of the body plus all the cell types that
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EMBRYONIC AND
make up the extra embryonic tissues such as the
ADULT/SOMATIC STEM CELLS
placenta.
• Embryonic stem cells are derived from embryos.
2. Pluripotent stem cell: Having the ability to give rise to
• They are totipotent in that they can be differentiated all the various cell types of the body. They cannot
into most of the cell types. make extra-embryonic tissues and components of
• They can produce a clone of the entire organism. placenta.
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BIOTECHNOLOGY
3. Multipotent stem cell: Having the ability to GROWING HUMAN ORGANS IN ANIMAL BODY
differentiate into diverse types of specialized cells • Recently Japanese researchers have successfully
constituting a specific tissue or organ. developed functional mouse kidneys inside rats using
ALLOGENIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANTATION stem cells.
• In an allogeneic transplant, stem cells are collected • In the first step, CRISPR/Cas9 technique was used to
from a matching donor and transplanted into the genetically silence rat embryos so that the rats did not
patient to suppress the disease and restore the grow kidney on their own.
patient’s immune system. • Then the genetically modified blastocysts (clusters of
• It is different from an autologous stem cell cells formed after egg fertilization), of the rat embryo
transplantation, which uses stem cells from the were inserted with pluripotent stem cells from mice.
patient's own body. • The altered rat embryo was then implanted back into
• Doctors use HLA test to compare patient’s blood and rat wombs to continue fertilization.
tissue type against a donor’s blood samples. HLA • The stem cells then differentiated to form the missing
stands for human leukocyte antigens (HLA). kidney in the rats that was functional.
• Before an allogeneic stem cell transplant, patient • This could be replicated in Humans.
undergoes a conditioning regimen, which typically • In Regenerative Medicine
involves intensive treatment—high doses of
chemotherapy and radiation therapy, for example—
►GENE EDITING
to destroy as many cancer cells as possible
Gene Editing is the process of disabling faulty
SIGNIFICANCE OF STEM CELL THERAPIES
genes, correct the harmful mutation, insert a missing
• Currently available therapies for Parkinson’s disease gene or change the activity of specific genes in living
treat symptoms without slowing or halting the organisms.
disease progression.
TYPES OF EDITING:
• On the other hand, the new research aims to actively
• Germline Editing: A form of gene editing that involves
reverse the disease.
changing genes in eggs, sperm, or early-stage
embryos. This type of genome modification is
heritable, meaning that genes could appear not only
in offsprings that result from the procedure, but also
in the subsequent generations.
• Somatic Cell Gene Editing: It affects targeted
cells/tissues/organs in patient and is not passed on to
subsequent generations. This includes genome
modification by CRISPR-related techniques and
epigenetic modulation by gene therapy approaches. It
can be done
EX VIVO
ex vivo (gene editing outside the body followed by
transplantation into the same or different individual)
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BIOTECHNOLOGY
APPLICATIONS • The zinc finger nucleases (ZNF) technique was used to
• Treating genetic disorders like cystic fibrosis, sickle insert the corrective gene in the DNA of the patient
cell anaemia and muscular dystrophy. through Intravenous therapy (IV).
• Gene editing is widely used to modify immune cells to CrispR Cas9

fight cancer, increase resistance in HIV cases. • It is the revolutionary gene editing technique.
• Used correct defective genes in human embryos and • Short for “clustered regularly interspaced short
prevent inheritance of genetic disorders palindromic repeats”.
• Faster, cheaper and precise than conventional • CRISPR uses an enzyme called Cas9 to cut strands of
techniques in genetic modification of crops. DNA at precisely targeted locations and insert new
• Extremely helpful in gene therapy including building genetic material into the gap.
ofdiagnostic tools, drugs, organ transplantations etc. • CrispR is a replica of the natural process when a virus
IN-VIVO GENE EDITING infects a bacterium.
• Recently gene editing was carried out inside the • The bacterium has evolved the CRISPR/Cas9 system
human body (in-vivo) for the 1st time to treat Hunter’s adaptive immune system.
syndrome.
►GENE DRIVE TECHNOLOGY GENE DRIVE TECHNOLOGY: HOW DOES IT WORK?
• In a breakthrough in the global fight for malaria, • The gene drive technology is designed to introduce a
scientists have wiped out an entire population of genetic tweak in the population of a species by
malaria-carrying mosquitoes in lab conditions using a altering the rules of inheritance from parent to
CRiSPR gene drive technology. offspring.
• Gene drive technology is a genetic engineering • Firstly, using CRiSPR gene editing tool, a gene called
technology that can permanently change the traits of ‘doublesex’ in female mosquitoes is disrupted.
a population or even an entire species. • This genetic tweak of double-sex gene follows gene
• Gene drives are genetic elements that pass from drive inheritance.
parents to unusually high numbers of their offspring, • Here the gene drive inheritance makes the female
thereby spreading quickly. mosquitoes inherit two copies of the disrupted gene.
• When the female mosquitoes inherit two copies of
the disrupted gene, they develop like males and are
unable to bite or lay eggs.
►GM CROPS
• Transgenic (GM) plants are those that have been
genetically modified using recombinant DNA
technology.
• Genetic modification is done to confer a particular
• Gene drives occur naturally but can also be trait to the plant with one of the following properties
engineered. • Increased yield of a crop
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BIOTECHNOLOGY
• Increased nutritional content of a crop • It is the best conductor of heat and electricity.
• Developing resistance to • It is impermeable to gases. Graphene is known for
o Abiotic stresses like temperature, salinity or against bacterial properties.
herbicide-resistant • Graphene has arisen as one of the most encouraging
o Biotic stresses like insect-resistant crops. nanomaterials on account of its novel mix of brilliant
properties.
o BT cotton is the only genetically modified crop that
PROPERTIES OF GRAPHENE
is commercially allowed in India from 2002.
• Electronic properties: atomic arrangement of the
carbon in graphene permits electrons to effectively go
►ARKA SHUBHA
at high speeds without dissipating energy.
• Indian Institute of Horticultural Research has
• Mechanical properties are a result of sp2 bonds that
developed a new marigold variety named Arka
structure the hexagonal cross section and go against
Shubha.
an assortment of in-plane disfigurements.
• Arka Shubha has carotene content of around 2.8%
USES OF GRAPHENE
(for all marigolds, it's maximum upto 1.4%) which is
• Energy storage and solar cells
the highest among all plant sources.
• Lubrication
• This new variety of marigold can be used for
extraction of crude carotene even if spoiled after full • Graphene ink
bloom, unlike that of other varieties. • Transistors and memory
• India imports most of its carotene from other • Flexible, stretchable and foldable electronics
countries, including China. This development can • Photodetectors
significantly reduce import dependency. Therefore,
• Face Mask, etc.
both cultivation area and investment on carotene
GRAPHENE MASK AND CORONAVIRUSES
extraction should be increased.
• Graphene is known for anti-bacterial properties. It has
also shown to be effective in against COVID-19 virus.
►WHEAT STRAW POLYSACCHARIDE • All carbon-containing materials, like cellulose or
• DBT-National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute (DBT- paper, can be changed over into Graphene.
NABI) has developed a wheat straw polysaccharide • Graphene is reusable.
derived novel edible coating formulation to prevent
the post-harvest shelf-life of perishable fruit crops
►CARBON NANOTUBES
such as Apple, Peach and Banana.
Carbon nanotubes are cylindrical large molecules
• In addition to that, antibody assisted graphene oxide
consisting of a hexagonal arrangement of hybridized
coated gold nanoparticles for rapid bacterial
carbon atoms, which may be formed by rolling up a
detection and near infrared light enhanced
single sheet of Graphene (single-walled carbon
antibacterial activity has been developed which
nanotubes) or by rolling up multiple sheets of Graphene
detects food borne pathogens.
(multi-walled carbon nanotubes).
►GRAPHENE
• It is an allotrope of carbon with a sheet like structure.
• It is a solitary layer (monolayer) of carbon molecules.
• It is one molecule thick. Slenderest compound known.
• It has the structure square of Graphite.
• It is tougher than diamond yet more flexible than
PROPERTIES OF CARBON NANOTUBES
rubber; harder than steel yet lighter than aluminum.
1. Strongest and stiffest materials discovered yet in
• It is the lightest material known.
terms of tensile strength and elastic modulus.
• It is the most grounded compound found (between
2. Very good thermal conductors along the tube,
100-300 times more grounded than steel).
exhibiting a property known as ballistic conduction.
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BIOTECHNOLOGY
3. High surface area per unit mass ratio. thereof are regulated under Environment (Protection)
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SINGLE WALLED AND MULTI- Act, 1986.
WALLED CARBON NANOTUBES • India is also a signatory to the Cartagena Protocol on
Biosafety.
Single-walled carbon Multi-walled carbon
nanotubes nanotubes • India adopted biosafety rules under EPA in 1989
called Rules for the manufacture, use, import, export
It is a single layer of It has multiple layers of & storage of hazardous microorganisms, genetically
Graphene. Graphene. engineered organisms or cells.
Requires catalyst for Can be produced without • Accordingly Genetic Technology, Genetic Engineering
synthesis. catalyst including gene editing and gene drives are regulated
under EPA in India.
Bulk synthesis is difficult Bulk synthesis is easy
REGULATORY AUTHORITIES
More defection during Less defection, but difficult • GM Crops – Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee
functionalization to improve under MoEFCC is the final approval authority for
Poor in purity Purity is high environmental release of GM crops in India including
confined field trials. It also includes approval for
Less accumulation in the More accumulation in the commercial cultivation of GM crops.
body body
• GM Food – Food Safety and Standards Authority of
It can twist easily Difficult to twist India regulates manufacture, storage, distribution,
sale and import GM food.
Easy characterization and Difficult characterization
evaluation and evaluation. BT COTTON
• BT cotton is the only genetically modified crop that is
APPLICATIONS OF CARBON NANOTUBES
commercially allowed in India from 2002.
1. CNT based transparent electrodes can be developed
• BT cotton grown in India is genetically modified for
which are essential components of organic solar cells
developing resistance to the pink bollworm pest in
as well as organic light emitting diodes.
the crop.
2. Electrodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries
• This is done by inserting ‘Cry1Ab’ and ‘Cry2Bc’ genes
3. Super capacitors from the soil bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt),
4. Metal/CNT Capacitors into the cotton seed.
5. Polymer/CNT Composite Capacitors PBKNOT TECHNOLOGY
6. CNT based electronic components such as South Asia Biotechnology Centre and Agrovision
nanowires, transistors and switches. Foundation with the help of PI Foundation has carried
7. CNTs are promising candidates for catalysts. out a novel experiment on mating disruption to control
Pink Bollworm pest in cotton.
8. Immobilization of bio macromolecules
PBKnot involves use of gossyplure sex pheromones to
9. Developing highly sensitivity sensors
prevent male insects finding females thus eliminating
10. Biomedical applications
the possibility of egglaying and pest population.
11. Mechanical applications
HTBT COTTON
CHALLENGES FOR APPLICATIONS OF CARBON
• Short for Herbicide Resistant Bt Cotton
NANOTUBES
• The cotton seed is inserted with ‘Cp4-Epsps’ gene
1. Impurities such as residual metal particles in carbon
from soil bacterium, Agrobacterium tumefaciens. This
nanotubes.
produces a modified protein glyphosate which makes
2. Processing & manufacturing of carbon nanotubes is
it herbicide resistant.
challenging.
• It is not allowed to be cultivated in India.
DMH-11 MUSTARD
►REGULATION OF GMO IN INDIA
In DMH-11 mustard, genetic modification allows cross-
• Genetically modified organisms and the products
pollination in a crop that self-pollinates in nature.
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BIOTECHNOLOGY
• Develop disease models through predictive
Bt BRINJAL computing
• Bt brinjal is genetically engineered by inserting a gene • Drug discovery
from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis for its
insecticidal property.
►GENOME INDIA PROJECT
• The gene disrupts the digestive system of the insect
• Aims to conduct whole-genome sequencing of Indian.
that feeds on the crop, thus killing the insect.
• Also called ‘Bioscience Mission for Precision Health
• Since 2010 there is an indefinite moratorium on
and Optimal Well-being’
commercial cultivation of Bt Brinjal in India.
• Aimed at studying diversity of Indians and its impact
on lifestyle, environment and genes that is inherited.
►NATIONAL STEM CELL REGISTRY
• It will help in development of personalized medicines.
• India is developing a National Stem Cell Registry of its
• The initiative will involve large number of Indians
own.
from various geographies, caste, tribal and linguistic
• It is a government managed database of unrelated
groups.
bone-marrow donors.
• Genome Sequencing will be a combined initiative of
• Main aim is to find matching donors for treating
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Department of
patients with blood-related disorders such as
Health Research, Department of Biotechnology
o blood cancers (lymphoma, leukaemia)
• The initiative will include sequencing genomes and
o thalassaemia, link it to human health disease as a research initiative.
o sickle-cell anaemia, IMPORTANT GENOME SEQUENCING EFFORTS
o haemophilia • UK - Genomics England
• The registration to the database is voluntary. • Australia- 100,000 Genomes Project
IMPORTANCE • South and South-East Asia including 50000 Indians -
• About 3.5-5Lakh people in India suffer from blood- GenomeAsia100K.
related disorders like thalassemia which require
frequent blood transfusions. The only cure for blood ►INDIGEN INITIATIVE
related disorders is bone-marrow transplantation.
• ‘IndiGen’ is the 1st of its kind whole genome
• Matching Donors sequencing of Indians.
• For bone-marrow transplantation, the donor and • Under the initiative, genome sequencing of 1000 odd
patient should have the same white blood cell type. representatives of all states and ethnicities
• Siblings usually have the exact match and thus • It was carried out by CSIR to accelerate the study of
suitable for bone-marrow transplantations. genomics in India.
• Thus, matching donors is extremely low. The • ‘Indigen’ is precursor to Genome India project under
database will help connect unrelated matching Bioscience Mission for Precision Health and Optimal
donors. Well-being of Department of Biotechnology.
• ‘Indigen’ initiative will go a long way in development of
►MANAV: HUMAN ATLAS INITIATIVE precision medicine, personalized medicine for various
diseases and increase awareness of genetic disorders
• Launched by Department of Biotechnology
in India.
• It is a project to construct a comprehensive map of
WHOLE GENOME SEQUENCING
every tissue of the human body.
• Exome, the portion of the genes responsible for
• It seeks to capture human physiology at the tissue
making proteins occupies just about 1% of the actual
level in natural and diseased state.
gene. Rather than sequence the whole gene, many
OBJECTIVES geneticists rely on “exome maps”. However, the non-
• To provide better biological insights of human exome portions also affect the functioning of the
physiology genes.
• To understand the roles of tissues and cells linked to • Hence to know which genes of a person’s DNA are
various diseases. “mutated” the whole genome sequencing is required.
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BIOTECHNOLOGY
• Whole genome sequencing is the process of • Medicine: Bionic organs like bionic ear, bionic nose,
determining the complete DNA sequence of an bionic eye, silicon retina, artificial heart, bionic hand
organism’s genome at a single time. etc.
• This entails sequencing all an organism’s • Robotics: Robots are often designed inspired from
chromosomal DNA as well as DNA contained in the biological processes.
mitochondria and, for plants, in the chloroplast.
• In practice, genome sequences that are nearly ►ARTIFICIAL BLOOD
complete are also called whole genome sequences.
• Substitute for red blood cells
• Designed for the sole purpose of transporting oxygen
►HUMAN MICROBIOME PROJECT
and carbon dioxide throughout the body.
• Aim: Characterize human microbiome and to assess
• Produced though synthetic production, chemical
how this core microbiome changes during disease.
isolation, or recombinant biochemical technology.
• The project will include collection of saliva, stool and
LIMITATION
skin swabs of 20,000 Indians across various ethnic
groups from different geographical regions. • It performs the function of RBC only and not of white
cells, platelets, and plasma.
• The project will help us to understand the impact of
the human microbiome on human health and disease • Lab-cultured Meat/ Transgenic Meat
which range from neo-natal health, gastro-intestinal
disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, diseases associated ►BIO-COMPUTING
with skin, lung, liver, urogenital tract, neurological
• Biocomputing uses molecular biology parts as the
disorders, cancer to lifestyle associated diseases like
hardware to implement computational devices.
obesity and diabetes.
• By following pre-defined rules, often hard-coded into
biological systems, these devices can process inputs
►HUMAN PROTEOME PROJECT and return outputs—thus computing information.
• International collaboration organized by the Human
Proteome Organization (HUPO)
►DNA DATA STORAGE
• Aims to map the entire human proteome. (Map of the
• Use of DNA to store data as an alternate data storage
protein based molecular architecture of the human
to binary data storage.
body.)
• Encoding and decoding binary data to and from
• Will enhance understanding of human biology at the
synthesized strands of DNA.
cellular level
• An alternative to hard drives storage system is
• Thus, it helps in development of diagnostic,
progressing in the form of DNA-based data storage.
prognostic, therapeutic, and preventive medical
applications • DNA—which consists of long chains of the nucleotides
A, T, C and G—is life’s information-storage material.
►PROTEOMICS • Data can be stored in the sequence of these letters,

turning DNA into a new form of information
The study of entire set of proteins that is produced or
technology.
modified by an organism or system.
• It is already routinely sequenced (read), synthesized
APPLICATION
(written to) and accurately copied with ease. Currently
• Identification of potential new drugs for the treatment
16 GB of text from Wikipedia has been encoded
of diseases
into synthetic DNA.
• In plant used for studying plant-insect interactions
and develop pest-resistant solutions.
►DNA OF THINGS (DOT)
• DoT encodes digital data into DNA molecules, which
►BIONICS
are then embedded into objects.
It refers to design and development of technology
• While Internet of things is a system of inter-connected
inspired by biological methods.
computing devices, DoT creates objects which are
APPLICATION independent storage objects.
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BIOTECHNOLOGY
►NATIONAL GENOMIC GRID INFERTILITY
• It will collect samples from cancer patients, through a • Infertility may occur due to various reasons
network of pan-India collection centres by bringing all • Insufficient production of sperm for zygote formation
cancer treatment institutions on board. • Insufficient production of oocyte
• This research is carried out through the technique of • Failure to implant embryo into uterus
Genome Sequencing.
IN-VITRO FERTILIZATION
• NGG will help to study genomic factors influencing
• One way of assisted reproductive technology is IVF
cancer and identifying the right treatment modalities
• In in-vitro fertilization, the fertilization of egg occurs
for the Indian population. The grid to be formed will
externally outside the body.
be in line with the National Cancer Tissue Biobank
(NCTB) set up at the Indian Indian Institute of • The externally developed fertilized zygote or embryo
Technology, Madras. is then implanted inside the uterus of the mother for
full-fledged development into human.
• National Cancer Tissue Biobank (NCTB) is a joint
initiative of the Department of Science and FROZEN EMBRYOS
Technology (DST), Government of India and Indian • The embryos so developed in-vitro are sometimes
Institute of Technology, Madras. frozen and stored for future use.
• The biobank collects cancer tissue samples with • The embryos are stored in liquid nitrogen or nitrogen
consent from patients diagnosed with cancer. vapour at a temperature below -190°C.
• The aim is to provide researchers with high quality of REASONS FOR STORING EMBRYOS
cancer tissues and the patient data to facilitate cancer • Some couples store embryos for conceiving later.
research that will lead to improvements in cancer (Implanting in the uterus)
diagnosis and treatment.
• In-vitro fertilization is done choosing desirable
gametes. (Say a male European gamete)
►EARTH BIO-GENOME PROJECT
• Patients with terminal illness like cancer may store
• International collaboration to sequence and digitize gametes or even embryos before they undergo a
the genomes of every eukaryotic biodiversity on Earth radiation therapy.
over a period of 10 years.
• Couples may store frozen embryos to continue in-
• It is an open-source DNA database.
vitro fertilization in countries where IVF procedures
APPLICATION are cheaper and cost effective like in India.
Planning environmental conservation initiatives. • Further some couples may choose to store frozen
ISSUE embryos to continue the IVF procedure in countries
May lead to digital bio-piracy (because it is open-source) where commercial surrogacy is allowed.
which is against the principle of Nagoya protocol to IMPORT OF FROZEN EMBRYOS
convention of Biodiversity that requires sharing of
• India has emerged as the surrogacy hub of the world
benefits with the local communities
since 2002.
• There has been rampant misuse of frozen embryos
►IN-VITRO FERTILIZATION & FROZEN leading to illegal surrogacy in India because of the low
EMBRYOS cost of IVF procedure here.
• In case of sexual reproduction, beginning of • Until 2015, import of frozen embryos or gametes was
development of an offspring is fertilization of male allowed in India subject to a ‘No Objection Certificate’
and female gametes into zygote (a fertilized egg or from Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
embryo). LAW GOVERNING IMPORT OF EMBRYOS IN INDIA
• The zygote (embryo) is then implanted into the uterus • To stop this practice, commercial surrogacy was
where it develops into full-fledged organism in banned in India when the parliament passed the
various stages.
Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill 2016 recently.
• From the day of fertilization (union of male and
• Further import of human embryo is “prohibited”
female gamete) up till 8 weeks the undeveloped
except for research purposes from 2015.
zygote is called embryo.
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BIOTECHNOLOGY
ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGIES (ART) the testicle and is the location where sperm mature
All techniques that attempt to obtain a pregnancy by and develop ability to move.
handling sperm or oocyte outside human body & 4. Cryopreservation of gametes and embryo: Frozen
transferring gamete or embryo into reproductive tract of Embryo
a woman. Following are included in ART services:
Invitro Fertilisation (IVF): A complex series of ►DESIGNER BABIES
procedures to treat infertility in people who are
• It refers to a baby that has been given special traits
struggling to conceive. It can also be used in same sex
through genetic engineering.
couples. Processes involved are:
• This is done by altering the genes of the egg, sperm,
1. Ovarian stimulation: Aims to harvest as many eggs as
or the embryo.
possible from women’s ovaries. Normal ovulation
cycle produces one mature egg per month.
Medications are used for stimulating ovaries to
►FIRST GENE-EDITED BABIES
produce additional eggs. Hormones Follicle • In 2018, a Chinese doctor for the first time performed
Stimulating Hormone (FSH) and Luteinizing Hormone gene editing on embryonic stem cell using CrispR
(LSH), nature hormones involved in normal ovulation technique.
process are used. Stimulation process ends with a • CRISPR technique was used to modify CCR5 gene on
trigger shot of hCG, a large dose hormone injection embryonic cells of couples making them resistant to
that causes developing follicles to mature and sets HIV virus.
ovulation in motion.
• One of the couples subsequently gave birth to twins –
2. Egg retrieval: Egg retrieval happens right before Lulu and Nana.
ovulation occurs. Physicians puncture the ovary and
• However, CCR5 gene is not just associated with HIV, it
drain the follicular flued and eggs from each mature
may also play an important role in the inflammatory
follicle.
response and in cognitive function.
3. Intra-Uterine Insemination (IUI)
4. Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI): A single ►CRISPR-CAS 9
sperm is manually inserted directly into an
• Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2020 was awarded to
unfertilised egg. Sperm is injected using tiny pipettes
Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna for
called micro-injectors.
development of a method for genome editing
5. Embryo transfer technique called CRISPR-Cas 9 (genetic scissors).
TECHNIQUE FOR SPERM HARVESTING • This technique helps to edit DNA of animals, plants
1. Microsurgical Epididymal Sperm Aspiration (MESA): A and microorganisms with extremely high precision.
surgical microscope is used to open small tubes • This technology has had a revolutionary impact on
within the epididymis for collecting sperms. This the life sciences, is contributing to new cancer
technique works well in conditions when sperm are therapies and may make the dream of curing
being produced in adequate numbers but are blocked inherited diseases come true.
from travelling to the ejaculate.
• Researchers need to modify genes in cells if they are
2. Testicular Sperm Extraction (TESE): A tissue is taken to find out about life’s inner workings. Earlier, gene
directly from the testicle and examined for the editing used to be time-consuming, difficult and
presence of sperm. Often a surgery is done to find sometimes impossible work. Using the CRISPR/Cas9
sperm in testicles. Any sperm found can be used genetic scissors, it is now possible to change the code
immediately to fertilise an egg or they can be frozen of life over the course of a few weeks.
for later use.
• There is enormous power in this genetic tool as it has
3. Percutaneous Epididymal Sperm Aspiration (PESA): A not only revolutionized basic science but has also
needle is used to extract sperm from the testicle or resulted in innovative crops and will lead to ground-
epididymis. Epididymis is an organ that lives behind breaking new medical treatments.
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BIOTECHNOLOGY
ABOUT GENE "remember" the viruses (or closely related ones). If
• Nucleus contains thread-like structures called the viruses attack again, the bacteria produce RNA
chromosomes. These carry genes and help in segments from the CRISPR arrays to target the
inheritance or transfer of characters from parents to viruses' DNA. The bacteria then use Cas9 or a similar
offspring. Gene is a unit of inheritance in living enzyme to cut the DNA apart, which disables the
organisms. Genes are made up of DNA. DNA virus.
(deoxyribonucleic acid) is the hereditary material in RESEARCH BASED ON tracrRNA
humans & almost all other organisms. • Emmanuelle Charpentier, who is now director, Max
• Information in DNA is stored as a code made up of 4 Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin, had
chemical bases: adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), studied Streptococcus pyogenes, a species of bacteria
& thymine (T). Human DNA consists of about 3 billion known to be associated with a range of illnesses such
bases. DNA base pair up with each other, A with T and as pharyngitis, tonsillitis and scarlet fever.
C with G, to form units called base pairs. • While studying this, she discovered a previously
• Each base is also attached to a sugar molecule and a unknown molecule, tracrRNA. Her work showed that
phosphate molecule. Together, a base, sugar, and tracrRNA is part of bacteria’s ancient immune system,
phosphate are called a nucleotide. Nucleotides are CRISPR/Cas, which disarms viruses by cleaving their
arranged in two long strands that form a spiral called DNA, the Nobel release explains.
a double helix. • Dr. Charpentier published her discovery in 2011. The
• Structure of double helix is like a ladder, with the base same year, she initiated a collaboration with
pairs forming the ladder’s rungs and the sugar and biochemist Jennifer Doudna, now a professor at the
phosphate molecules forming the vertical sidepieces University of California, Berkeley.
of the ladder. • Together, they succeeded in recreating the bacteria’s
WHAT ROLE DO CRISPR/Cas9 GENETIC SCISSORS genetic scissors in a test tube and simplifying the
PLAY? scissors’ molecular components, so they were easier
• CRISPR/Cas9 system or technology which allows for to use.
adding, altering and deleting the genomic code in GAME CHANGING EFFORT
living beings. • In a significant experiment, they reprogrammed the
• The essence of CRISPR is simple: it’s a way of finding a genetic scissors. “In their natural form, the scissors
specific bit of DNA inside a cell. After that, the next recognise DNA from viruses, but Charpentier and
step in CRISPR gene editing is usually to alter that Doudna proved that they could be controlled so that
piece of DNA. However, CRISPR has also been they can cut any DNA molecule at a predetermined
adapted to do other things too, such as turning genes site. Where the DNA is cut it is then easy to rewrite
on or off without altering their sequence. the code of life.
• When these components are transferred into other, • Other genome editing systems like TALENs and Zinc-
more complex, organisms, it allows for the Finger Nucleases can do similar jobs, but several
manipulation of genes, or "editing." users consider the Charpentier-Doudna tool more
• Its many potential applications include correcting adaptable and easier to use.
genetic defects, treating and preventing the spread of • the technology allows researchers to find out what
diseases and improving crops. genes do, move mutations that are identified and
HOW DOES CRISPR-Cas9 WORKS? associated with disease into systems where they can
be studied and tested for treatment, or where they
• CRISPRs are specialized stretches of DNA. The protein
can be tested in combinations with other mutations.
Cas9 (or "CRISPR-associated") is an enzyme found in
bacteria that acts like a pair of molecular scissors, APPLICATIONS OF CRISPR-Cas9
capable of cutting strands of DNA. • Earlier this year, a person with hereditary blindness
• CRISPR-Cas9 was adapted from a naturally occurring became the first to have a CRISPR/Cas-9-based
genome editing system in bacteria. The bacteria therapy directly injected into her body.
capture snippets of DNA from invading viruses and • Gene-editing company CRISPR Therapeutics
use them to create DNA segments known as CRISPR announced in June that two patients with beta
arrays. The CRISPR arrays allow the bacteria to thalassemia and one with sickle cell disease would no
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BIOTECHNOLOGY
longer require blood transfusions after their bone ►LIQUID NANO UREA
marrow stem cells were edited using CRISPR
IFFCO has entered a MoU with public sector fertiliser
techniques.
manufacturers National Fertilisers Limited (NFL) and
• Beta thalassemia is a blood disorder that reduces the Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilisers Ltd (RCF) for 'transfer of
production of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the iron- technology' aimed at increasing production Liquid Nano
containing protein in red blood cells that carries Urea.
oxygen to cells throughout the body. In people
ABOUT LIQUID NANO UREA
with beta thalassemia, low levels of hemoglobin lead
to a lack of oxygen in many parts of the body. • Developed by IFFCO. India will be first country to start
commercial production of Liquid Nano Urea.
• Sickle cell disease is a group of inherited red blood
cell disorders that affects hemoglobin, the protein • It is a nanotechnology-based fertilizer. It contains
that carries oxygen through the body. Normally, red Nano scale nitrogen particles which have more
blood cells are disc shaped and flexible to move easily surface area and number of particles, which make it
through the blood vessels. If you have sickle cell more impactful.
disease, your red blood cells are crescent or “sickle” BENEFITS OF NANO UREA
shaped. These cells do not bend and move easily and As compared to conventional urea, uptake of Nano Urea
can block blood flow to the rest of your body. is more than 80%. It is thus required in lesser amounts
• Dr. Doudna launched a new company, Scribe as compared to the conventional urea fertiliser to fulfil
Therapeutics, to begin work on treatments for plant's nitrogen requirement.
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Reuters reported that • Cheaper than conventional urea
Dr. Doudna is already employing CRISPR in the battle
• Reduced input costs to farmer.
against the COVID-19 as a co-founder of biotech
• Easy to apply as when Nano urea is sprayed on leaves
startup Mammoth, which has tied up with
Nano Urea
GlaxoSmithKline to develop a test to detect infections.
• Reduced transportation cost
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a group of rare
neurological diseases that involve the nerve cells • Easy to store
(neurons) responsible for controlling voluntary • Reduced import of conventional urea saving precious
muscle movement. Voluntary muscles produce foreign exchange.
movements like chewing, walking, and talking. The • Increased income for farmers.
disease is progressive, meaning the symptoms get
worse over time.
►PRIME EDITING
• This year, the CSIR-Institute of Genomics and
Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB) in Delhi developed a The first thing to point out is that prime editing is a
relatively new technique, only published in late 2019.
COVID-19 testing kit, nicknamed ‘Feluda’, after the
fictional Bengali detective, based on the CRISPR/Cas9 Since it is a targeted genetic editing technique, so it can
system. focus on specific DNA sites to replace genetic
information. Therefore, it can facilitate insertions,
There are commercial CRISPR-based home kits that
deletions and conversions without breaking both
allow amateur researchers to develop their own
strands of DNA or using DNA templates.
biotechnology applications, triggering a sub-culture
COMPONENTS OF PRIME EDITING
called ‘bio-hacking’ – hacking one’s gene for further
evolution – trans-human. Prime editing has three major components:
BIO-LIPOSOME MEDIATED CRISPR-Cas9 DELIVERY A prime editing guide RNA (pegRNA) identifies the
SYSTEM sequence of bases to be edited and then encodes the
new sequence to replace the target. pegRNA is made up
A novel bio-inspired lipid nanocarrier system for efficient
of an extended single guide RNA (sgRNA) with a primer
intracellular delivery of CRISPR-Cas9 based genome
binding site (PBS) and a reverse transcriptase template
editing tools has been developed.
sequence. During prime editing, the PBS allows the DNA
The development of bio-inspired lipid nanocarrier strand to hybridise to the pegRNA, while the reverse
delivery systems would open new vistas for devising transcriptase template sequence serves as the template
novel gene therapy-based therapeutic solutions for for the edited genetic sequence.
various rare and genetic diseases.
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BIOTECHNOLOGY
A fusion protein made up of two enzymes: The first see what role prime editing plays in the future of
enzyme is a Cas9 H840A nickase, which specifically nicks genomic editing.
a single strand (“nickase”). The Cas9 enzyme section of
the nickase has a substitution in it to cause a single- ►SDN-1 & SDN-2
strand break, rather than a double-stranded cut.
The proposal for Indian regulators to consider a new
The second enzyme is an M-MLV (Moloney Murine
gene editing technique has been pending with
Leukemia Virus) reverse transcriptase which synthesises
the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee for almost
DNA from a template of single-stranded RNA. Another
two years.
second sgRNA that directs the fusion protein to the DNA
GENE EDITING
strand to be edited.
• Genome editing (also called gene editing) is a group of
HOW DOES PRIME EDITING WORK?
technologies that give scientists the ability to change
Prime editing works by introducing the pegRNA and
an organism's Deoxy-Ribonucleic Acid (DNA).
fusion protein to the target cell, then once inside the cell,
• These technologies allow genetic material to be
the fusion protein nicks the cell’s DNA at the target
added, removed, or altered at locations in the
sequence, initiating reverse transcription of the template
genome.
sequence found in the pegRNA. Then, it creates an
edited strand and an unedited strand of DNA. First, the
unedited strand is removed then the newly edited
strand is annealed back to form double-stranded DNA.
This then creates a mismatch in the base pairs between
the two strands, which can have two outcomes. On one
hand, using the mismatch repair mechanism of the cell,
the edited strand is copied to the complementary
strand, which incorporates the edited strand into the
DNA of the cell. Conversely, the original base sequence
is reincorporated into the edited strand from the
complementary strand, removing the edit from the DNA
of the cell. KEY POINTS
ADVANTAGES OF PRIME EDITING • About:
Since prime editing uses the cells’ intrinsic DNA o Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) has
mismatch system to incorporate changes in the now moved to newer technologies such as Site
nucleotide order into the cell, this reduces the number Directed Nuclease (SDN) 1 and 2.
of unwanted or random by-products of genome editing. o New technique aims to bring precision and
There are potentially fewer off-target effects than with efficiency into the breeding process using gene
the CRISPR-Cas9 system – potentially marking it as a editing tools such as CRISPR (Clustered Regularly
future technology for human therapeutic uses. Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats), whose
Prime editing is also highly precise and can be used developers won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in
flexibly along the DNA genome due to the single- 2020.
stranded pegRNA, which allows for all types of insertions o SDN genome editing involves the use of different
into the gene sequence, such as substituting or DNA-cutting enzymes (nucleases) that are directed
transitioning bases. to cut the DNA at a predetermined location by a
Overall: CRISPR-Cas9 is an older and much more range of different DNA binding systems.
embedded technique than prime editing. The two o After the cut is made, the cell’s own DNA repair
systems also differ in how they ‘cut’ into DNA strands. mechanism recognizes the break and repairs the
CRISPR-Cas9 removes both strands at the place they damage, using one of two pathways that are
make an edit, while prime editing only nicks one of the naturally present in cells.
two strands of DNA. While CRISPR has been used in o It involves the use of gene editing tools to directly
many settings, prime editing is still at an early stage of tweak (improve\change) the plant’s own genes
proof of principle. Nevertheless, it will be interesting to instead.
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BIOTECHNOLOGY
o It would allow plants to be genetically • Significance of New Techniques:
modified without the need for conventional o Safe:
transgenic technology.
 In this case, you are just tweaking a gene that is
SDN 1 and 2: already there in the plant, without bringing in
• The ministry of environment and forest exempted any gene from outside.
SDN1 and SDN2 genome-edited plants from Rules 7-  When a protein comes from an outside
11 of the Environment Protect Act (EPA), which govern organism, then you need to test for safety. But
the manufacture, use, import, export, and storage of in this case, this protein is right there in the
dangerous microorganisms or genetically modified plant, and is being changed a little bit, just as
organisms or cells. nature does through mutation.
• The notification will pave the way for the government o Fast:
to approve and notify the genome-edited plant
 It is much faster and far more precise than
guidelines.
natural mutation or conventional breeding
What are SDN 1 and SDN 2: methods which involve trial and error and
• SDN 1 & 2 (Site-Directed Nuclease technology) are multiple breeding cycles. It is potentially a
Gene-editing technologies which do not involve the new Green Revolution.
introduction of any foreign DNA.
• Status of New Techniques Globally:
• Site-Directed Nuclease (SDN) genome editing involves
o The U.S, Canada, Australia and Japan are among
the use of different DNA-cutting enzymes (CRISPR-
the countries which have already approved the
Cas9) that are directed to cut the DNA at a
SDN 1 and 2 technologies as not akin to GM, so
predetermined location. After the cut is made, the
such varieties of rice can be exported without any
cell’s own DNA repair mechanism recognizes the
problem.
break and repairs the damage.
o The European Food Safety Authority has also
• In the case of SDN1 and SDN2 approaches, the
submitted its opinion that these technologies do
CRISPR components used to edit the selected native
not need the same level of safety assessment as
genes for a desirable trait can easily be removed by
conventional gene mutation, though the European
segregation of the plant progeny in the next and
Union is yet to accept the recommendation.
subsequent generations. In this way, one can produce
• Related Laws in India:
transgene-free edited plants (in other words, non-
genetically modified or non-GMOs) that are o In India, several rules, guidelines, and policies
indistinguishable from conventional breeding backed by the “Rules for the Manufacture, Use,
material. But this method is faster and cheaper than Import, Export and Storage of Hazardous
traditional crossing, which results in a host of Microorganisms/Genetically Engineered Organisms
unwanted traits also getting transferred and, hence, or Cells, 1989” notified under the Environment
requires several more breeding cycles in order for the Protection Act, 1986, regulate genetically modified
offspring to have only the desired traits. organisms.
o Apart from it, the National Ethical Guidelines for
• Current Application:
Biomedical and Health Research involving human
o A research coalition under the Indian Council of
participants, 2017, by the Indian Council of Medical
Agricultural Research (ICAR), which includes Research (ICMR), and the Biomedical and Health
the IARI, is using these techniques to develop rice Research Regulation Bill implies regulation of the
varieties which are drought-tolerant, salinity- gene-editing process.
tolerant and high-yielding. They could potentially
 This is especially so in the usage of its language
be ready for commercial cultivation within three
“modification, deletion or removal of parts of
years.
heritable material”.
 The IARI has previously worked on golden rice, a
 However, there is no explicit mention of the
traditional GM variety which inserted genes
term gene editing.
from other organisms into the rice plant but
ended trials over five years ago due to GENETIC ENGINEERING APPRAISAL COMMITTEE
agronomic issues. • Functions under MOEFCC.
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BIOTECHNOLOGY
• It is responsible for the appraisal of activities involving ►RESTRAINING MOSQUITO
large-scale use of hazardous microorganisms and
POPULATION WITH CRISPR
recombinants in research and industrial production
from the environmental angle. Recently, researchers have created a system
that restrains populations of mosquitoes by leveraging
• The committee is also responsible for the appraisal of
advancements in Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short
proposals relating to the release of genetically
Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) – based genetic
engineered organisms and products into the
engineering.
environment including experimental field trials.
• Mosquitoes infect millions each year with debilitating
• GEAC is chaired by Special Secretary/Additional
diseases such as dengue and malaria.
Secretary of MOEFCC and co-chaired by a
representative from the Department of Biotechnology
(DBT).
• Sterile Insect Technique: sterilization, facilitating the release of eggs into the
o SIT is an environmentally safe and proven environment ensuring only sterile adult males
technology to suppress wild populations. emerge.
o To further advance its utility, a novel CRISPR-based o The system is self-limiting and is not predicted to
technology, termed precision-guide Sterile Insect persist or spread in the environment, two safety
Technique (pgSIT) is described. features that should enable acceptance for this
technology.
pgSIT
It is a new scalable genetic control system that uses a • pgSIT eggs can be shipped to a location threatened by
CRISPR-based approach to engineer deployable mosquito-borne disease or developed at an on-site
mosquitoes that can suppress populations. facility that could produce the eggs for nearby
deployment.
• Males don't transmit diseases, so the idea is
to release more and more sterile males. • Once the pgSIT eggs are released in the wild,
sterile pgSIT males will emerge and eventually mate
• The population of mosquitos can be
with females, driving down the wild population as
suppressed without relying on harmful chemicals and
needed.
insecticides.
• It alters genes linked to male fertility—creating sterile
offspring—and female flight in Aedes aegypti, the
►EPIGENETICS
mosquito species responsible for spreading diseases Epigenetics is the biochemical changes dictating
including dengue fever, chikungunya and expressivity of a gene in a cell.
• PgSIT mechanistically relies on a dominant genetic The functioning of cells and tissues in our body are
technology that enables simultaneous sexing and controlled by thousands of proteins that regulate
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BIOTECHNOLOGY
various cellular functions. These proteins are in turn • Also known informally as a phage. It is a virus that
encoded by the respective genes which are a part of our infects and replicates within bacteria and archaea.
genome or the cellular DNA. Any minor or major • Like other viruses, they vary a lot in their shape and
changes to our inherited DNA (addition or mutation) can genetic material.
result in altered protein production, which in turn leads
• Phage genome can consist of either DNA or RNA and
to defective cellular functions. This forms the basis for
can contain as few as four genes and as many as
many heritable genetic disorders affecting the mankind.
several hundred.
Apart from DNA or protein sequence level alterations,
there are other biochemical changes that influence and
►AEG 12
dictate if a gene should be active or inactive in each cell
type. For example: • It is a mosquito protein that strongly inhibits family of
viruses that cause yellow fever, dengue, West Nile and
• Gene that encodes for the insulin protein is present in
Zika and weakly inhibits coronaviruses.
exact form, in every cell of the body. However, it is
allowed to express only in the insulin secreting beta • Researchers have demonstrated that AEG12 was
cells of the pancreas and is kept inactive in the rest of most effective against flaviviruses (Zika, West Nile etc
the cells of the body. This phenomenon is tightly belong to flavivirus).
regulated by a combination of regulatory proteins • There is a possibility that AEG12 works against COVID-
that changes the expressivity of the gene. 19.
• Also, the histone proteins that bind the DNA and help • AEG12 also breaks red blood cells, changes need to
to compactly wrap it inside the chromosomes can be made so that the protein acts against only
undergo chemical modifications such as methylations coronavirus.
and acetylation on different lysine amino acids within
the protein. These modifications both on the DNA and
►TRANSFAT
its associated proteins alter the chromosomal
• Trans fat, or trans-fatty acids, are unsaturated fatty
conformations and regulate gene expression. These
acids that come from either natural or industrial
changes can either unwind the DNA and allow gene
sources.
expression or can compact the DNA and render the
genes in the region inactive or silent. • Naturally occurring trans-fat come from ruminants
(cows and sheep).
• Unlike DNA mutations that are permanent, such
epigenetic changes are reversible and are mediated • Industrially produced trans-fat are formed in an
by regulatory proteins. industrial process that adds hydrogen to vegetable oil
converting the liquid into a solid, resulting in “partially
hydrogenated” oil (PHO).
►Z-DNA
• This is because on lipid levels: trans-fat increases LDL
• Most organisms DNA comprise of 4 nitrogenous
(“bad”) cholesterol levels while lowering HDL (“good”)
bases of
cholesterol levels.
1. Adenine (for A)
• Partially hydrogenated oils (PHO) are solid at room
2. Cytosine (for C) temperature and prolong the shelf life of products.
3. Guanine (for G) • They are primarily used for deep frying and as an
4. Thymine (for T) ingredient in baked goods. PHOs were first
• Scientists have discovered that Bacteriophages write introduced into the food supply in the early 20th
their genomes using a chemical nitrogenous base century as a replacement for butter and lard; they are
called 2-aminoadenine in place of Adenine. This base not a natural part of the human diet and are fully
has been given a symbol of Z and DNA comprising Z replaceable.
base pair have been called Z-DNA. • FSSAI caps trans fatty acids to 2% in all oils and fats.
• Z base that replaces A in the genetic alphabet forms
three hydrogen bonds instead of two, making the two ►ARBOVIRUS
DNA strands tougher to pull apart.
• Arbovirus (arthropod-borne virus) applies to any virus
ABOUT BACTERIOPHAGE
that is transmitted to humans and/or other
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BIOTECHNOLOGY
vertebrates by certain species of blood-feeding arboviruses with epidemic and pandemic potential
arthropods, chiefly insects (flies and mosquitoes) and focusing on monitoring risk, pandemic prevention,
arachnids (ticks). preparedness, detection and response, and building a
• They typically affect the central nervous system and coalition of partners.
have a lot of similarities in their clinical and • The initiative is a collaborative effort between the
epidemiologic aspects. World Health Emergencies Program of WHO, the
• Arboviral diseases include Chikungunya, dengue, Department of Control of Neglected Tropical
West Nile, Yellow Fever, and Zika. Diseases, and the Immunization, Vaccines and
Biologicals Department.
GLOBAL ARBOVIRUS INITIATIVE
• The Global Arbovirus Initiative is an integrated
strategic plan to tackle emerging and re-emerging
73
SECTION-4
CIENCE OF COVID-19
SPEED TEST – 1 (T/F) ο a protein coat, called the capsid, which surrounds
and protects the genetic material
i. Viruses have RNA as the nuclear material and
completely lack DNA.
ii. Coronavirus is zoonotic in nature.
iii. Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is caused
by coronavirus.
iv. Almost everyone gets a coronavirus infection at
least once in lifetime.
v. Coronavirus is RNA based Virus.
vi. All viruses have an outer lipid layer that protects • an envelope of lipids that surrounds the protein coat
them when they are outside the cell. when they are outside a cell
vii. Coronavirus has different structure than rotavirus.
viii. Virus is not a living entity.
ix. Sanitizers protect against viral infection through
denaturation, dissolving the outer lipid layer,
stressed mutation of the virus and dissolution of
protective protein called capsid.
x. RNA viruses are prone to quick changes.
xi. Corona virus RNA structurally resembles the m-RNA
of our cell.
xii. Corona virus can enter nucleus of the host cells and
replicate.
xiii. Ribosomes of the host cells can read the genetic
code in the RNA of corona virus and help it replicate.
xiv. SARS-CoV-2 is a double stranded RNA based virus.
►BASICS OF VIRUS
• Viral particles consist of two (non-enveloped or naked
viruses) or three parts (enveloped viruses):
ο the genetic material made from either DNA or RNA
(not both)
74
SCIENCE OF COVID-19
• Enveloped viruses have outer lipid layer of • Relative of SARS. Hence the name of the virus is SARS-
glycoprotein and lipoproteins. CoV-2
• Function of the envelope: • The novel coronavirus like any other corona virus has
ο Protection against the host immune system (as its genetic material as a single-stranded RNA.
these membranes are usually obtained from host • The challenge with RNA virus as compared to DNA
cells) virus is that RNA viruses are prone to quick changes
ο Receptors usually located on that envelop which and thus continuously mutating into new forms.
recognize the host cells. TRANSMISSION
ο Contain ligands helping in the attachment to the • These viruses are zoonotic – transmitted from
host cell surface animals to humans.
ο These membranes are also effectively infused to • Human-to-Human: Mother to baby: Breastfeeding
the cell membrane and release the core of virus or and placenta
its genetic material into the cell.
• Thus, losing the membrane will impair the infectivity ►HAND SANITIZERS
of the virus.
• For a virus, sanitizers work by disrupting the virus’s
• Enveloped viruses can only survive under special outer coat. [However, they are not effective against
conditions ("wet conditions"), and they are viruses that do not have these coatings like norovirus,
transmitted in "wet" body fluids, like blood or rotavirus, Human papillomavirus (HPV) and polio etc.]
respiratory droplets. Naked viruses can survive under • The most feasible explanation is denaturation of
harsh conditions. protein structures that stick out of the lipid structure.
• The protein capsid of naked viruses is less susceptible It also dissolves the lipid envelope.
to environmental conditions (lipid solvents, pH, • For a bacterium, they work by disrupting its cell
temperature etc.) than enveloped viruses. Ex. membrane.
norovirus, rotavirus, Human papillomavirus (HPV) and
ADVANTAGES OF HAND SANITIZERS
polio etc.
• The bacteria it kills don't develop a resistance to it, so
• Coronaviruses (including COVID-19 virus) have a lipid
alcohol doesn't lose effectiveness with continued use.
membrane that makes up their outer coating.
• Ethanol is so powerful that in high concentrations, it's
• Virus does not have DNA producing machinery. So, it better at getting rid of— Escherichia coli, Serratia
enters the cell and used the machinery of the cell. It marcescens and Staphylococcus saprophyticus —
does so by reprogramming and instead of producing compared with washing hands with regular or
its own DNA, cell produces the DNA of the virus. antibacterial soap.
• Because they can't reproduce by themselves, viruses LIMITATION OF HAND SANITIZERS
are not considered living.
• Alcohol doesn't work for all germs, such as norovirus;
Clostridium difficile, which can cause life-threatening
►CORONAVIRUS diarrhea; or Cryptosporidium, a parasite that causes a
diarrheal disease.
• Large family of viruses, first identified in the 1960s.
• Hand sanitizers also don't remove harmful chemicals
• Can infect both animals and humans.
like pesticides or heavy metals, nor does hand
• It causes illness ranging from the common cold to sanitizer work well on especially dirty or greasy
more severe respiratory illness like SARS & MERS. hands.
• WHO has named it as COVID-19. • Swallowing alcohol-based hand sanitizers can cause
alcohol poisoning.
►NOVEL CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)
• A new strain that has not been previously identified in ►MECHANISM OF VIRAL INFECTION
humans. • Virus gets attached to a receptor at the outer layer of
• First detected in Wuhan, China. the cell.
75
SCIENCE OF COVID-19
• Through endocytosis and other mechanisms virus with the copy of RNA, encapsulated with a membrane,
enters the cell. is then delivered outside the cell through exocytosis.
• After virus gains entry to the cytoplasm of our cell, it • The single stranded RNA replication process is
commanders the lysosomes and ribosomes and other horribly inaccurate, resulting in many coding errors
protein making machinery in the cytoplasm to make (mutations). Since the replication happens freely in
new copies of itself. the host cytoplasm, the process is completely
ο Lysosomes contains number of chemicals like unregulated. The replicase with haphazardly replicate
protease that breaks down the protein structure of its own genetic code or the code of another infecting
food and pathogens. virus or the sub-type. The segments of genetic codes
from both sub-types can be combined into a new
• The lysosome fuse with the envelope of the virus
organism, a process called genetic chimerism.
allowing its content to work of the envelop and
surface protein. This allows the viral genome to enter • Abundant genetic material, mutation and chimerism
the cytoplasm. allows the virus to adapt quickly to new and changing
environment, making it difficult to treat the infection.
• Corona virus genetic material is a positive sense RNA
genome of about 30,000 bases. SPEED TEST – 1: SOLUTION
ο Positive sense means the viral RNA structurally i. False; ii. True; iii. True; iv. True; v. True; vi. False; vii.
resembles the m-RNA of our cell and therefore can True; viii. True; ix. False; x. True; xi. True; xii. False; xiii.
be read and translated directly by ribosomes, to True; xiv. False
make proteins.
SPEED TEST – 2
ο But there is no way to use the host cell organelle to
i. Mutations may increase infectivity of a virus.
replicate the genetic code to make more viral
particles or reproduce. ii. T cell are type of leukocyte which develops in the
thymus gland. It is an essential part of the immune
• All our DNA duplication takes place in the confines of
system.
our nucleus, isolated from the cytoplasm. HOWEVER,
the virus has figured this out. iii. Memory T cells are antigen-specific T cells that
rd remain long-term after an infection has been
• First 20,000 bases, (2/3 of the entire genetic code)
eliminated.
are used in the production of a protein molecules
called, RNA dependent RNA polymerase (or RNA iv. T-cells in the body secretes anti-bodies.
replicase). This protein molecule serves multiple v. Angiotensin-converting enzyme or ACE controls
function in the protein replication process. It can now blood pressure by regulating the volume of fluids
read the viral RNA and make complementary RNA in the body.
strands, a matching template of original positive vi. Binding of SARS-CoV-2 virus with ACE2 is
sense RNA. However, it is a negative sense RNA, considered as the trigger point for the damage of
meaning it cannot be read by ribosomes. But the lungs, heart and other organs.
newly assembled RNA dependent RNA polymerase
vii. Herd immunity can be achieved only through mass
can read the complementary strand to make new
vaccinations.
positive sense RNA, replicating the original RNA.
viii. SARS-CoV-2 uses the cleaved form of Angiotensin-
• RNA replicase can read the negative sense RNA a
Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2), as its doorway into
second time and produce fragments of positive sense
the host cell.
genetic material, which encodes for four structural
proteins of the new virus. ix. ACE2 is a protein on the surface of only lungs,
kidney, GI tract and blood vessels.
• The smaller RNA fragments are then read by the
host’s Ribosome to produce the structural part of the x. Angiotensin-2 causes vasodilation.
new virus. xi. ACE-2 is a pressure modulating membrane protein.
• The new structures and surface protein are then xii. Mutation of SARS-CoV-2 is happening only in the
assembled to form viral structure. This then loaded spike protein.
76
SCIENCE OF COVID-19
xiii. T cell immunity does not cause prevention of • A drop in blood pressure, either systemically from
disease. heart failure or locally due to narrowing to renal
xiv. High level of coronavirus antibody presence artery, causes the kidney to secrete a chemical, called
signifies a healthy body, ready to fight infection. renin, into the blood stream.
xv. Anti-bodies are produced by T-cells • Renin then link to a protein hormone produced in the
liver called angiotensinogen, converting it to
xvi. Renin-Angiotensin system is related with blood
Angiotensin-1.
pressure regulation in our body.
• Lungs produce an enzyme called Angiotensin
xvii. Healthy individuals have high Angiotensin-2 to
Converting Enzyme (ACE). ACE links to angiotensin-1,
Angiotensin (1-7) ratio. converting it to angiotensin-2, the active configuration
xviii. Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) is released of the hormone.
by the lungs. • Angiotensin-2 then acts on the peripheral arteries
xix. BRADYKININ STORM is related to hyper immune throughout the body and the adrenal gland. The
response resulting in intense action of Killer T- arteries constrict and the adrenal gland produces a
cells. hormone called Aldosterone. Aldosterone causes the
kidney to reabsorb more salt and water from the
xx. Vaccines immediately gives immunity against the
urine.
pathogen.
• The combination of vascular constriction and
saltwater retention raises the blood pressure and
►MECHANISM OF CORONA VIRUS restores the blood flow to the compromised kidney.
INFECTION ACE-2 PROTEIN
• Spike proteins on the surface of SARS-CoV-2 are how • ACE-2 is a pressure modulating membrane protein.
it attaches to cells targeted for infection. The spikes • Active form of ACE-2 is produced by a protein called
first get attached to a molecule called heparan Sheddase.
sulfate. • Sheddase cleave the external component of the ACE-2
• Heparan sulfate is a large, complex sugar molecule protein and release it into the blood stream.
found on the surface of cells in the lungs, blood • The released part of ACE-2 then interacts with the
vessels and smooth muscle making up most organs. Angiotensin-2, converting it to Angiotensin (1-7).
• Facilitated by its initial binding with heparan sulfate, Angiotensin (1-7) is a powerful antioxidant and
SARS-CoV-2 then uses another cell-surface vasodilator, dilating the blood vessels of the body and
component, the protein known as Angiotensin- eliminating the action of angiotensin-2 on the
Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2), as its doorway into the adrenal.
attacked cell. • Angiotensin (1-7) lowers the blood pressure and is
• ACE2 is a protein on the surface of many cell types basically the counterbalance to the Renin-Angiotensin
like lungs, kidney, GI tract, blood vessels. Recently it system.
has been discovered that ACE2 is also present in our Angiotensin-2 and Angiotensin (1-7) are in direct
nose. competition and the dominant component is
To understand the role of ACE-2 in the corona virus determined by individual baseline health status. In
infection, we first must understand Renin-Angiotensin young healthy and physically fit individuals, Angiotensin
system, involving the kidney, liver, lungs and blood (1-7) is dominant. However, in the elderly individuals
vessels and adrenal gland. with heart failures, hypertension, diabetes, poor diet,
RENIN-ANGIOTENSIN SYSTEM Angiotensin-2 would rule.
• It is a close-loop feedback mechanism that help However, the spikes protein recognise the intact ACE-2
maintain renal blood flows. protein and not the cleaved part. In healthy individuals
with the abundance of Angiotensin (1-7), most of the
• The kidneys are designed to filter the nitrogenous
ace-2 proteins would have been cleaved, reducing he
waste from our body.
gateway for the virus and reducing the chance of
• To function normally they need a steady flow of cytoplasm of reaching that critical mass.
blood, receiving around 25% of total cardiac output.
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SCIENCE OF COVID-19
In the situation where Angiotensin (1-7) is dominant, we Bradykinin storm causes the blood vessels to expand
expect Sheddase to be working overtime, cleaving he and become leaky.
upper part of ACE-2 protein and thereby converting • The levels of a substance called hyaluronic acid also
Angiotensin-2 to Angiotensin (1-7). increases.
• When SARS-CoV-2 attacks the ACE2 receptors to ο Hyaluronic acid is a sugar molecule that occurs
proliferate and infect more cells in the human body, it naturally in the skin, and it helps to bind water to
also prevents Factor H from using the sugar molecule collagen (a protein). It can absorb more than 1,000
to bind with cells and causes factor D to overstimulate times its own weight in water to form a hydrogel.
the immune response, which in turn prevents factor H
• The bradykinin storm-induced leakage of fluid into
from mediating that response.
the lungs combined with the excess hyaluronic
ο factor H and factor D proteins help the immune acid would likely result in a Jello-like substance that
system clear pathogens from the body. prevents oxygen uptake and carbon dioxide in the
ο factor H’s main function is to regulate the chemical lungs of severely affected Covid-19 patients.
signals that trigger inflammation and keep the • This rapid accumulation of fluid in the lungs of
immune system from harming healthy cells. patients impedes the transfer of oxygen from the
• By blocking factor D, it is possible to stop the lung to the blood and subsequently to all other
destructive chain of events triggered by SARS-CoV-2. tissues, a common abnormality in COVID-19 patients.
There are already drugs in development for other This makes even the most sophisticated intensive
diseases that can block this protein. care, including ventilators, futile.
• The virus also hijacks the cell mechanism and fights

back by letting the human cell produce PLpro.
►MUTATION AND REINFECTION
ο PLpro is a protein which suppresses the development
Mutation is an alteration in the genetic material (the
of type 1 interferons. Due to this, killer cells are not
genome) of a cell of a living organism or of a virus that is
informed about the infection.
permanent and that can be transmitted to the cells or
ο Hence, PL pro plays a crucial role in the replication of
the virus’s descendants.
the virus.
HIGHER RATE OF MUTATION IN RNA-VIRUS
• When cells multiply, the DNA within them replicates
►BRADYKININ STORM as well, to make copies for the new cells. During
The impact of COVID-19 on some people is very severe. replication, random errors are introduced into the
A supercomputer’s recent analysis of data on the new DNA.
contents collected from the lungs of patients with the • While the errors in DNA virus genomes can be
COVID-19 infection has showed that a phenomenon corrected by the error-correcting function of cells in
called a ‘bradykinin storm’ might explain how the virus which they replicate, there are no enzymes in cells to
works in the body. correct RNA errors. Therefore, RNA viruses tend to
THE BRADYKININ HYPOTHESIS: have a higher mutation rate than DNA viruses.
• Bradykinin is an important part of the vasopressor • Mutation of SARS-CoV-2 is happening in the spike
system that induces hypotension and vasodilation protein as well as in other genomic regions
and is degraded by ACE and enhanced by the SIGNIFICANCE OF MUTATION
Angiotensin (1-9) produced by ACE2.
• Some mutations may allow a selective advantage, say
• Once in the lungs, the virus commanders the lungs higher infectivity, transmission, or escape from
cells to decrease gene expression of ACE in immune system of the body. Then the new viruses
combination with increase in ACE2. out-compete the older ones in a population.
• This in turn elevates bradykinin levels in multiple • For instance, a mutation called D614G emerged in
tissues and systems (Bradykinin Storm) that will likely
January 2020 to change the amino acid at a position in
cause increases in vascular dilation and vascular
the coronavirus’ Spike protein. Because this variant
permeability, leading to swelling of the surrounding
infected and replicated better and produced ‘fitter’
tissue. These bradykinin-driven outcomes explain
viruses, it now accounts for over 99% of the virus
many of the symptoms being observed in COVID-19.
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SCIENCE OF COVID-19
circulating globally. Other mutations are now SEQUENCE OF STEPS IN IMMUNE RESPONSE
emerging in this background. • The dendritic cells phagacitize and digest or break up
It is generally known that protective immunity against the the virus or bacterium. These cells can then present
four species of common cold coronaviruses does not some of the protein structures or antigens of the
last for more than year. This observation suggests that invaders on the cell surface.
the duration of protection against SARS-CoV-2 • The dendritic or the APC cells then travel to the lymph
reinfection, too, may not be for long. Reinfection is a nodes where it presents its findings to the other
common feature of all human coronaviruses. members of the white blood cell line.
Reinfection has implications for vaccine development • The T-cells learn the various antigens and use them to
• If COVID-19 reinfections are common, it would imply identify the infected host cells in the body. They also
that vaccines might not completely protect against alert the immune system of the invasion recruiting
the virus. other members of the leucocytes.
• Even those who have been infected with the virus • The T-cells destroy the already infected cells,
would have to get vaccinated to protect themselves preventing the virus from replicating.
from reinfections. • The B-cells analyse the various antigens and develop
• We might have to design and use seasonal shots – like anti-bodies, specifically designed to attach to freely
with the flu – as a new ‘variant’ of the virus takes over circulating viral particles.
from an older one in the population. • One B-cells line can produce antibodies to the spike
• Choosing the antigen – the component of the virus protein, another to the envelope, another to the
used in the vaccine to prepare our immune system – nucleocapsid and membrane.
is key. Careful mutation studies are required. • Once trained, each of these B-cells turn to plasma
Analysing the virus’s genome could help us cells or memory B-cells. Plasma cells are anti-body
understand which parts of proteins in the virus factories, pumping out the newly developed anti-
haven’t changed much. And researchers could use bodies. These anti-bodies can attach to the specific
these so called ‘conserved immunodominant areas’ to antigen, deactivate them directly or calls other
make vaccines. members of immune system to destroy.
• With a novel pathogen, this leucocytes training
►IMMUNE RESPONSE AGAINST VIRAL process takes time, during which the virus or
bacterium continues to multiply and infect the body.
INFECTION
If the immune system identifies identical antigen in
Our Immune system, predominantly White Blood Cells future.
(or Leukocytes), defends us against the invasion by
• Memory B-cells can be quickly mobilized if the new
recognising the virus or bacteria as foreign and
infection from the same virus occurs in the future,
mounting a coordinated attack against the same. The
Memory B-cells can rapidly divide, convert to plasma
major players in the process are:
cells and begin flooding the host with anti-bodies to
• B-cells quickly fight the infection. In other words, the host
• T-cells has now developed immunity against this pathogen.
• Phagocytic cells:
ο Macrophages and ►MEMORY T CELLS MAY REDUCE
ο Dendritic cells, also known as Antigen Presenting COVID-19 SEVERITY
Cells or (APC).
• T cell are type of leukocyte which develops in the
On the corona virus there are four major structural thymus gland (hence the name). It is an essential part
proteins on the surface of the virus that can serve as of the immune system. T cells are one of two primary
potential identifiable antigens for our immune systems: types of lymphocytes (one of the types of white blood
i. Spike (N protein) cells) —B cells being the second type—that determine
ii. Nucleocapsid (N protein) the specificity of immune response to antigens
(foreign substances) in the body.
iii. Membrane (M Protein)
• Memory T cells are antigen-specific T cells that remain
iv. Envelope (E protein)
long-term after an infection has been eliminated.
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SCIENCE OF COVID-19
The memory T cells are quickly converted into large • Only a certain proportion of the population needs to
numbers of effector T cells upon re-exposure to the be infected to stop large outbreaks, either through
specific invading antigen, thus providing a rapid naturally acquired disease, or through vaccination.
response to past infection.
• Herd immunity refers to preventing an infectious
• killer T cell recognizes and kills a virus-infected cell
disease from spreading by immunizing a certain
because of the viral antigen on its surface, thus
percentage of the population. It is really like having a
aborting the infection because a virus will not grow
barrier of people who are protected, who break that
within a dead cell.
chain of transmission
All categories of people — recovered from moderate or
• Herd immunity can be achieved in two ways.
severe COVID-19 disease, or in the convalescent phase
(recovering) after mild or severe disease or exposed ο The first way is through mass vaccinations
family members or healthy people — exhibited “robust ο The second way is through the infection which means
memory T cell responses months after infection, even in that a person gets infected and after a while, they
the absence of detectable circulating antibodies specific develop antibodies to fight the infection and thus
for SARS-CoV-2 become immune to it.
Pre-existing T-cell immunity to SARS-CoV-2 could be Since currently, the vaccine for COVID-19 is absent;
relevant because it is plausible that they play a role in countries around the globe like, the United Kingdom, the
reducing COVID-19 infection severity. It is plausible that Netherlands, Sweden and Holland are experimenting
people with a high level of pre-existing memory CD4 with the second method.
(white blood cells that play an important role in the There are many people who are asymptomatic – who
immune system) + T cells that recognise novel show no symptoms at all or have just mild symptoms
coronavirus could mount a faster and stronger immune like mild fever, mild cough. Most of these people will
response upon exposure to the virus and thereby limit recover from the virus without getting hospitalized. This
disease severity will contribute to increasing the herd immunity.
HOW MEMORY T CELLS MAY HELP REDUCE THE
SEVERITY OF THE DISEASE?
The cross-reactive memory T cells on activation would
help in the development of plasma cells and thus
antibody production, and in the development of killer T
cells that would kill virus infected cells. The latter
reduces the reservoirs of infection. This would most Herd immunity is achieved when one infected person in
likely reduce disease severity. a population generates less than one secondary case on
However, the memory T cells are extremely unlikely to an average, which corresponds to the effective
prevent SARS-CoV-2 infections. T cell immunity does not reproduction number R (that is, the average number of
cause prevention of disease. persons infected by a case) dropping below 1 in the
absence of interventions
►HERD IMMUNITY THE PROBLEM WITH APPLYING HERD IMMUNITY

CONCEPT IN SARS-COV-2
To deal with SARS-CoV-2 virus, herd immunity, an
important tool in epidemic control, was proposed to • The SARS-CoV-2 virus is easily transmissible and
overcome the pandemic. would require around 60-70% of the population to be

infected to acquire herd immunity.
HERD IMMUNITY
• It will take a long time but more importantly, it is
• When enough people are vaccinated, a pathogen
going to do a lot of collateral damage
cannot spread easily through the population. If a
• Even if 1% of people who get infected are going to die,
person is infected with measles but everyone s/he
then this can add up to a huge number of people,
interact with has been vaccinated, transmission will
considering global population.
be stopped.
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SCIENCE OF COVID-19
• And that is why herd immunity is not a strategy or a viii. As RNA vaccines are not developed from an active
solution. It is surrender to a preventable virus pathogen or an inactivated pathogen, they are non-
• It is not a good idea to achieve herd immunity by just infectious.
letting the infection run wild in the general population ix. FELUDA is CRISPR gene-editing technology-based kit
and infect a lot of people. to perform rapid anti-body test against SARS-CoV-2.
• We should talk about herd immunity in the context of x. High level of mitochondrial DNA in the bloodstream
a vaccine. vaccines are particularly suited for creating is a sign of high rate of cell death.
herd immunity because “their allocation can be
specifically targeted to highly exposed populations, ►DETECTING THE VIRUS
such as healthcare workers or individuals with
There are two ways to detect the presence of a virus,
frequent contact with customers.”
directly or indirectly.
SPEED TEST – 2: SOLUTION
i. True; ii. True; iii. True; iv. False; v. False; vi. True; vii.
FALSE; viii. False; ix. False; x. False; xi. True; xii. False,
xiii. True; xiv. True; xv. False; xvi. True, xvii. False; xviii.
True; xix. False; xx. False
SPEED TEST – 3
i. The RT-PCR test detects the presence of antibodies in
a patient to identify the infection
ii. RT-PCR tests are effective only in the later stages of
the infection after the immune system has
responded by synthesizing antibodies.
iii. RT-PCR provides direct evidence whereas Antibody
Tests and Rapid Antigen Detection Tests provide the
indirect evidence. ►RT-PCR TEST: BASICS
iv. RT-PCR test detects the virus genetic material, which The government set the Reverse Transcription-
is the RNA. Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) as the only
v. The antibody test detects the body’s response to the standard for the COVID 19 tests (rapid antibody
virus. test cannot replace it)
vi. RNA vaccines can be produced faster and its Normally DNA holds information about ingredients that
cheaper. make up a living being. The information coded in the

DNA is converted into functional proteins in a living
vii. mRNA is very fragile, and thus the vaccine must be
being which is called as gene expression.
kept at very low temperatures to avoid degrading
81
SCIENCE OF COVID-19
The process of gene expression happens in 2 processes • Sometimes they may not be the right kind to counter
st
namely transcription and translation. In the 1 step the the infection.
information coded in the DNA is transcripted on to an
RNA in the nucleus. The job of copying this information ►ANTIBODY TEST
onto RNA is done by an enzyme in the nucleus called
• The antibody test for COVID-19 will act as a screening
RNA polymerase.
process that will give quick results in a few hours.
PCR TECHNIQUE
• The antibody test detects the body’s response to the
Kary Mullis, an American biochemist invented the PCR
virus. It gives an indication that a person has been
technique. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for
exposed to the virus.
Chemistry in 1993. Under this, copies of a segment of
• If the test is positive, swab is collected & a Ribonucleic
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) are created using an
Acid (RNA) test is done using Polymerase Chain
enzyme called Polymerase. The ‘chain reaction’ signifies
Reaction (PCR) kit. Therefore, this is a two-stage
how the DNA fragments are copied, exponentially — one
process.
is copied into two, the two are copied into four, and so
on. However, the antibody test does not definitely indicate
that a person is infected with COVID-19 infection. It is
So, the DNA from the patient’s sample is collected and
only for screening.
multiplied manifold using PCR which is then detected by
a probe. ANTIBODY VS RT-PCR TEST
However, coronavirus is made of RNA (ribonucleic acid). • RT-PCR test detects the virus genetic material, which
They cannot be replicated directly using PCR. Therefore, is the RNA.
to detect coronavirus, RNA is converted into DNA using a • The antibody test detects the body’s response to the
technique called reverse transcription. A ‘reverse virus.
transcriptase’ enzyme converts the RNA into DNA. • RT-PCR provides direct evidence whereas antibody
Copies of the DNA are then made and amplified. kits provide the indirect evidence.
The sequencing of genomes of corona virus is well
understood by experts and they have learnt to
►RAPID ANTIGEN DETECTION TESTS
differentiate it from related viruses. Therefore, it was
possible to prepare accurate tests to detect the virus (RADT)
relatively quickly, almost in the middle of a pandemic, • It is a test on swabbed nasal samples that detects
and the RT-PCR tests began to be followed as the ‘gold antigens (foreign substances that induce an immune
standard’ in detecting the virus. response in the body) that are found on or within the
The only way such tests turn negative is if the actual SARS-CoV-2 virus.
sample does not have the virus or the swab was not • It is a point-of-care test, performed outside the
properly administered and too little of the virus was conventional laboratory setting, to quickly obtain a
gleaned. diagnostic result.
ADVANTAGE OF PCR TEST OVER RAPID-ANTIBODY • Like RT-PCR, the rapid antigen detection test too
TESTING seeks to detect the virus rather than the antibodies
produced by the body.
• In case of PCR tests, it is the presence of an antigen in
• While the mechanism is different, the most significant
the infected patient that is tested for instead of the
difference between the two is time.
presence of antibodies which is done in case of Rapid
Antibody testing o RT-PCR test takes a minimum of 2-5 hours including
the time taken for sample transportation.
• Thus, detecting the presence of pathogen in the body
before body’s antibodies form can detect the infection o In a reliable rapid antigen detection test, the
early. maximum duration for interpreting a positive or
negative test is 30 minutes.
WHY ANTIBODY TESTS FOR COVID-19 ARE IMPERFECT?
• Not enough studies have been done on the
►FELUDA
antibodies and the profile of recovered patients.
• This has been developed by the CSIR-IGIB and
• Sometimes the antibodies may be produced in
approved by the Drug Controller General of India for
response to a closely related pathogen
a commercial launch.
82
SCIENCE OF COVID-19
• The test showed 96% sensitivity (% of positive results • As per recent study mitochondrial DNA levels are
for positive samples) and 98% specificity (% of much higher in patients who eventually were
negative sample for negative result). admitted to the ICU, incubated or died.
• This compares favorably to the ICMR’s current • The test could serve to predict disease severity as well
acceptation criteria of RT-PCR kit of at least 95% as a tool to better design clinical trials, identifying
sensitivity and at least 99% specificity. patients who might, for example, benefit from specific
• FELUDA kit takes 45 mins to give result. RT-PCR takes investigational treatments.
1.5 hours. Rapid Antigen test takes 30-40 mins. • The test predicted outcomes as well as or better than
TruNat gives result in 60 mins. existing markers of inflammation currently measured
• It uses indigenously developed CRISPR gene-editing in Covid patients.
technology to identify and target the genetic material CONVALESCENT PLASMA THERAPY DEBATE
of SARS-CoV2, the virus that causes Covid-19.'Feluda' • India's largest randomised controlled trial, PLACID,
is also the world's first diagnostic test to deploy a has found Convalescent Plasma Therapy (CPT)
specially adapted Cas9 protein to successfully detect ineffective in Covid-19.
the virus.
• While the use of convalescent plasma improved
resolution of shortness of breath and fatigue in
►RAPID BLOOD TEST TO PREDICT patients with moderate Covid-19, it did not translate
COVID-19 DISEASE SEVERITY into a reduction in severity of disease or mortality.
• It measures levels of mitochondrial DNA, a unique • CPT uses blood from people who've recovered from
type of DNA molecule that normally resides inside the an illness to help others recover. Blood donated by
energy factories of cells. people who've recovered from COVID-19 has
antibodies to the virus that causes it.
• Mitochondrial DNA spilling out of cells and into the
bloodstream is a sign that a particular type of violent
cell death is taking place in the body.
►VACCINE AND ITS TYPES

Type of vaccine Description Diseases covered
Measles, mumps, rubella
(MMR combined vaccine)
Live attenuated It contain a version of the living microbe that has been
Varicella (chickenpox)
vaccines weakened in the lab so it can’t cause disease.
Influenza (nasal spray)
Rotavirus
The virus is first killed with chemicals, heat, or radiation and
then used to make the vaccine.
Inactivated Hepatitis A, Influenza, polio,
Inactivated vaccines usually don’t require refrigeration, and
vaccines rabies
they can be easily stored and transported in a freeze-dried
form.
Hepatitis B
A piece of the virus that is important for immunity, like the
Sub-unit vaccine Human papillomavirus
spike protein of COVID-19, is used to make the vaccine.
vaccines
It contain a toxin or chemical made by the bacteria or virus.
Toxoid vaccines They make a person immune to the harmful effects of the Diphtheria and tetanus
infection, instead of to the infection itself.
Polysaccharide vaccines are a unique type of inactivated Pneumococcal disease,
Polysaccharide
subunit vaccine composed of long chains of sugar molecules meningococcal disease, and
Vaccines
that make up the surface capsule of certain bacteria. Salmonella Typhi
Biosynthetic It contain manmade substances that are very similar to pieces
HIV
vaccines of the virus or bacteria.
The gene that codes for the COVID-19 spike protein is inserted
No currently licensed vaccines
DNA vaccine into a small, circular piece of DNA, called a plasmid. The
use this approach.
plasmids are then injected as the vaccine.
83
SCIENCE OF COVID-19
The vaccine contains messenger RNA, called mRNA. mRNA is
processed in cells to make proteins. Once the proteins are
Covishield
m-RNA vaccine produced, the immune system will make a response against
Covaxin
them to create immunity. In this case, the protein produced is
the COVID-19 spike protein.
►VACCINES - HOW IT WORKS? achieved by a co-formulation of the molecule into lipid

nanoparticles which protect the RNA strands and helps
• When someone is infected with the COVID-19 virus
their absorption into the cells.
(SARS-CoV-2), the reason it spreads in the body easily
is because of the spikes on its surface. These spikes, RISKS OF THE mRNA VACCINE
known as the ‘spike protein’, allow the virus to • Some mRNA-based vaccines are associated not only
penetrate cells and, thereafter, multiply. with inflammation but also potentially with
• Certain vaccine (Ex. developed by Oxford and autoimmunity.
AstraZeneca) which belongs to a category called • mRNA vaccines are new. Thus, there is the risk of
nonreplicating viral vector vaccines, tries to build the unknown effects, both short and longer-term.
body’s immunity against this spike protein. The idea is • mRNA sequence needs to be intact while it is
to create antibodies to fight this spiked surface so transported and incorporated into the host cell
that the virus does not even have the chance to cytoplasm. The m-RNA molecule and lipid
penetrate the cells. nanoparticle transport molecule is very fragile, and
• The vaccine uses a different virus — in this case, a thus the vaccine must be kept at very low
weakened version of a common cold virus temperatures (-70-to--80-degree Celsius) to avoid
(adenovirus) that infects chimpanzees — to carry just degrading.
the code to make the spike protein, like a Trojan ADVANTAGES
horse.
• As RNA vaccines are not developed from an active
• The adenovirus, genetically modified so that it cannot pathogen or an inactivated pathogen, they are non-
replicate in humans, will enter the cell and release the infectious.
code to make only the spike protein. The body’s
• RNA vaccines can be produced faster and its cheaper.
immune system is expected to recognise the spike
• It can be produced with fewer error rates.
protein as a potentially harmful foreign substance
and starts building antibodies against it. • Replication mechanism can amplify antigen
translation, decreasing the amount of starting
• Once immunity is built, the antibodies will attack the
material needed.
real virus if it tries to infect the body.
• According to preliminary trial results, these vaccines
produce a reliable immune response and are
►m-RNA VACCINE
tolerated by healthy individuals with few side effects.
Scientists have figured out the segment of the corona
• Biological-E, a company from India has been given m-
virus genome that encodes the spike protein and are
RNA vaccine manufacturing technology by WHO’s
using this sub-genomic genetic sequence as the
mRNA vaccine technology transfer hub.
vaccination product. Since the sequence resembles m-
• About mRNA vaccine technology transfer hub: WHO’s
RNA, it is called messenger RNA or positive sense RNA.
initiative to build capacity in low- and middle-income
The vaccine transfects molecules of synthetic RNA into
countries to produce mRNA vaccines through a center
immunity cells. Once inside the immune cells, the
of excellence and training. It is located at Afrigen,
vaccine's RNA functions as mRNA, causing the cells to
Cape Town, South Africa.
build the foreign protein that would normally be
produced by a pathogen. These protein molecules
stimulate an adaptive immune response which teaches SPEED TEST – 3: SOLUTION
the body how to identify and destroy the corresponding i. False; ii. False; iii. True; iv. True; v. True; vi. True; vii.
pathogen or cancer cells. The delivery of mRNA is True; viii. True; ix. False; x. True
84
SECTION-5
EFENCE TECHNOLOGY
TSIRKON HYPERSONIC MISSILE: RUSSIA
MISSILE SYSTEM OF INDIA • Tsirkon Cruise Missile will join Avangard glide vehicles
CRUISE MISSILE BALLISTIC MISSILE and the air-launched Kinzhal (Dagger) missiles in
Russia’s hypersonic arsenal.
A cruise missile is guided A ballistic missile is a
o Cruise missiles differ from ballistic missiles in that
towards a preset land- projectile shot up in the
they fly towards their target at lower altitudes,
based target using a atmosphere.
remaining within the Earth’s atmosphere
navigation system.
throughout their trajectory.
Cruise missiles are Ballistic missiles are • It is one of the several missiles being developed in
known for low altitude launched outside the Russia that will arm up Russian submarines, frigates,
flight and high mobility atmosphere where its and cruisers.
and hence the name. warheads detach and hit • Hypersonic Weapons are much harder to track and
the target. (Uses gravity of intercept than traditional projectiles because they can
earth and thus traces a travel more than five times the speed of sound and
parabolic path and hence maneuver in mid-flight.
the name) HYPERSONIC TECHNOLOGY
Cruise missiles have Ballistic missiles have long • Speed: 5 or more times the Mach or speed of sound.
short ranges of 300 to range up to 1000 km • Mach Number: It describes an aircraft’s speed
1000 km (ICBMs) compared with the speed of sound in air, with Mach 1
Brahmos – 290 to 450 km Agni V – 5000 km equating to the speed of sound i.e., 343 m per
second.
Nirbhay – 700 to 1000
• Technology Used: Most hypersonic vehicles
Easy to intercept because Difficult to intercept due to primarily use the scramjet technology, which is a type
of high terminal speeds. high terminal speeds of of Air Breathing propulsion System.
5000 m/s
o This is extremely complex technology, which also
High precision due to Low precision needs to be able to handle high temperatures,
navigation system making the hypersonic systems extremely costly.
TYPES
Cheaper and thus Expensive and thus
• Hypersonic cruise missiles: These are the ones that
suitable for firing suitable for firing nuclear
use rocket or jet propellant through their flight and
conventional warheads warheads.
are regarded as being just faster versions of existing
cruise missiles.
85
DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY
• Hypersonic Glide Vehicle (HGV): These missiles first go Development Organisation) and ISRO (Indian Space
up into the atmosphere on a conventional rocket Research Organisation).
before being launched towards their target. o Recently, DRDO has successfully flight-tested
DEVELOPMENT OF HYPERSONIC TECHNOLOGY IN the Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle
INDIA (HSTDV), with a capability to travel at 6 times the
• India, too, is working on hypersonic technologies. speed of sound.
• As far as space assets are concerned, India has o Also, a Hypersonic Wind Tunnel (HWT) test facility
already proved its capabilities through the test of the DRDO was inaugurated in Hyderabad. It is a
of ASAT under Mission Shakti. pressure vacuum-driven, enclosed free jet facility
that simulates Mach 5 to 12.
o Hypersonic technology has been developed and
tested by both DRDO (Defence research and
 BALLISTIC MISSILES
►SURFACE-TO-SURFACE MISSILES
SHORT-RANGE BALLISTIC MISSILE
NAME CHARACTERISTICS
PRITHVI-I
Short range surface-to-surface tactical ballistic missile
Range: 150 KM; Weapon Payload: 1000 kg
PRITHVI-II
Airforce Version
Range: 350 KM; Weapon Payload: 500 Kg
PRITHVI-III
Range: 350 KM; Weapon Payload: 1000 kg
HANUSH
Naval Version of Prithvi I and Prithvi II class missiles
Range: 350 KM; Weapon Payload: 1000 Kg
SHAURYA • Hypersonic Canister-launched

Range: 600-700 KM; Weapon Payload: 1000 Kg • Both conventional and nuclear warheads
• To replace Prithvi I
PRAHAAR
• Weapons: High explosives, cluster munition, strategic nuclear
Range :150 KM; Weapon Payload: 250 Kg
weapon
AGNI-I • Single stage solid fueled

Range: 700–900 km; Weapon Payload: 1000 Kg • Nuclear capable missile
INTERMEDIATE-RANGE BALLISTIC MISSILE
AGNI-II (Range: 2000-3000 Km; Weapon Payload: 1000 Kg) Two and a half stage, solid fueled missile with
AGNI-III (Range: 3200 Km; Weapon Payload: 2000-2500 Kg) 2-stage solid propulsion system
2-stage
AGNI-IV (Range: 3500 Km; Weapon Payload: 1000 Kg)
missile powered by solid propellant
86
DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY
INTER-CONTINENTAL BALLISTIC MISSILE
WEAPON
NAME RANGE CHARACTERISTICS
PAYLOAD
3-10 Multiple Independent Targetable Reentry Vehicle (MIRV)

warheads
AGNI-V 5000 Km 1500 Kg
8,000–10,000 km
AGNI-VI (Under 1000 Kg 10 MIRV warheads
development)
10000 Km (Under
SURYA 3000 Kg 10 MIRV warheads
development)
SUBMARINE-LAUNCHED BALLISTIC MISSILE
• Replica of land based Shaurya Missile.

K-15  SAGARIKA • K-15 Missile gets help from Indian Regional Navigation Satellite
Range: 750 km; Weapon Payload: 500 Kg System.
• The K-series missiles are much faster than Agni Missiles
• Nuclear-capable underwater missile

K-4 • Meant for Arihant class submarines.
Range: 3500 Km; Weapon Payload: 1000 • It is a solid-fuelled missile launched underwater capable of
Kg withstanding 50N of water pressure.
• Submarine version of Agni 3. (Agni 3 – 17 m K-4 – 10 m)
K5 (UNDER DEVELOPMENT)
Range: 5000 Km
K6 (UNDER DEVELOPMENT)
Range: 6000 Km
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DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY
►SHORT-RANGE SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILES
TRISHUL
Range: 9-12 Km; • Short range low-level surface-to-air missile
Weapon Payload: 5 Kg
• Supersonic speed: Mach 2.5.
AKASH • Medium range surface-to-air missile
Range: 30 Km. • Part of Air-defence system

Weapon Payload: 50 • It can simultaneously engage multiple targets in Group Mode or Autonomous Mode.
Kg • It has built in Electronic Counter-Counter Measures (ECCM) features.
• Indigenous seeker technology.
• Developed by DRDO in collaboration with BEL and Bharat Dynamics Ltd.

• Most effective in combating low flying Aerial targets faced by forward tactical battlefield
area formations like
o Attack helicopters
o UAVs
o Armed drones
o Sub-sonic Cruise missiles
MAITRI (QRSAM) • QRSAM is part of India’s air defense system.
Range: 25–30 km. • Capable of striking targets on-the-move.
Weapon Payload: 10 • It can strike targets at various altitudes from 30m to 6km.
Kg • It has a speed of 700-800 meters per second
• RF seeker (Radio Frequency) as a part of terminal guidance to hit the target.
• It has a truck-mounted canister.
• It is capable of multiple-target engagement.
• It is light-weight, has high-mobility and shorter-reaction time compared to Akash Air
Defence Surface-to-Air Missiles.
• It is equipped with electronic counter measures against the aircraft jammers to deceive
enemy radar.
REVATI
Range: 25–30 km.
(Naval-Version of Maitri)
Weapon Payload: 10
Kg
ROHINI
Range: 25–30 km.
(Airforce-Version of Maitri)
Weapon Payload: 10
Kg
BARAK-8
• Indian Israeli Medium Range Surface-to-Air-Missile
Range: 70-100 Km.
• Part of naval air defence system to be used aboard INS Vikrant (under construction)
Weapon Payload: 60
• maximum speed of Mach 2
Kg
IGLA-S • Russia’s Very Short-Range Air Defence Systems (VSHORAD)
88
DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY
Range: Maximum range • Man-Portable Shoulder launched Air Defence System
of 6 km, altitude of 3 km • It can aim at enemy targets using
• Infrared signature
• Laser targeting
• Remote-controlled targeting
►AIR-TO-AIR MISSILE
• It is a BvRAAM (Beyond Visual Range Air to Air Missile).

• 1st air to air missile developed by India.
ASTRA
• Capable of engaging targets at varying range and altitudes.
• Both short range targets at 20 km and long-range targets up to 80-110 km.
►ANTI-TANK GUIDED MISSILE

rd
• 3 generation anti-tank missile, best in its class for Indian conditions.
• Fire and forget capability.
• Imaging Infrared (IIR) guidance with day and night capability
NAG • Weight - 48 Kg and therefore fired from a BMP-2 vehicle called Namica (Nag Missile
Range: 3-7 Km. Carrier)
Weapon Payload: 8 kg DIFFERENT VARIANTS
1. Mounted on an infantry combat vehicle: NAMICA (Nag Missile Carrier)
2. Man Portable shoulder carried
3. HeliNa: (Helicopter-launched Nag) Rudra Helicopter, Dhruv and LCH.
HELINA
Range: 7 Km. Helicopter-launched Nag
Weapon Payload: 8 Kg
• Israeli 4th generation anti-tank guided missile.

• Fire-and-forget capability
• Available in man-portable, vehicle-launched, and helicopter-launched variants.
SPIKE • Change the target mid-flight because of dual seeker.
• Kill-probability of 95%
• Better than Nag because Nag is facing seeker issues especially if the temperature of
the target is high.
MILAN • It is anti-tank guided missile for the Army. To be acquired from France.
SPICE 2000 • Israeli guided bombs for Indian Air Force.
Range: 750-1000 Km; Weapon Payload: 500 Kg

 CRUISE MISSILES
CHARACTERISTICS
►NIRBHAY: SUBSONIC CRUISE
• Long range sub-sonic cruise missile.
MISSILE
89
DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY
• 1st indigenously developed long range cruise missile • 1st layer: Endo
flying at low altitudes. o The single stage solid rocket-propelled Advanced Air
• It will arm the army, navy and air force. Defence (AAD) low-altitude interceptor missile.
• Speed: Subsonic speeds of 0.7 mach. (speed of (Ashwin)
sound) o AAD interceptor missile is primarily designed to
• Range: Long range of 700 to 1000 km. intercept enemy missiles in endo-atmosphere at
altitudes of 20-40 km.
• Can fly at tree-top altitudes as low as 10 m. (now
• 2nd layer: Exo
tested for 5 m)
o Prithvi Air Defense Vehicle known as Pradyumna
• Capable of delivering nuclear warheads of 200-300 kg.
Ballistic Missile Interceptor is designed to destroy
• 2-stage solid fueled cruise missile.
missiles with ranges 300-2000 km at exo-atmosphere
• As a result, it has terrain-hugging capability and sea- (about 80km altitude).
skimming capability and thus go undetected by o For higher altitudes up to 150 km, Agni-V-based
enemy radars. ballistic interceptors would be used. (because of
5000km range)
►BRAHMOS: SUPERSONIC CRUISE
MISSILE ►S-400
Range: 290 Km. ALTERNATIVES: THAAD AND PATRIOT
Weapon Payload: 300 kg • India has signed a deal with Russia to acquire S-400
CHARACTERISTICS Triumf multi-layered air defence system.
• Joint venture missile between India and Russia. • S-400 is known as Russia’s most advanced long-range
surface-to-air missile defence system.
• Speed: Top speed of 2.8 Mach (speed of sound).
• S-400 layered defence system can intercept all types
• Range: After India became a full member to MTCR
of aerial targets including aircraft, unmanned aerial
export control regime, the range of BrahMos has
vehicles (UAV), and ballistic and cruise missiles up to
increased from 300km to 450km.
the range of 400km, at an altitude of up to 30km
• Fire and forget principle of operation
• Capable of firing three types of missiles to create a
• Capable of being launched from land, water and air. layered defence.
BrahMos NG • Note: USA is offering THAAD and Patriot as
Low weight Air-launched version capable of being alternative to S-400 to India.
carried by Light Combat Aircraft, Tejas LCA ADDITIONAL
Iron Dome: Israeli SHORT-RANGE AIR DEFENSE
►BRAHMOS II: HYPERSONIC

►BARAK-8 LONG & MEDIUM RANGE
Range: 290 Km; Weapon Payload: 300 Kg
CHARACTERISTICS
SAM
• Medium-range surface-to-air missile system being
6 Mach
developed jointly by India and Israel.
• It will have an interception range of 70-100 km.
INDIA’S MISSILE DEFENCE • Part of naval air defence system to be used aboard
INS Vikrant (under construction)
SYSTEMS
• Maximum speed of Mach 2
►BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENCE
SYSTEM ►AKASH MEDIUM-RANGE SURFACE TO
• 2-tier missile defence system AIR MISSILE SYSTEM
• Aimed at intercepting aerial threat from ballistic • India has 2 regiments of the indigenous Akash
missiles that have ranges up to 5000km at altitudes systems which are capable of multi-target
both outside (exo) and inside (endo) the atmosphere engagement.
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DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY
• It can strike targets up to a range of 25km and • India is developing a Hypersonic Technology
altitude of 18,000m. Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV)
• It is an unmanned scramjet (allowing supersonic

►MULTI-LAYERED AIR DEFENCE combustion) demonstration vehicle that can cruise to
SYSTEM FOR DELHI a speed of Mach 6 (or six times the speed of sound)
• India is developing a multi-layered air defence system and rise to an altitude of 32 km in 20 seconds. It has
for its cities besides air defence system for tactical been developed by DRDO.
battle areas.
• There are 2 types of Hypersonic Weapon Delivery
• First layer: 2-tier Ballistic Missile Defence System
Systems
• 2nd Layer: S-400 layered defence system
1. Hypersonic Cruise Missiles (HCM)
• 3rd Layer: Barak-8 long and medium range SAM
2. Hypersonic Glide Vehicle (HGV)
• 4th Layer: Akash medium-range surface to air missile
system SIGNIFICANCE
• 5th Layer: NASAMS-2 • They are a mix of the speed of a ballistic missile and
maneuvering capabilities of a cruise missile
►NASAMS-2 • While cruise missiles achieve speeds of 550 mile per
• India is acquiring NASAMS-2 from US. hour, the hypersonic missiles aircrafts can reach
• NASAMS 2 will form the inner-most layer of Delhi Area speeds more than 3500 miles per hour.
Air Defence Plan that has been conceived of. • Capable of penetrating any antimissile defence
• It will be deployed to protect vital assets and people system currently available that are designed to
in the National Capital region of Delhi including
intercept cruise and ballistic missiles.
President's house, Parliament etc.
• Specifically designed for increased survivability
• It renders quick-reaction 3-dimensional protection at
against modern ballistic missile defence systems.
low altitudes of 5 km to various types of aerial threats
ranging from drones to ballistic missiles. IMPORTANT HYPERSONIC MISSILES
FEATURES Only USA, Russia and China have hypersonic missiles
• 12 multi-missile launchers to launch both advanced AVANGARD
medium-range air-to-air missiles AMRAAMs and
• Russia’s nuclear capable, hypersonic boost glide
Stinger surface-air-missiles
vehicle.
• Sentinel X-band 3D radars
• Capable of hitting target more than 6000 km
• 4 Fire distribution centers
• Advanced electro-optical/infrared sensor system • Can travel at a speed of 20 Mach (20 times the speed
vehicles. of sound).
KINZHAL
HYPERSONIC MISSILES • Russia’s nuclear capable air launched ballistic missile.
• Travels at Mach 5 or higher (more than one mile per • It has a range of more than 2000 km.
second) • Can travel at speeds of 10 Mach.
• They typically consist of a Supersonic Combustion STARRY SKY 2 HYPERSONIC AIRCRAFT

Ramjet or Scramjet propulsion system to enable such China's first hypersonic aircraft with waverider
high speeds. technology. Known as waverider for its ability to ride on
• Scramjet engine collects oxygen from the atmosphere the shock waves it generates.
as it is travelling and mixes the oxygen with its DONGFENG MISSILES
hydrogen fuel, creating the combustion needed for
China’s Hypersonic Missile systems
hypersonic travel.
91
DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY
• Light artillery guns with a weight of 4 tons
►ARTILLERY WEAPON
• Capable of being air lifted by Chinook helicopters.
SYSTEM OF INDIA • Thus, M777 can be deployed in mountainous terrains
devoid of roads & tracks.
SIGNIFICANCE
• In the aftermath of the Kargil War of 1999 India ►SHARANG
announced its Artillery Rationalisation Program
• Indigenous Artillery Gun
• India has a 2-front porous border of 7000-odd kms
• 155 mm
and 4000-odd kms with China and Pakistan
respectively. • Range: Increased from 12 km to 39 km
• The operational requirement to fight a 2-front war is

3000-odd artillery guns in addition to aerial weapons, ►ADVANCED TOWED ARTILLERY GUN
precision-guided weapons, multi-barrel rocket SYSTEM
launches etc.
• 155mm, 52-calibre gun-howitzer.
• The categories of artillery systems include
• It is capable of firing at both low angle like a gun and
o Long-range guns of towed variety high angle like a howitzer
o Self-propelled guns mounted on a high-mobility • Range: 45 Km
vehicle (K9 Vajra)
• World’s only gun with a six-round automated
o Light howitzers for difficult mountainous terrains. magazine.
(M777 howitzers)
• High “burst fire” capability in that it can fire six-round
burst in just 30 seconds.
►DHANUSH • Other features
st
• 1 indigenously produced long-range artillery gun. o all-electric drive
• The 155mm 45 caliber long-range artillery gun o high mobility
• 2 varieties o quick deployability
o Towed variety o auxiliary power mode
o Self-propelled mounted gun system variety o Automated command and control system
• 6-round magazine. • India’s Artillery Combat Command and Control
• Capable of firing 60 rounds in 60 minutes. System is named ‘SHAKTI’
• Maximum firing range of 38 km in the plain areas
►INFANTRY WEAPON
►K9 VAJRA T GUNS
• South Korean long-range artillery gun in the self- SYSTEM OF INDIA
propelled mounted gun category. • The infantry weapon system constitutes
• It has a range of 28-38 km. 1. Assault rifles
• 155-mm, 52-calibre 2. Carbines
• 1st ever-artillery gun that will be manufactured by 3. Light Machine Guns
private sector in India with L & T India manufacturing
• India is trying to modernize its infantry weapon
90 of them.
system which includes acquisition of 7 lakh assault
• Capable of ‘burst firing’ meaning which it can fire 3
rifles, 44,000 light machine guns and 44,600 carbines.
rounds in 30 seconds
►M777 ULTRA LIGHT HOWITZERS ►AK-203
• 155-mm, 39-calibre towed medium artillery gun. • 3-generation upgraded modern variant of the AK-47
• Maximum range of 30 km. assault rifle.
92
DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY
• Light weight about 3.5 kg (as against 4.15 kg of INSAS) • It was recently decommissioned in 2017 after serving
• 7.62x39mm NATO grade ammunition (INSAS-5.56 for 56 years. (26 years as HMS Hermes and 30 as INS
mm) Vikrant)
• 30-round magazine
• It can fire at a rate of 600 bullets per minute ►INS VIKRAMADITYA
• Range: 500m on iron sight and 800m on 4X zoom. • India and Russia signed $1.5 billion for the acquisition
• AK-203 has a high-grade poly hand grip and pistol the warship INS Vikramaditya inducted to the Indian
grip. (AK-47 and INSAS has wooden grip) Navy in 2013.
• Adjustable foldable buttstock made of plastic and • INS Vikramaditya is the only aircraft carrier of Indian
thus are easy to carry and transport. (Buttstock is Navy in operation.
back of the rifle)
• Equipped with optical scopes, night vision scopes with ►INS VIKRANT (IAC-1)
thermal infrared scopes, flashlight, red dot laser etc. st
India’s 1 Indigenous Aircraft Carrier is set to be
Note: Will equip the infantry groups, paramilitary inducted to Indian Navy by 2020.
forces and police forces in 15-20 years
• India will be manufacturing AK203 at Korwa, Uttar
►INS VISHAL
Pradesh in a JV with Russia.
The 65000 tonne Naval super carrier, INS Vishal on the
lines of HMS Elizabeth will be built by India.
►SIG SAUER 716 ASSAULT RIFLES
• Replacement for ageing INSAS Rifles
• Range: 600m compared to requirement of 500 m SUBMARINE ARM OF
range for counter-insurgency operations.
• Automatic rifles that are gas-operated i.e., they use
INDIA
gas generated by a fired cartridge to fire other bullets.
• Accurate, reliable thereby reducing fatigue of the  CONVENTIONAL
ground soldier
SUBMARINES OF INDIA
• Note: SigSauer Assault Rifles are more advanced with
greater firepower will equip the frontline infantry ►PROJECT 75-I
troops for counterinsurgency and counter-terror
• 6 Scorpene class submarines are being constructed
operations only at LOC.
with Transfer of Technology from France
• The 6 Scorpene class submarines will be the core of
►CARBINES
India’s conventional attack submarine arm.
• India is signing a deal with UAE for acquiring 93,895
6 SUBMARINES OF PROJECT 75-I
Close Quarter Battle (CQB) carbines.
• INS Kalavari – Inducted in 2017
• INS Kandheri – To be inducted in May 2019
AIRCRAFT CARRIERS OF • INS Karanj - Under trials, to be inducted by end of
INDIAN NAVY 2019

• INS Vela – To be launched for trials in 2019
►INS VIKRANT
• INS Vagir – Being manufactured and assembled.
st
• 1 aircraft carrier of India
• INS Vagsheer - Being manufactured and assembled.
• It was decommissioned in 1997 after serving for 37
SIGNIFICANCE
years.
• The submarines built under the project will be
capable of
►INS VIRAAT
nd o Anti-submarine warfare
• 2 and the longest serving aircraft carrier of India.
93
DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY
o Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance o It can displace twice the amount of water compared
missions to Chakra I, thereby higher operating depths.
o Underwater mining operations o Higher speed of 30 knots
Note: While the first four submarines will be o The onboard nuclear reactor produces double the
conventional, the two will be equipped with the Air power.
Independent Propulsion (AIP) system to stay underwater o It has more advanced weapon system including tube-
for longer duration launched missiles.
• The air-independent propulsion system will enable o Chakra II is deployed with the Eastern Naval
the submarines to stay submerged for longer Command.
duration and thus increase their operational range.
►CHAKRA-III
 NUCLEAR-POWERED • India and Russia have signed agreement for leasing of
Akula class nuclear powered submarine Chakra III for
SUBMARINES $3 billion for at least 10 years.
Nuclear submarines can be classified in to 2 categories • Powered by 190 MW nuclear power
namely SSN and SSBN
►SSN: (SUBMERSIBLE SHIP NUCLEAR)  SSBN FLEET

• SSNs are attack submarines ►ARIHANT
• They are propelled by nuclear power. • Under Advanced Technology Vehicle Program, India
• They can launch conventional weapons like has indigenously built Arihant, SSBN.
torpedoes and cruise missiles • India’s 1st nuclear-powered ballistic missile
submarine
►SSBN: (SUBMERSIBLE SHIP • Displacement capacity of 6,000 tons.
BALLISTIC NUCLEAR) • Powered by an 83 MW pressurised light-water reactor
• SSBNs are also propelled by nuclear power. with enriched uranium.
• They are usually equipped with nuclear weapons like • Formally inducted in 2019 marking the Nuclear Triad
ballistic missiles. capability of India.
• Therefore, they are usually used as deterrents and • Capable of launching K-15 Missile with a range of 750
km and K-4 ICBM with a range of 3,500 km.
not as attack submarines.
►ARIGHAT
►NUCLEAR-POWERED SUBMARINE • 2nd Arihant-class submarine built under Advanced
FLEET OF INDIA Technology Vessel Program.
• Powered by a pressurised water reactor
 SSN FLEET
• Maximum speed of 12–15 knots (22–28 km/h) when
►CHAKRA-I on surface and 24 knots (44 km/h) when submerged
1st nuclear-powered submarine to be inducted to Indian • 4 launch tubes can carry up to 12 K-15 Sagarika
Navy. missiles or 4 four of the under-development K-4
missiles.
►CHAKRA-II
• 2nd nuclear submarine to be inducted into Indian IMPORTANT FIGHTER
Navy.
JETS OF INDIA
• It was inducted in 2012
• It is an advanced version of Chakra I with following

►TEJAS LCA
features • 4th generation supersonic, single-seat, single-engine
multirole light fighter aircraft.
94
DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY
• Conceived in the early 1980s to replace the Russia- LoC, against high-value naval targets, including
made MIG 21 of the Indian Air Force. aircraft carriers and nuclear bunkers.
• Designed and developed by the Aeronautical

Development Agency. ►RAFALE
• The combat-ready version of the fighter comprises of • Twin-engine medium multi-role combat aircraft,
battle-time requirements such as mid-air refueling, manufactured by French company Dassault Aviation.
AESA radar, electronic warfare suites, bombs and • Can carry weapons more than 9 tons including air-air,
weapons etc. air-ground and air-ship missiles.
• India does not have even a single squadron of the • Main roles include missions including Air-defence/air-
indigenously produced fighters. superiority, Reconnaissance, close air support
• In contrast, both China has fifth generation fighters dynamic targeting, Air-to-ground precision
strike/interdiction, anti-ship attacks, and nuclear
already in the test flying stage.
deterrence, buddy-buddy refueling.
• Pakistan also has an operational indigenously built
• Can carry out both air-to-ground, as well as air-to-air
fighter jet, JF 17 developed with Chinese assistance.
attacks and interceptions during the same sortie.
• Maximum speed of 1.9 mach.
►MIG 29
• Range of more than 3700 km vs 400-550 of Sukhoi-30
• India’s premier Air Defense Fighter aircraft
• Weapon systems include SCALP and METEOR missiles
• Light-weight air-superiority fighter aircraft developed
• SCALP: a precision long range ground attack missile
by Russia.
that can take out targets with extreme accuracy. Has
• Twin-engine jet fighter inducted into Indian Air Force a range of 300 km, capped by the missile technology
in 1985. control regime.
• With about 110 Mig-29s operated by Indian Air Force • METEOR: a beyond visual range air to air missile that
and Indian Navy combined, India is the second is the best in its class. Can take out enemy aircraft at
biggest operator of Mig-29s in the world after Russia. range of over 100 km.
• Played a key role during Kargil War, 1999.

►US-2 AMPHIBIOUS AIRCRAFT
• Three squadrons of 16-18 MiG-29s aircrafts each are
deployed in the strategically important Adampur Air Japanese amphibious aircraft that India is keen to
Force Station, which is around 100 km from Pakistan import.
and 250 km away from China borders.
• The MiG 29s are far more superior to F-16s of the IMPORTANT
Pakistan Airforce with the capacity to launch Beyond
Visual Range BVR missiles. HELICOPTERS
►LIGHT UTILITY HELICOPTER
►SUKHOI-30 MKI
• Developed as a replacement for Cheetah and Chetak
• Multirole combat fighter aircraft
helicopters
• Jointly developed by Russia and India.
• New generation 3-Ton class helicopter.
• India’s answer to F-16 of Pakistan.
• Being indigenously developed by Hindustan
• Top speed of 2120 kph (Mach 1.7).
Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
• Capable of launching up to 6 air-air, 6 air-to-surface
missiles, 6 laser guided bombs and 8500kg of cluster
►DHRUV
bombs.
• Recently test fired the world’s fastest supersonic Utility helicopter developed and manufactured by HAL.
cruise missile, BrahMos from Sukhoi-30MKI. IMPORTANT ROLES
• This has provided a significant strategic deterrence • Commuter Role
against China and Pakistan in multi-mission roles,
• Evacuation
including precision strikes on terror camps across the
95
DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY
• Rapid Deployment of Forces ►MH-60R (ROMEO) SEAHAWK
• Logistic Air Support HELICOPTERS
• Search and Rescue • Acquired from USA under Foreign Military Assistance
• Naval multi-role helicopter.
►CHINOOK • Capable of being operated from various types of
CHARACTERISTICS warships including frigates, destroyers, cruisers and
aircraft carriers
• Acquired from USA under Foreign Military Assistance
• Equipped with state-of-art SONAR suite which
• Heavy-lift Capability
provides navigation, situational awareness, target
• Modern heavy-lift helicopter woth payload lifting data and weapon guidance capabilities.
capacity of 10-12.5 ton
• Vertical-lift platform ►KAMOV

• It has contra-rotating tandem rotors. (2 rotors The final deal on the 200 Kamov Ka-226 light utility
rotating in opposite direction) helicopters from Russia is in advanced stages and
• Will replace the Mi-26 heavy-lift helicopters of IAF. expected to be signed soon.
IMPORTANCE
• To ferry 4.2-ton M777 Ultra-Light Howitzer to high

SPACE WEAPONISATION
altitude forward areas with China and Pakistan which
do not have road connectivity ►ANTI SATELLITE TECHNOLOGIES
• Will airlift artillery, light armored vehicles, troops and BACKGROUND
supplies to difficult Himalayan mountainous terrains • Satellites form an integral part of a country’s critical
• It will assist Border Road Organisation to carry road infrastructure.
construction and engineering equipments to difficult • Intercepting satellites can halt various critical
high-altitude terrains of Northeast. applications including navigation systems,
• Deployed in disaster relief operations to carry and communication networks, broadcasting, banking
mass evacuation of disaster victims. systems, surveillance etc.
WHAT IS A-SAT?
►APACHE Anti-satellite technology is a counter-space capability of

a country to neutralize space-based assets of enemy
• Acquired from USA under Foreign Military Assistance
country.
• It is a multi-role combat helicopter.
TYPES OF A-SAT
• All-weather helicopter that can engage both air and
1. Missile-based A-SAT: A missile is used to hit and
ground targets.
destroy satellite using
• Can approach enemy troops covertly with relative
o Direct-ascent kinetic kill vehicle (Chinese A-SAT in
stealth and launch as close-range attack
2007, India now, USA and Russia)
KAMOV KA-226T
o Co-orbiting missile (Russia has this type)
• Russia plans to deliver 10 Kamov Ka-226T military
2. Co-orbital drones
helicopters to India in a first tranche as part of a $1-
billion deal, signed in Indo-Russia Summit in Moscow, o Approach the target satellite and deviate it from its
2015. orbit. (China, UK, Russia is working on this
technology)
• A light weight, twin-engine multi-role chopper offers
services for both military and civilian purposes. 3. High-energy lasers
• It will replace India’s ageing fleet of Cheetah and o Blind the sensors of the satellites.
Chetak. 4. Interception and jamming of signals from the
satellites by sending more powerful radio signals.
96
DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY
HISTORY OF A-SAT MISSILE TESTS • China and Russia in 2008 submitted the following
• ASAT missile tests have been conducted by USA and treaties to reiterate the importance of a weapon-free
Russia in the cold-war era. outer space.
• USA has the anti-satellite weapon since 1959 followed • Treaty on the Prevention of the Placement of
by Russia in 1960 Weapons in Outer Space (PPWT)
• The cold war witnessed the anti-satellite weaponry • Treaty on threat or use of force against Outer Space
tests till early 1980s. Objects.
• China conducted A-SAT weaponry test in 2007.

(800km orbit) ►MISSION SHAKTI
• Russia has recently shot down satellite using ASAT • Under Mission Shakti, India demonstrated the
weaponry as lately as 2018. capability to destroy a satellite in the low earth orbit
using an anti-satellite missile.
►TREATIES GOVERNING OUTER • India became only the 4th country to conduct an Anti-
SPACE Satellite missile test after USA, Russia and China.
TARGET
OUTER SPACE TREATY 1967
• Microsat R was a military imaging satellite placed in
• According to this treaty, outer space shall be used
an orbit 274 km above the Earth surface with an
only for peaceful purposes.
orbital velocity of 7.8km/s.
• It prohibits countries from placing into orbit around
TECHNOLOGY: ‘HIT TO KILL’
the Earth any objects carrying nuclear weapons or
any other kinds of weapons of mass destruction. • The anti- satellite test involved the ‘hit to kill’ missile
• It requires that celestial bodies shall be used by all technology.

parties exclusively for peaceful purposes and no • Under the ‘hit to kill’ technology, a missile is shot at
weapon can be stationed on them. the satellite to hit and kill the satellite.
• However Outer Space Treaty by itself does not KILL VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY
prevent arms race in space. • The A-SAT missile was based on the exo-atmospheric
• India is a party to Outer Space Treaty kill vehicle technology.
• 50th anniversary of United Nations Conference on the • It includes
Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space
o an 18-tonne, 3-stage interceptor missile
(UNISPACE+50) took place in 2018.
o with 2-stage solid propellants
►UN RESOLUTIONS: PAROS TO o with a long-range tracking radar and
TCBMS o Infra-red and radar frequency seekers to reach the

target satellite and hit it.
PAROS
• Accordingly, the anti-satellite missile used was an
• The Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space
advanced version of ‘Prithvi Defence Vehicle’ of India’s
(PAROS) is a UN resolution that advocates for a ban
Ballistic Missile Defence system. This is because the
on the weaponization of space.
target satellite was in the 300km orbit.
• It was conceived of during the Cold-war era.
• The PAROS resolution acknowledges the limitations of
Outer Space Treaty in preventing of an arms race in MISCELLANEOUS
outer space.
• However, US opposition has thwarted treaty
►POSEIDON
negotiations in the UN General Assembly. • Anti-Submarine Warfare aircraft, which India plans to
TCBMS AND PPWT acquire from USA.
• Since 2005, the UNGA has adopted annual resolutions • It is a boost to maritime ISR capabilities (intelligence,
on “Transparency and Confidence-Building Measures surveillance and reconnaissance)
in Outer Space Activities.”
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DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY
• Long-range maritime patrol aircraft capable of will take images in 2 wavelengths of electro-magnetic
undersea surveillance from a height of up to 40000 ft. spectrum, namely visible light and infrared
• It has operational speed of 450 mph and a range of • The images so taken will be run through ‘deep
4,500 nautical miles. learning’ algorithms to process them into usable data.
• It has an operational time of up to 10 hours. • The data so processed is then communicated to the
IAF Air Warfare Strategy Cell.
• It is equipped with Active Electronically Scanned Array
(AESA) radars capable of engaging multiple targets APPLICATIONS
simultaneously. • New-gen aerial surveillance
• Magnetic Anomaly Detection (MAD) radar will help • Can perform surveillance in areas under dense tree
locate submarines in deep seas. cover along the international borders. (Due to
infrared sensors)
• The India-version of Poseidon 8 is equipped with
Harpoon Block-II missiles, MK-54 lightweight • Multi-sensor imaging helps to track adversary
torpedoes to enhance its anti-submarine warfare movement in day and night conditions.
capability. • It works effectively in all-weather conditions, be it
KEY OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS OF IAF cloud cover, dense fog or snow cover.
SHORT-TERM • Crop monitoring, Drought monitoring, Mapping soil

moisture, Mineral Prospecting etc.
The key operational requirements of IAF in the short-
term for its new doctrinal focus towards counter-proxy
wars include ►AWACS
• AWACS • Indian Air Force has undergone a doctrinal shift from
• Close-in weapons for short-range battles conventional warfare to sub-conventional warfare
due to threats from proxy wars by Pakistan’s Deep
• Software Defined Radios (SDRs) to enhance inter-
State post 1990s.
service communication
• Thus, India identified key operational requirements of
LONG-TERM
IAF in the aftermath of Balakot airstrike I line with the
• IAF has been facing a severe shortage of fighter counter-proxy war strategy.
aircrafts with its current strength reduced to 32
• AWACS are one the short-term operational
squadrons against the sanctioned strength of 42.
requirement identified by IAF.
• With MiG 21 and MiG 27 due to retire by 2025 the
squadron strength will be reduced to 22 in the next ABOUT AWACS
15 years. • Known as ‘eyes in the sky’
• The efforts to augment the squadron strength with • Air-borne radar systems mounted on aircrafts for
LCAs, Rafale and upgraded platforms of existing scanning and surveillance.
fighter jets are on.
• With a 360-degree span, they are deployed to carry
• 40 Tejas Mk-1 will be delivered by 2023 and 83 Tejas out surveillance on enemy Air Defence systems and to
MK-1A are ordered. prepare an Air Situation Picture useful in aerial
• 36 Rafale fighter jets to be delivered by April 2022 combats.
The premier Air Defence Fighter aircraft, MiG-29, has CURRENT FLEET OF AWACS IN IAF
undergone major upgrades recently. India currently has 5 AWACS
PHALCON
►HYPERSPECTRAL IMAGING
• AWACS procured from Israel
PROGRAM
NETRA
New-age aerial surveillance project of IAF expected to be
• Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) system
operational by 2022 involving Hyperspectral Imaging.
indigenously developed by DRDO. (1st used in Balakot
FEATURES
air strike)
• Sensors or cameras for hyperspectral imaging will be
mounted on UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) which
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DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY
• Mounted on an Embraer aircraft was for the 1st time NETRA
used in an aerial combat by IAF in the Balakot • Netra is a lightweight, autonomous UAV for
airstrike surveillance and reconnaissance especially useful for
anti-terrorist and counter-insurgency operations.
►DRONE FLEET OF INDIA RUSTOM SERIES
In the backdrop on the Kargil war of 1999, India felt the • 3 models of RUSTOM have been built with RUSTOM 2
need for accurate real time intelligence. testing done recently in 2017.
IMPORTANCE OF UAVs • The 3 models of RUSTOM include Medium Altitude

Long Endurance (MALE) category, High Altitude Long
• UAVs can carry a diverse array of payloads for
Endurance family (HALE), and Rustom H with combat
reconnaissance, surveillance, intelligence gathering
capabilities. (Rustom-I, Rustom-H and Rustom-C)
and target acquisition.
• Rustom UAVs are to be fitted with Helina missiles.
• In the aftermath of the Doklam episode, it is
important to keeping our borders under greater RUSTOM 2
surveillance. • Latest addition to the Rustom series of UAVs.
• Besides with capabilities like electro-optical/Infra-Red • Medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) unmanned
cameras, electronic and communication intelligence aerial vehicle (UAV).
gathering, UAVs can act as excellent force multipliers.
• Maximum speed is about 225 kmph.
• Thus, the UAVs have evolved from being a
• Endurance of more than 24 hours and it can operate
surveillance and reconnaissance asset to hunter -
up to an altitude of 35,000 feet above mean sea level.
killer roles.
• The unmanned aerial vehicle is designed to carry a
DRONE FLEET
variety of state-of-the-art payloads weighing up to
SEARCHER 1 AND 2 350kg.
• Israeli drone • The payloads include electromagnetic intelligence
• Acquired in 1998 (ELINT), communication intelligence (COMINT),
synthetic aperture radar (SAR), maritime patrol radar
HERONS
(MPR), radio altimeter, transmitting and receiving
• Israeli drone for deployment by armed forces antennae, and situational awareness payloads.
LAKSHYA GHATAK
• 1st indigenously built reusable aerial target system. India’s 1st stealth unmanned combat aerial vehicle
• Pilotless drone to serve as aerial target for the PREDATOR-B
training of air defence artillery weapon crews
Weaponised version of Sea Guardian drones from the
• Lakshya-2 is an advanced variant and has USA.
autonomous flight capability even at low level.
• It is suitable for training of crews for operating
beyond visual range (BVR) and cruise missiles
NISHANT
• It is a 340-kg UAV, with endurance of 4.5 hours
• Indigenously developed by the aeronautical
development establishment (ADE).
DAKSH
• Electrically powered and remotely operated wheeled
vehicle
• Designed for the task of bomb disposal.
• Capable of being remotely controlled over a range of
500m line-of-sight (LOS) or even within buildings.
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DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY
►LASER-BASED DIRECTED ENERGY STRUCTURE
WEAPON SYSTEM • The integrated tri-service agencies will draw staff from
each service.
• The laser-based weapons are the advanced directed
• They will be headed by a 2-star officer (Major General)
energy weapon system that can be mounted on a
and serve under the overall command of the
truck, a vessel, used as close-in weapons on aircraft
Chairman, Chief of Staff Committee.
making up for the 6th generation fighters.
GLOBAL SPECIAL FORCES
• They range from low-powered tactical beam emitters
to a high-energy strategic weapons system. United States Army
Green Berets
• They can be used tactically to blind the enemy Special Forces
personnel, damage or destroy enemy’s facilities,
Russian Special
aircraft, anti-personnel weapon systems, missiles, Spetsnaz GRU
Forces
even space assets.
HELIOS German Special under the KSK Kommando
Forces Spezialkräfte
• US Navy’s high power laser weapon systems.
• Designed to counter unmanned aerial systems and
small boats. ►DEFENCE SPACE AGENCY
• Sensors that ensure long-range ISR (intelligence, COMPOSITION
surveillance and reconnaissance) capability • The Defence Imagery Processing and Analysis Centre
• A counter-UAS dazzler capability: A dazzler that can (Delhi) and the Defence Satellite Control Centre
obscure adversarial UAS-based ISR capabilities. (Bhopal) will be merged to form the Defence Space
Agency
LW-30
• It will be headed by an officer of the rank of air vice-
• China’s vehicle-based laser defence weapon system.
marshal serving under the overall command of the
• Usually truck-mounted, they are used to intercept Chairman, Chief of Staff Committee.
aerial targets including UAVs, drones, guided bombs
IMPORTANCE
etc.
• To protect India’s space assets under the INSAT, IRS,
INDIA’S LASER WEAPON SYSTEM
IRNSS systems.
• DRDO is developing a laser weapon system.
• The counter-space capability is much needed in
• High-powered laser weapon of 2KW response to China’s offensive capabilities in the space
which it has demonstrated.
►INTEGRATED TRI-SERVICE • China is the second country after the US to have
AGENCIES demonstrated this capability.
• India is set to form tri-service agencies in 3 critical Note: USA has recently established a Space Force as a
domains of cyber security, space and special separate military branch
operations as per the recommendation of Naresh
Chandra Committee.
►CHIEF OF DEFENCE STAFF
• The 3 tri-service agencies that are being established
4-star general
include
IMPORTANT FUNCTIONS
o Special Operation Division
• Principal Military Advisor to the union Defence
o Defence Cyber Agency
minister on all Tri-Services matters.
o Defence Space Agency
• Will not exercise any military command, including
• Note: India is also keen on restructuring the armed over the three Service Chiefs
forces into 3 theatre-based integrated tri-service
• Act as the secretary of Department of Military Affairs
commands northern, western and southern on the
lines on US (3) and China (5). • Permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee
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DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY
• Will command Tri-service agencies related to Cyber communication, day and night surveillance cameras
and Space and intrusion detection system.
• Will be member of Defence Acquisition Council • The various devices under the data network feed
• Military Adviser to the Nuclear Command Authority signals to BSF control rooms.
• This ensures quick reaction teams (QRTs) from BSF in
handling cross-border crimes.
►INFORMATION FUSION CENTRE-IOR
• Since electronic communication devices are used to
The IFC-IOR is established as a real time maritime
ensure quick reaction time from BSF in border
information sharing hub for Indian Ocean region.
surveillance, the project is named BOLD-QRT.
AIM
• Riverine border at Dhubri, Assam between India and
To keep track of both conventional and unconventional Bangladesh is now secured with electronic
threats in our primary area of geopolitical interest surveillance with the formal launch of BOLD-QIT
spreading from the Persian Gulf to well beyond the project.
Malacca Strait.
FUNCTIONS ►MILITARY EXERCISES
• The IFC-IOR will help collate shipping data from
DOMESTIC EXERCISES
1. Partner countries with whom we have white PARTICIPATING
shipping agreements (US, UK, France, Australia, NAME DETAILS
COUNTRIES
Brazil, Israel, Vietnam, Oman and Mauritius)
Gagan Shakti Indian Airforce
2. Multi-national networks for exchange of shipping Short for
data (For instance, Trans Regional Maritime (Theatre Level
Network signed in December 2018) Readiness and
3. Other Maritime Information Centers Operational
Indian Navy, assets
Exercise)
• It also facilitates dissemination of maritime security of the Indian Air
Largest
and safety information to partner nations, constructs TROPEX Force, Indian Army
amphibious
and agencies. and the Indian
exercise of India
Coast Guard.
• Now India has extended the facility to other Inter-service
participating countries of the Goa Maritime Conclave maritime
including Indian Ocean littoral countries, including theatre level
Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand from war exercise
Southeast Asia. Major Cyber Army, Navy and
Cyberex
Exerciser AIrforce
►BOLD-QIT (BORDER Him Vijay Indian Army
Kharga Prahar Indian Army
ELECTRONICALLY DOMINATED QRT
Mission Reach
INTERCEPTION TECHNIQUE) Indian Army
out
• BOLD-QIT stands from Border Electronically
Dominated QRT Interception Technique. This project
JOINT EXERCISES
was conceived in 2017 under Comprehensive
Integrated Border Management System. PARTICIPATING
NAME DETAILS
COUNTRIES
• It primarily involves installation of technical systems
MILAN Multi-lateral Naval India will host
to equip border area with sensors.
Exercise 2020 version
• Under the project the entire span of riverine border is Mostly Indian Ocean Theme: Synergy
covered with a data network using various Region Countries, across the Seas
communication devices. Southeast Asian
• The communication devices used in the data network Countries
include microwave communication, OFC cables, DMR MILEX BIMSTEC
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DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY
MALABAR Trilateral India, US and Lakshmana
exercises naval exercise Japan Garuda Shakti military exercise India-Indonesia
Tiger- 1st Tri-Service (VVV India-USA Imbax Bilateral Army India-Myanmar
Triumph Important) Exercise
Vajra prahaar Joint military exercise India and US Lamitye Navy India-
Seychelles
Ex Cope India Air Force India and US Varuna Navy India-France
Shakti Army India-France
Ajeya Warrior Joint Military India and UK Garuda Airforce India-France
Konkan Navy India and UK SHINYUU Airforce India-Japan
Nomadic joint military exercise India-Mongolia Maitri
Elephant Dharma Army India-Japan
Ekuverin joint military exercise Indian Army Guardian
and the AFINDEX Army India-Africa
Maldives
Sampriti joint military exercise India-
►ARJUN MK-1A TANK
Bangladesh
Recently, the Prime Minister of India has handed over
Sundarban Navy India-
Maitri Bangladesh the indigenously developed Arjun Main Battle Tank
(MBT) MK-1A to the Indian Army.
Slinex Navy India-Sri Lanka
The Arjun MBT Project was initiated by (DRDO) in
Mitra Shakti Army India-Sri Lanka
1972 with the Combat Vehicles Research and
Development Establishment (CVRDE) as its lead
AUSINDEX Naval India-Australia
laboratory.
KAKADU Naval Australia-led
The Arjun MBT is equipped with an indigenously
exercise multilateral
developed 120mm main rifled gun with Fin Stabilised
Armour-Piercing Discarding Sabot (FSAPDS)
Hand in Hand Joint Military India-China
ammunition. FSAPDS can destroy all known tank
armour up to direct shooting range.
Desert Eagle Air Force India-UAE
The development of Arjun Mk1 was followed by
Gulf Star Naval India-UAE
improved variants - Mk1A and MkII.
Prabal Dostyk Joint Training India-
• Arjun Mk1A, which features improved firepower and
Kazakhsthan
transmission systems, completed the final integration
KAZIND Joint Military India-
tests in 2019 and was cleared for production.
Kazakhsthan
• Arjun MkII variant is a light-weight Futuristic Main
Khanjar Joint Training India and
Battle Tank (FMBT) with electro-optical sensors and
'Exercise Kyrgyzstan
high-power lasers.
INDRA Joint Military India-Russia
AVIAINDRA Air Force India-Russia
SIMBEX Navy India-Singapore ►SOLID FUEL DUCTED RAMJET (SFDR)
Bold Joint Military India-Singapore TECHNOLOGY
Kurukshetra The Defence Research and Development Organisation
Maitree Joint Military India-Thailand (DRDO) recently successfully carried out a flight
VINBAX Joint Military India-Thailand demonstration based on Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet
CORPAT India-Thailand (SFDR) technology from Integrated Test Range
Chandipur off the Odisha coast.
Harimau joint training India-Malaysia
Shakti exercise SOLID FUEL DUCTED RAMJET (SFDR)
• It is a missile propulsion technology jointly developed
Samudra Navy India-Malaysia by India and Russia.
102
DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY
• It will improve the propulsion systems of future • As per International Institute for Strategic Studies
Indian long range air-to-air missiles. (Astra, air-to-air (IISS), this kind of propulsion system drastically
missile of India, has range of 80 km) enhances the range with higher average speed.
• The missiles which use such system are also able to • Its successful use in missiles will mark India’s entry
carry larger payload due to absence of an oxidiser. into select club of nations that use next-generation
• Unlike solid-propellant rocket, the Ramjet takes up missile technology against maneuvering targets,
oxygen from the atmosphere during flight. compromising effectiveness of conventional missiles.
• Ducted rocket is Air-augmented rocket having • The Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet is a missile propulsion
a convergent-divergent nozzle. This ensures that system that includes a thrust modulated ducted
combustion takes place at subsonic speeds, rocket with a reduced smoke nozzle-less missile
improving the range of vehicle speeds where the booster.
system remains useful. • The system utilises a solid fueled air-breathing ramjet
SIGNIFICANCE engine.
• Help both India’s surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles • Officially, the technology is being developed to power
to perform better and enhance their strike range. future Indian air-to-air missiles. However, the
technology can also be applied to surface-to-air
• With it, India can have fastest long-range missiles in
missiles.
two categories, providing full-fledged and multi-
layered aerial protection from hostile attacks.
Criteria Normal Missile Missile with SFDR Technology

What it carries? Propellant and Oxidiser Only Propellant; Oxidiser not needed
Propulsion Turbo Jet Engine Ramjet Engines
How the Engine
works?
Burning of Propellant and Oxidiser  Uses the engine's forward motion compress
Releases  Trust incoming air  Burning of Propellant  Releases
Energy  Thrust
Amount of Payload Relatively lower Relatively higher
Range Relatively lower (Astra Missile : 100 km) Relatively higher ( Astra Missile: 160km)
Speed of Missile Relative lower Relatively higher
Indian Naval Ship (INS) Pralaya visited at Abu Dhabi, UAE ►MAAREECH
to participate in the NAVDEX 21 (Naval Defence
• The Indian Navy has inducted an advanced anti-
Exhibition) and IDEX 21 (International Defence
torpedo decoy system called ‘Maareech’ that is
Exhibition). INS Mysore (an indigenously built guided
capable of being fired from all frontline ships.
missile destroyer deployed in the Persian Gulf) is also
participating in the exhibition. • It has been designed and developed indigenously by
• INS Pralaya, a ship of the indigenously built Prabal DRDO and it is capable of detecting, locating and
Class Missile Vessels, was commissioned in the Indian neutralizing incoming torpedo.
Navy in 2002. • Bharat Electronics Limited, a Defence PSU, would
• Defence relations between India and UAE have been undertake the production of this decoy system.
steadily growing since the upgradation of bilateral
relations to a ‘Comprehensive Strategic Partnership’ in ►AKASH PRIME MISSILE
2017.
DRDO has successfully tested a new version of the Akash
• Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown
surface-to-air missile Akash Prime from the Integrated Test
Prince of Abu Dhabi (capital of UAE), was a Chief
Range at Chandipur, Odisha. It intercepted and destroyed
Guest at India’s Republic Day celebrations in 2017.
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DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY
an unmanned aerial target mimicking enemy aircraft, in its • It was developed by DRDO. Bharat Dynamics Limited
maiden flight. (BDL) has produced these missiles.
Akash Prime is based on the existing Akash surface-to- • It can target aircraft up to 50–80 km away, at altitudes
air missile (SAM) system. up to 18,000 m.
• It is equipped with an improved active radio- • These missiles can also neutralise aerial targets such
frequency (RF) seeker for improved accuracy. as fighter jets, cruise missiles, air-to-surface missiles
• Missile has also been optimized for low temperature as well as ballistic missiles.
and high-altitude operations with the modified • It is in operational service with the Indian Army and
ground system. the Indian Air Force.
• It can intercept aerial targets mimicking enemy • Akash-NG (new generation) missile: It is a new variant
aircraft. of the Akash missile which has a better range (60kms)
ABOUT AKASH MISSILE SYSTEM compared to the original version (25 kms).
• Akash is a medium-range mobile surface-to-air

missile (SAM) system.
104
SECTION-6
EALTH & DISEASES

• WHO has named the new coronavirus disease as
 VIRAL DISEASES Covid-19.
BASICS OF VIRUS • Remdesivir: An anti-viral drug under trials in Wuhan
• It depends on a host organism for its nutrients. Thus, 2019
it can metabolise and multiply only inside the living
cells of other creatures. ►NIPAH
• It is made up of a DNA or RNA genome. Zoonotic virus
• It lacks enzymes essential for the energy production TRANSMISSION
• It can infect animals, plants, and other • Natural host – fruit bats.
microorganisms.
• Intermediate host: Pigs
• It can also be transmitted through contaminated food
►CORONAVIRUS
or directly between people.
• Large family of viruses, first identified in the 1960s.
SYMPTOMS
• Can infect both animals and humans.
• Like that of influenza: fever, muscle pain, and
• It cause illness ranging from the common cold to respiratory problems.
more severe respiratory illness (like SARS & MERS)
• Inflammation of the brain causing disorientation.
NOVEL CORONAVIRUS – COVID-19
• Late onset of Encephalitis can also occur.
• A new strain that has not been previously identified in
• Note: There are currently no drugs or vaccines
humans.
specific for Nipah virus infection.
• First detected in Wuhan, China.
• Relative of SARS ►YARAVIRUS
TRANSMISSION
• Discovered in a lake in Brazil
• These viruses are zoonotic – transmitted from
• ‘Yara’, a water-queen figure in Brazilian mythology.
animals to humans
SIGNIFICANCE
• Human-to-Human: Mother to baby: Breastfeeding
ο Has genes that have not been described before.
and placenta
105
HEALTH & DISEASES
ο It could change how Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) ο Note: India, along with ten WHO South-East Asia
viruses are classified. Region member countries, plans to eliminate
• It does not infect human cells. measles and control rubella/ congenital rubella
syndrome (CRS) by 2020.
RUBELLA
►ROTAVIRUS DISEASE
• It is also known as German Measles
• Leading cause of severe diarrhoea and death among
children less than five years of age. • Generally, a mild disease but can have serious
consequences for pregnant women and their children
• Symptoms – fever, nausea, and vomiting, abdominal
as it may cause congenital rubella syndrome in the
cramps and frequent watery diarrhoea.
foetus.
• Transmitted by the faecal-oral route, contact with
• Both measles and rubella can be prevented by a
contaminated hands, surfaces and objects, and
highly effective Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccine, given
possibly by the respiratory route.
under Universal Immunisation Program.
►MEASLES-RUBELLA
►ZIKA
MEASLES
• Zika is a viral infection spread by Aedes aegypti
• Introduction mosquito.
ο It is a contagious air-borne infection of the • Zika belongs to a group of viruses called
respiratory tract. the flaviviruses, which includes dengue, West Nile and
ο It is caused by a virus in the paramyxovirus family. yellow fever.
ο It can spread through direct contact or coughing, • Zika virus infect and replicate inside the cells of
sneezing etc. several species, including humans, monkeys, and
mosquitoes.
• High-risk group
ο It affects mostly children under the age of 5 years.
►KYASANUR FOREST DISEASE OR
ο Unvaccinated groups including children, pregnant
women MONKEY FEVER
ο People with weak immune system • It is a tick borne (a tick which is found on monkeys)
viral haemorrhagic fever. (haemorrhage is used to
• Symptoms
describe loss of blood)
ο High fever
• It is endemic to South Asia.
ο Runny nose and cough
• The same family also causes yellow fever, dengue
ο Red and watery eyes, fever, chikungunya and Zika infection.
ο Small white spots inside the cheeks
ο Rashes in face, upper neck, hands and feet ►YELLOW FEVER

• Effects • It is an acute viral haemorrhagic disease transmitted
ο Severe respiratory infections such as pneumonia. by infected mosquitoes.
ο Serious complications include blindness, • The 'yellow' in the name refers to the jaundice that
encephalitis (brain swelling), and diarrhoea. affects some patients.
• Prevention • Infected mosquitoes of the Aedes aegypti specie

transmit the virus from person to person.
ο WHO recommends routine measles vaccination for
children and mass immunization campaigns as key
public health strategies to reduce global measles ►ACUTE ENCEPHALITIS SYNDROME
deaths. (AES)
ο 2 doses of measles vaccine, either alone, or in a
• Characterized as acute onset of fever & a change in
measles-rubella combination should be the
mental status.
standard for all national immunization programs.
106
HEALTH & DISEASES
• Viruses are the main causative agents in AES cases, • For example, an “H7N2 virus” designates an influenza
although other sources such as bacteria, fungus, A virus subtype that has an HA 7 protein and an NA 2
parasites, spirochetes, chemicals, toxins and non- protein. Similarly, an “H5N1” virus has an HA 5 protein
infectious agents have also been reported over the and an NA 1 protein.
past few decades.
DOES IT SPREAD EASILY TO HUMANS?
No, it does not. Generally, people coming in close

►FLU contact with infected alive or dead birds have contracted
• There are three species of Influenza Virus viz. the H5N1 bird flu, and it does not usually spread from
Influenza-A, Influenza-B, and Influenza-C. person to person, as per the WHO. There is also no
• Influenza A infects birds and mammals. evidence, the WHO says, that the disease can be spread
to people through properly prepared and cooked
• Influenza C Virus: Detected less frequently and usually
poultry food. The virus is sensitive to heat and dies in
causes mild infections, thus does not present public
health importance. cooking temperatures.
• Influenza D virus: primary affect cattle and are not THEN WHY THE SCARE?
known to infect or cause illness in people. • H5N1 is severe and deadly – around 6 out of 10
• It has very high rate of mutation, and this is the confirmed cases in humans have led to deaths
reason that so many different strains of influenza (though the actual mortality rate may be lower due to
virus are found. under-reporting of asymptomatic cases).
• Various strains of Virus differ in certain proteins on • If the virus mutates and becomes easily transmissible
the virus surface — hemagglutinin (HA) and from person to person, say by altering its shape to
neuraminidase (NA) proteins. This is the basis of grab human cells much more effectively, it can
naming viruses. potentially cause a pandemic.
• The common Influenza outbreaks caused by • Also, flu viruses are more prone to mutation because
Influenza-A strains include they have a segmented genome. All known strains of
ο H1N1 (swine flu) flu – including the seasonal flu and the pandemic flu –
• H5N1, H5N8, H2N9 (Bird Flu) have jumped from birds to humans in this way.
►WEST NILE FEVER

►AVIAN FLU
• It can cause fatal neurological disease in humans.
WHAT IS IT?
• Avian influenza refers to the disease caused by • Infection is most often the result of bites from
infection with avian (bird) influenza (flu) Type A infected mosquitoes
viruses.
• These viruses occur naturally among wild aquatic ►AIDS
birds worldwide and can infect domestic poultry and
• Human Immunodeficiency Virus if left untreated, can
other bird and animal species. Avian flu viruses do
lead to the disease AIDS (Acquired Immuno-
not normally infect humans.
Deficiency Syndrome).
• However, sporadic human infections with avian flu
• Unlike some other viruses, the human body can’t get
viruses have occurred.
rid of HIV completely. So once one has HIV, he/she will
WHAT ARE DIFFERENT SUBTYPES DENOTED WITH H have it for life.
AND N?
• HIV attacks the body’s immune system, specifically
• Influenza A viruses are divided into subtypes based
the T cells, which help the immune system fight off
on two proteins on the surface of the virus:
infections.
hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA).
• If left untreated, HIV reduces the number of T cells in
• There are 18 known HA subtypes and 11 known NA
the body, making the person more likely to get
subtypes. Many different combinations of HA and NA
infections or infection-related cancers.
proteins are possible.
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HEALTH & DISEASES
►CRIMEAN-CONGO HAEMORRHAGIC sexually, which until recently was thought to be
transmitted only by mosquitos.
FEVER
• Transmitted to humans from tick borne virus.
►JAPANESE ENCEPHALITIS
• No vaccine exists either for humans or animals.
• Caused by a flavi virus that affects the membranes
around the brain.
►DENGUE
• A major cause of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES)
• Dengue virus is transmitted by female mosquitoes in India
mainly of the species Aedes aegypti.
• transmitted to humans through bites from infected
• The disease may develop into the life-threatening mosquitoes of the Culex species.
dengue haemorrhagic fever, resulting in bleeding, low
• JE vaccination is also included under the Universal
levels of blood platelets and blood plasma leakage.
Immunization Program.
• Recently, Spanish health authorities confirmed
world’s first case of dengue being transmitted
►BACTERIAL DISEASE
PARTS OF BODY
DISEASE SPREAD VACCINE/CARE
AFFECTED
Can be easily prevented by

Nervous system and
Maternal and hygienic delivery and cord care
Unclean deliveries and umbilical causes muscles
Neonatal practices, and/ or by
cord care practices throughout the body to
Tetanus immunizing mothers with
tighten
tetanus vaccine
Spreads through personal contact Eye (It affects the Antibiotics treat early-stage
Trachoma and flies that have contact with conjunctiva under the trachoma. Surgery is required in
the discharge from the eye. eyelids.) later stages.
Slow-growing bacteria called Rifampicin and clofazimine are now

Nerves, skin, eyes, and
Leprosy Mycobacterium leprae (not very combined with dapsone to treat
lining of the nose
contagious) multibacillary leprosy
Bacteria can be transmitted to Flu-like symptoms, such as Antibiotics, such as doxycycline or

Leptospirosis
humans through cuts and headache, chills and penicillin
(rat fever)
abrasions of the skin muscle pain.
BCG living attenuated bacteria.

Tuberculosis Mycobacterium tuberculosis Mainly lungs
Antibiotics e.g., streptomycin.
Alimentary canal (mainly

Cholera Vibrio cholera Antibiotics
small intestine)
Alimentary canal, then

Typhoid Salmonella typhi spreading to lymph and TAB vaccine
blood, lungs, bone
Transmitted mainly through direct

Benzathine Penicillin injection
Yaws skin contact with an infected skin, bones and joints
cures the disease.
person.
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HEALTH & DISEASES
►DIAGNOSING TUBERCULOSIS FROM ►MUCORMYCOSIS
URINE SAMPLES • Mucormycosis or Black Fungus can be a cause of
Diagnosing TB usually involves using a sputum sample disease and death in transplant patients, and
or a biopsy in the detection tests. This is not just time- immunodeficient individuals.
consuming or expensive, there are also cases where • The rapid increase in cases seen in recovering COVID
getting a sputum sample is not easy or even possible, patients is causing grave concern. The frequency with
such as with small children or in the case of which we are witnessing occurrence of COVID-
extrapulmonary TB. triggered Mucormycosis with high morbidity and
IIT Madras researchers are developing a point-of-care mortality has never been seen before.
platform for early-stage TB screening and detection • Symptoms of the disease include dry nose
using urine samples. The platform is yet to be tested in obstruction, swelling in the eye or cheeks, black dry
clinical trials. crust in nose. one, you cannot one’s nose and cheeks
HOW IT WORKS? are numb.
The glycolipid lipoarabinomannan (LAM), an integral • Mucormycosis is not contagious and the fungus targets
component of the cell wall and cell membrane of immuno compromised people. Once one gets treated
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the disease-causing for COVID, he/she is immunosuppressed. One needs to
bacterium, has been explored as a biomarker for TB eat immunity-boosting food after COVID treatment.
diagnosis. • Also, do not get exposed to polluted air and stay away
Since it is known that LAM is released into the blood from contaminated and damp surfaces. The fungus
stream during active infection and passed out in urine, it grows in such damp surfaces with black moulds.
can be viewed as a potential biomarker for even cases
other than pulmonary TB. ►VECTOR BORNE DISEASE
In the test conducted by the group, the sample • Vectors are organisms that transmit pathogens and
containing Mtb-LAM is mixed with gold nanoparticles parasites from one infected person (or animal) to
and incubated for five minutes. Then a U-shaped fibre- another.
optic sensor device with an LED and a photodetector
• Common in tropical and sub-tropical regions.
attached to its two ends is dipped into the mixture. The
• Account for 17% of the estimated global burden of all
results are generated in the next ten minutes, and the
infectious diseases.
amount of Mtb-LAM present in the mixture can be read
out. • The deadliest vector-borne disease is malaria
TRUENAT TB TEST • Fastest growing vector-borne disease is dengue.
• It is a small chip-based, portable, battery- operated

device that was originally developed to detect ►MOSQUITOES
Tuberculosis (TB). AEDES
• It can diagnose resistance to the drug Rifampicin as • Chikungunya
well. • Dengue fever
• TrueNat is a cost-effective method to detect TB • Rift Valley fever
bacteria in the sputum sample in less than an hour.
• Yellow fever
• The World Health Organization approved it for testing
• Zika
TB bacteria as it showed 100% accurate results.
 ANOPHELES
Considered the miniature version of the PCR test, it
can be used easily in a smaller setting and requires MALARIA
minimal training. • caused by the infectious Plasmodium
• Developed by Indian firm MolBio Diagnostics, Goa • Spread: Female Anopheles mosquitoes deposit
with funding from Bigtec Labs, India. parasite sporozoites into the skin of a human host.
• World’s first vaccine against a parasitic disease:
Mosquirix
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HEALTH & DISEASES
CULEX • In case of patients with sickle-cell disease, the gene
• Japanese encephalitis that codes for haemoglobin is genetically mutated
making the haemoglobin sticky.
• Lymphatic filariasis
• The mutation of haemoglobin-beta gene occurs on
• West Nile fever
chromosome 11.
TICKS
• The abnormal sticky haemoglobin forms rods that
• Kyasanur Forest Disease or Monkey Fever clump together distorting the shape of the RBCs.
• Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever • The distorted RBCs become curved and rigid taking
SAND FLY the shape of a C-shaped sickle and hence the name.
Kala Azar
►THALASSAEMIAS
►WOLBACHIA METHOD Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder that reduces
the production of haemoglobin (oxygen carriers) in the
• To control the spread of dengue and chikungunya
RBCs of the blood. Thalassemia can cause anaemia,
naturally occurring bacteria, Wolbachia, is introduced
leading to fatigue.
in a strain of Aedes aegypti mosquito.
• Aedes aegypti mosquito is the main vector that ►HAEMOPHILIA
transmits the viruses that cause dengue.
• Haemophilia is a blood-related inherited disorder that
• Wolbachia inhibits viral infection. Even if people restricts the ability of blood to clot.
encounter mosquito bite, they will not be infected. • Males are most likely to be affected by Haemophilia.
• Wolbachia bacteria do not allow the virus to replicate EFFECTS
in the mosquito thereby minimising its number within Prolonged bleeding
the mosquito and hence virus won’t be transmitted
SYMPTOMS
through a bite.
• Skin bruises
• Pain and stiffness around joints due to internal
►DISEASES CAUSED BY WORMS bleeding
• Lymphatic filariasis • Blood in urine, stool.
ο Caused by infection with parasitic worms living in
the lymphatic system. ►TURNER'S SYNDROME
ο The larval stages of the parasite circulate in the • Chromosomal disease affecting only females
blood and are transmitted from person to person • Occur when one of the X chromosomes (sex
by mosquitoes. chromosomes) is missing or partially missing
• Pinworm disease • Medical and developmental problems, including short
height, failure of the ovaries to develop and heart
• Hook-worm disease
defects
GENETIC DISEASES ►NATIONAL POLICY FOR RARE

DISEASES, 2021
►SICKLE CELL ANAEMIA
WHAT IS A RARE DISEASE?
• Genetic blood-disorder that results in deformation
and break down of red blood cells in the blood. • WHO defines rare disease as often debilitating
lifelong disease or disorder with a prevalence of 1 or
• Most common inherited blood disorder that can be
less, per 1000 population.
acquired from either or both the parents who carry
• In the US, rare diseases are defined as a disease or
the defective gene.
condition that affects fewer than 200,000 patients in
• Normally haemoglobin is smooth, round, disk-shaped
the country (6.4 in 10,000 people).
and flexible allowing the RBCs to flow smoothly
through our bloodstreams.
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HEALTH & DISEASES
• India, like many other developing countries, currently to Rs 1 crore. For such diseases, a digital platform is
has no standard definition of rare diseases and data to be set up to raise donations and corporate funding.
on prevalence. • It proposes an inter-ministerial consultative
So far only about 450 rare diseases have been recorded committee is to be set up at national level. The
in India. The most common rare diseases include: committee will be led by MoHFW.
• Haemophilia • It also aims to create Administrative Committee that

will develop guidelines to determine which rare
• Thalassemia
diseases to fund.
• Sickle cell Anaemia
• Primary Immuno Deficiency in children
►HUNTER SYNDROME
• auto-immune diseases
Two brothers suffering from Mucopolysaccharidosis II or
• Lysosomal storage disorders such as Pompe disease,
MPS II (Hunter Syndrome, Attenuated Type) have
Hirschsprung disease, Gaucher’s disease, Cystic
approached the Delhi High Court seeking direction to
Fibrosis, Hemangiomas, hunter syndrome.
the Centre and AIIMS to provide them free treatment.
• Certain forms of muscular dystrophies.
• MPS II is a rare disease that is passed on in families.
KEY FEATURES OF THE POLICY
• It mostly affects boys and their bodies cannot break
• A patient registry of rare diseases is to be constituted
down a kind of sugar that builds bones, skin, tendons
under ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research).
and other tissues.
• According to the policy, rare diseases include genetic
• It is caused by mutations of the IDS gene that
diseases, rare cancers, infectious tropical diseases,
regulates the production of the iduronate 2-sulfatase
and degenerative diseases.
(I2S) enzyme.
• Under the policy, there are three categories of rare
diseases — • This enzyme is needed to break-down complex
sugars, known as glycosaminoglycans
ο requiring one-time curative treatment - include
(GAGs), produced in the body.
osteopetrosis and immune deficiency disorders,
among others. • Lack of I2S enzyme activity leads to the accumulation
of GAGs within cells, specifically inside the lysosomes
ο diseases that require long-term treatment but where
the cost is low, and leading to lysosomal storage disorders, causing many
tissues and organs are enlarged in
ο those needing long-term treatments with high cost.
• MPS II is inherited in an X-linked recessive pattern,
• As per the policy, the assistance of Rs 15 lakh will be
which means that this condition occurs exclusively in
provided to patients suffering from rare diseases that
males.
require a one-time curative treatment under the
'Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi Scheme'. The treatment will • In a family with more than one affected individual, the
be limited to the beneficiaries of 'Pradhan Mantri Jan mother of the affected males must be a carrier. When
Arogya Yojana'. a carrier female has a child, there is a 25% (1 in 4)
• For diseases listed under Group 2, State Governments chance that she will have an affected son.
can consider supporting patients of such rare
diseases that can be managed with special diets or ►PARKINSON’S DISEASE
hormonal supplements or other low-cost
• It is a chronic, degenerative neurological disorder
interventions.
that affects central nervous system.
• Under the policy, certain medical institutes will be
• It damages nerve cells in the brain dropping the levels
certified as Centre of Excellence for rare diseases. It
includes AIIMS, New Delhi; Sanjay Gandhi Post of dopamine. Dopamine is a chemical that sends
Graduate Institute of Medical Science, Lucknow; King behavioral signals from the brain to the body.
Edward Medical Hospital, Mumbai and four others. • The disease causes a variety of "motor" symptoms
• There are certain diseases such as Hurler Syndrome, (symptoms related to movement of the muscles),
Gaucher’s disease, Wolman disease for which the including rigidity, delayed movement, poor balance,
annual treatment expenses may vary from Rs 10 lakh and tremors.
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HEALTH & DISEASES
• Medication can help control the symptoms of the • Invasive Species
disease but it can't be cured. • Spodoptera frugiperda is a species in the larval life
• Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common stage of a fall armyworm moth.
degenerative neurological disorder after Alzheimer's • Native of America
disease. It is estimated that PD affects 1 percent of
• First detected in Karnataka this year (now has spread
the population over the age of 60. to W. Bengal and Gujarat)
• Attacks crops particularly maize.
►UMMID INITIATIVE
• UMMID (Unique Methods of Management and ►PINK BOLLWORM
treatment of Inherited Disorders) has been launched
• Infects cotton
to tackle inherited genetic diseases of newborn
babies. • BT cotton grown in India is genetically modified for
developing resistance to the pink bollworm pest in
• Shifting of focus from “sick-care” to “wellness” by
the crop.
promoting the prevention of genetic diseases.
• This is done by inserting ‘Cry1Ab’ and ‘Cry2Bc’ genes
• NIDAN (National Inherited Diseases Administration)
from the soil bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt),
Kendra are established under the initiative to provide
into the cotton seed.
counselling, prenatal testing and diagnosis,
management, and multidisciplinary care in
Government Hospitals wherein the influx of patients ►LOCUST
is more. • A locust is a large, tropical grasshopper with strong
►HAVANA SYNDROME powers of flight (unlike ordinary grasshoppers)
• Havana Syndrome refers to a set of mental health • Under dry and stressful condition grasshoppers are
getting stressed and transformed into locusts.
symptoms that are said to be experienced by US
intelligence and embassy officials in various countries. • Only four species of locusts are found in India
• It typically involves symptoms such as hearing ο Desert locust
certain sounds without any outside noise being ο Migratory locust
present, nausea, vertigo and headaches, memory
ο Bombay Locust
loss and issues with balance.
ο Tree locust
• Locust adults can eat their own weight every day,

PLANT DISEASES posing huge threat to food security.
►FUSARIUM WILT TR4

►SHEATH BLIGHT DISEASE
• Recently, a novel fungus strain Fusarium wilt TR4 has
started infecting the Banana plantations in India. • Disease in rice
• It has been described as the equivalent of Covid-19 in • Fungal disease

Bananas. Like Covid-19, there is no treatment yet for • Decreases the yield by 60%
the new fungal disease.
►OTHER PLANT DISEASES

►YELLOW RUST
• It is a fungal disease which turns crop’s leaves DISEASE AFFECTED PLANT CAUSE
yellowish and stops photosynthesis activity. Tutaabsoluta Tomato Tomato
• It is one of the three wheat rust diseases principally pinworm
found in wheat grown in cooler environments
Quick wilt, black pepper Black pepper
(northern latitudes or cooler seasons)
vines vines
Stigmatomycosis number of crops, fungal disease

►FALL ARMYWORM
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HEALTH & DISEASES
such as cotton, o by genetic mutations that help the bacteria survive
soybean, pecan, antibiotic exposure.
pomegranate,
• Once the resistance has been acquired, it can spread
citrus, and
in the rest of the population of bacteria through
pistachio
reproduction or gene transfer.
Rice blast Rice Fungus REASONS FOR SPREAD OF AMR
Smut disease Bajra Fungus • Antibiotic consumption in humans
o Unnecessary and injudicious use of antibiotic fixed
Swollen shoot Cocoa Fungus
disease dose combinations could lead to emergence of
bacterial strains resistant to multiple antibiotics.
Brown rot Cocoa Fungus
• Social factors
White Stem Coffee White stem o Include self-medication.
Borer borer pest
o Access to antibiotics without prescription.
Red rot Sugarcane Fungus o Lack of knowledge about when to use antibiotics.
Sugarcane White grub • Cultural Activities

beetles o Mass bathing in rivers as part of religious mass
gathering occasions.
Late blight potato Fungus
• Antibiotic Consumption in Food Animals
Tikka disease Ground nut Fungus
o Antibiotics which are critical to human health are
(leaf spot
commonly used for growth promotion in poultry.
disease)
• Pharmaceutical Industry Pollution
fire blight Apple Bacteria
o The wastewater effluents from the antibiotic
Black rot Cabbage Bacteria manufacturing units contain a substantial amount
of antibiotics, leading to contamination of rivers
Canker Lemon Bacteria
and lakes.
• Environmental Sanitation
►ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE o Untreated disposal of sewage water bodies -
• Anti-microbial resistance is the resistance acquired by leading to contamination of rivers with antibiotic
any microorganism (bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasite, residues and antibiotic-resistant organisms.
etc.) against antimicrobial drugs (such as antibiotics, • Infection Control Practices in Healthcare Settings
antifungals, antivirals, antimalarials, and o A report on hand-washing practices of nurses and
anthelmintics) that are used to treat infections. doctors found that only 31.8% of them washed
• As a result, standard treatments become ineffective, hands after contact with patients.
infections persist and may spread to others. IMPACTS
• Microorganisms that develop antimicrobial resistance • A threat to prevention and treatment of infections -
are sometimes referred to as “superbugs”. medical procedures such as organ transplantation,
• Antimicrobial resistance is now regarded as a major cancer chemotherapy, diabetes management and
threat to public health across the globe. major surgery (for example, caesarean sections or hip
HOW IT HAPPENS? replacements) become very risky.
• Some bacteria due to the presence of resistance • The failure to treat infections caused by resistant
genes are intrinsically resistant and therefore survive bacteria also poses a greater risk of death.
on being exposed to antibiotics. • Antimicrobial resistance increases the cost of health
• Bacteria can also acquire resistance. This can happen care with lengthier stays in hospitals, additional tests
in two ways: and use of more expensive drugs.
o by sharing and transferring resistance genes • Without effective antibiotics for prevention and
present in the rest of the population or treatment of infections, the achievements of modern
medicine are put at a risk.
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HEALTH & DISEASES
• Without urgent action, we are heading to antibiotic • Absence of a One Health Approach in addressing AMR
apocalypse – a future without antibiotics, with – which recognizes that human well-being is
bacteria becoming completely resistant to treatment inextricably tied to the health of animals and the
and when common infections and minor injuries environment.
could once again kill. • The absence of stringently framed and implemented
• Antimicrobial resistance is putting the gains of the regulatory frameworks to limit the use of
Millennium Development Goals at risk antimicrobials in livestock and food animals,
and endangers achievement of the Sustainable especially for non-therapeutic purposes, has been
Development Goals. one of the drivers of antibiotic overuse at the
AMR IN INDIA community level.
• AMR is of particular concern in developing nations, • In India, current effluent standards do not include
including India, where the burden of infectious antibiotic residues, and thus they are not monitored
disease is high and healthcare spending is low. in the pharmaceutical industry effluents.
• India is among the nations with the highest burden of STEPS TO FIGHT AGAINST AMR
bacterial infections. • Infection control in healthcare facilities.
• Consequently, the impact of AMR is likely to be higher • Creating awareness about the use and abuse of
in the Indian setting. antibiotics.
• The National Health Policy 2017 highlights the • Vaccination can combat drug resistance by reducing
problem of antimicrobial resistance and calls for the cases of infection and as a result reducing the
effective action to address it. need for antibiotics.
• The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) • Strengthening resistance tracking so that data on
identified AMR as one of the top 10 priorities for the antimicrobial resistant infections and causes of
ministry’s collaborative work with WHO. infection can be gathered to enable formulation of
• In 2012, India’s medical societies adopted the Chennai specific strategies to prevent the spread of the
Declaration, a set of national recommendations to resistant bacteria.
promote antibiotic stewardship. • Self-medication should be shunned.
• India’s Red Line campaign demands that prescription- • Antibiotics should be used only when prescribed by
only antibiotics be marked with a red line, to the doctor.
discourage the over-the-counter sale of antibiotics. • Appropriate and safe use of antibiotics- taking
• National Policy for Containment of Antimicrobial antibiotics only when needed, choosing the right
Resistance 2011. antibiotic and completing the full prescription.
• National Action Plan on AMR resistance 2017-2021. • Invest in the search for new antibiotics to keep up
• India has instituted surveillance of the emergence of with resistant bacteria as well as in new diagnostic
drug resistance in disease causing microbes in tests to track the development of resistance.
programs on Tuberculosis, Vector Borne diseases, WAY FORWARD
AIDS, etc. • AMR has the potential to return the world to a pre-
• Since March 2014 a separate Schedule H-1 has been antibiotic era when medicines could not treat even
incorporated in Drug and Cosmetic rules to regulate simple infections.
the sale of antimicrobials in the country. • Therefore, to contain AMR, there is need for a One
• The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India Health Approach through coherent, integrated, multi
(FSSAI) banned the use of antibiotics and several sectoral cooperation and actions, as human, animal
pharmacologically active substances in fisheries. and environmental health are integrated.
• The government has also capped the maximum levels • Development of antibiotic resistance breakers (ARBs)
of drugs that can be used for growth promotion in to restore effectiveness of older classes of antibiotics.
meat and meat products.
SHORTCOMINGS IN FIGHTING AMR ►ONE HEALTH APPROACH
• A cross-cutting program dealing with antimicrobial • It focuses on a more integrated approach to tackle
resistance across multiple microbes has been lacking. the challenges of human, animal and environmental
health.
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HEALTH & DISEASES
• Definition of One Health: One Health High Level • Nanozymes are nanomaterials that can disintegrate
Expert Panel has defined One Health as follows: One the cell membranes of a range of disease-causing
Health is an integrated, unifying approach that aims to bacteria. It also diminishes their resistance-building
sustainably balance and optimize health of people, capacity.
animals and ecosystems. It recognizes health of humans,
• Nanozymes can replace the antibiotics that have
domestic and wild animals, plants and wide environment become ineffective as several bacteria have
(including ecosystems) are closely linked and inter- developed resistance to them by producing their own
development. The approach mobilises multiple sectors, enzymes.
disciplines and communities at varying levels of society
to work together to foster well-being and tackle threats to
health and ecosystems, while addressing the collective COMMON SUPERBUGS
need for clean water, energy and air, safe and nutritious
food, taking action on climate change and contributing ►STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS
to sustainable development. • Found on the mucous membranes and the skin
• One Health Approach was initially piloted by three • It is extremely adaptable to antibiotic pressure.
bodies: FAO, WHO and World Organisation for Animal • 1st bacterium in which penicillin resistance was found
Health (OIE).
• Consequently, Methicillin replaced penicillin as
• Recently, UN Environment Program (UNEP) joined the antibiotic
other three to make it a four-member body driven.
• MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus)
• One of the four bodies will held annual rotating chair first detected in 1961 is now common in hospitals.
of One Health Secretariat. • CA-MRSA (Community-acquired MRSA) has now
• The four organisations are working to mainstream emerged as an epidemic that is responsible for
One Health so that humanity can be better prepared rapidly progressive, fatal diseases including
to prevent, predict and respond to global health pneumonia, severe sepsis etc.
threats and promote sustainability. • NDM-1 (New Delhi Metallo-beta-lactamase-1) is an

enzyme that makes bacteria resistant to a wide range
• One Health Joint Plan of Action includes 6 main action
of powerful antibiotics used to treat multidrug-
tracks:
resistant infections.
o Enhancing countries capacity to strengthen health
system under a One-Health Approach.
►STAPHYLOCOCCUS EPIDERMIDIS
o Reducing risks from emerging or resurfacing
The superbug, identified as, is a type of bacteria
zoonotic epidemics and pandemics. commonly found on human skin.
o Controlling and eliminating endemic zoonotic.
o Neglected tropical or vector-borne diseases. ►CANDIDA AURIS
o Strengthening the assessment, management and • Multidrug-resistant fungus (yeast)
communication of food safety risks. • Can cause many different types of infections such as
o Curbing silent pandemic of antimicrobial resistance bloodstream infection, wound infection, ear infection
etc.
and better integrating environment into the One
Health approach.
►SPREAD OF MULTI-DRUG
RESISTANCE IN INDIA
►NANOZYMES
• Self-medication
• A research team at the Indian Institute of Science,
• OTC- Over the counter medication.
Bengaluru has developed nanozymes that destroy the
• Over-prescribing and unregulated use
cell membrane of bacteria by directly targeting its
phospholipids (a class of lipids that are a major • Incomplete antibiotic dosage.
component of all cell membranes). • Antibiotic use in agriculture and livestock. (Tylosin and
Colistin used in poultry as growth promoters)
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HEALTH & DISEASES
• Bad sanitation practices DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BIOSIMILARS AND GENERIC
1. Biosimilars are ‘similar’, generics are ‘identical’.
►GLOBAL ANTIMICROBIAL 2. Biosimilars are only similar and must be equal to
RESISTANCE SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM its’biologic counterpart’ in terms of safety and
efficacy.
(GLASS)
3. Biosimilars need not work in the same way as the
• WHO system launched in 2015
corresponding biologic; the only requirement being
• Aim: Support global surveillance and research to biosimilars should have the same effect as the
strengthen the evidence base on antimicrobial corresponding biologic.
resistance (AMR) and help informing decision-making
and drive national, regional, and global actions.
►TRASTUZUMAB
• India has enrolled to GLASS system.
• First bio similar medicine prequalified by WHO.
►AWARE • It is used to treat breast cancer.
• Global campaign lead by WHO.

• Online tool to guide policymakers and health workers ►DENGVAXIA
to use antibiotics safely and more effectively. st
• 1 ever vaccine licensed for dengue.
• Approved to treat patients in the age group 9-16 only.
►REDLINE CAMPAIGN
• Recipients of the vaccine must have had a previous
Campaign to curb over-the-counter use of antibiotics in dengue infection.
India
• Live, attenuated dengue virus
►NATIONAL ACTION PLAN TO

►GV-971 / OLIGOMANNATE
COMBAT ANTIMICROBIAL
• 1st ever carbohydrate-based drug for Alzheimer’s
RESISTANCE 2017
disease.
• Adopted by Delhi declaration
• It is a seaweed-based drug, administered orally.
• Objectives
• Multi-target drug which hits several targets in the
ο enhancing awareness
body.
ο strengthening surveillance
ο improving rational use of antibiotics

►ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE
ο reducing infections
ο promoting research
• Irreversible and progressive brain disorder.
• In addition, support to neighbouring countries in • It slowly destroys memory, thinking ability and the
collective fight against infectious diseases. capability to carry out simple tasks.
• Kerala & Madhya Pradesh have developed a state-

level action plan to manage antimicrobial resistance. ►MOSQUIRIX
• 1st ever vaccine against malaria
►BIOSIMILARS
• Note: At the East Asia Summit in 2015, India pledged
• They are ‘similar biologic drugs’, clinically equivalent, to eliminate the disease by 2030. Following this public
in terms of safety and efficacy, to biologic medicines.
declaration, India launched the five-year National
• Cheaper versions of complex biologics such as Strategic Plan for Malaria Elimination. This marked a
vaccines, growth proteins, gene therapy usually
shift in focus from malaria “control” to “elimination”.
developed from recombinant DNA technology.
• While generic medicines are chemically synthesized,
biosimilars are developed in living cells using
►TYPBAR TCV
st
recombinant DNA technology. • World’s 1 conjugate Typhoid vaccine.
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HEALTH & DISEASES
• Pre-qualified by the World Health Organization’s • They are administered through intravenous infusion
Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (i.e., through a vein) or injection.
(WHO-SAGE). • Each Monoclonal antibody is made so that it binds to
only one antigen. (Specificity).
►BEDAQUILINE • In contrast, polyclonal antibodies can also be
An anti-TB drug to treat multi-drug resistant disease manufactured.
(MDR-TB) • Naked monoclonal antibodies have no drug or

radioactive material attached to them. They work by
themselves.
►PRETOMANID
• Conjugated monoclonal antibodies are combined
3rd new drug developed for the treatment of people
with chemotherapy drug or radioactive particle.
with Extensively Drug-Resistant TB (XDR-TB) or Multi
PRODUCTION OF MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES
Drug-Resistant TB (MDR-TB) affecting the lungs.
• There are four different ways to make monoclonal
antibodies:
►CAR-T
• Murine: Made from mouse proteins
• A form of immunotherapy stimulating the body's
• Chimeric: Combination of mouse and human
immune system to help fight cancer.
• Humanised: Small parts of mouse proteins attached
• It is way to get immune cells, called T cells (a type of
to human proteins
WBC) to fight cancer by genetically engineering them
so that they can find and destroy cancer cells. • Human: Fully human proteins
• T cells are taken from patient’s blood and are HYBRIDOMA TECHNOLOGY
changed in the lab by adding a gene for a man-made • Monoclonal antibodies are produced by Hybridoma
receptor (Called Chimeric Antigen Receptor). This technology (most common) used to produce mouse
helps the CAR-T cells to better identify specific cancer and human hybrid cells.
cell antigens. CAR-T cell therapy has been found
particularly effective against leukemia.
• Since different cancers have different antigens, each
CAR is made for a specific cancer. For ex. A CAR-T for
leukemia based on CD19 antigen will not work for
other cancers.
CHIMERIC PROTEINS
• They are proteins created through the joining of two
or more genes that originally coded for separate
proteins. Translation of this fusion gene results in a
single or multiple polypeptides with functional
properties derived from each of the original proteins.
►ENVIRONMENTAL DNA (EDNA)
• The genes are merged using recombinant DNA
technology. • eDNA testing is a tool for monitoring the biodiversity
of an area without physically collecting specimens.
• It is nuclear or mitochondrial DNA that is released
►MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES
from an organism into the environment.
• They are antibodies are created in the lab. Like own
• Sources include secreted faeces, mucous, gametes,
antibodies, monoclonal antibodies recognize specific
shed skin, hair and carcasses.
antigens and boost immunity against certain
diseases.
• They are currently being used to treat a variety of
►ALLOGRAFT
conditions, including cancers, COVID-19, auto- • It is the transplant of an organ or tissue or cells from
immune diseases and other infectious diseases. one individual to another of the same species with a
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HEALTH & DISEASES
different genotype (genetically non-identical donor) • Trans fats are metabolized differently by the liver
although of a compatible blood type. than other fats and interfere with normal liver
• For example, a transplant from one person to functions.
another, but not an identical twin, is an allograft. • The risk of type 2 diabetes increases with transfat
Allografts are commonly used in the transplants of skin, consumption. Trans fats are found to be associated
corneas, hearts, livers, kidneys, and bone and bone with insulin resistance that pose a great risk to
marrow, although transplants of the last often come already diabetic patients.
from relatives. • Trans fat may increase weight gain and abdominal fat,
despite a similar caloric intake. TFAs enhance
►TRANS FAT LEVELS IN FOODS deposition of fat even in the absence of caloric
excess.
• The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
STEPS TAKEN BY FSSAI
(FSSAI) has capped the amount of trans fatty acids
(TFA) in oils and fats to 3% for 2021 and 2% by 2022 • Heart Attack Rewind - the 30 second public service
from the current permissible limit of 5% through an announcement that will help support FSSAI’s global
amendment to the Food Safety and Standards target of eliminating trans-fat in India by the year
(Prohibition and Restriction on Sales) Regulations. 2022, a year ahead of the global target by the World
Health Organization (WHO) for complete elimination
• It was in 2011 that India first passed a regulation that
of trans fat. It is a follow-up to an earlier campaign
set a TFA limit of 10% in oils and fats, which was
called “Eat Right cyclothon to engage citizens on
further reduced to 5% in 2015.
issues of food safety, combating food adulteration
• It has been suggested that the regulation must not be
and healthy diets.
restricted to oils and fats but must apply to all foods.
• FSSAI has stated that the food establishments which
It is hoped that the FSSAI will address this as well
use trans-fat free fats/oils and do not have
before January 2022 to eliminate chemical trans fatty
industrial trans-fat more than 0.2 gms per 100 gm of
acids from the Indian platter.
the food can display ‘Trans Fat Free’ logo in their
TYPES OF TRANS FATS
outlets and on their food”.
• Naturally occurring trans fats are produced in the gut
• Eat Right Campaign - launched in 2018. Edible oil
of some animals and foods made from these animals
industries took a pledge to reduce the levels of salt,
(e.g., milk and meat products) may contain small sugar, saturated fat and trans-fat content by 2% by
quantities of these fats. 2022.
• Artificial trans fats are created in an industrial process • Swasth Bharat Yatra, an initiative started under the
that adds hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils to make “Eat Right” campaign is a Pan-India products.
them more solid. Since they are easy to use,
Do you know, as part of the U.N.’s Sustainable
inexpensive to produce and last a long time, and give
Development Goals, the global community has
foods a desirable taste and texture, they are still
committed to reducing premature death from non-
widely used despite their harmful effects being well-
communicable diseases by one-third by 2030. Global
known.
elimination of industrially produced trans fats can help
ASSOCIATED RISK OF TRANS FATTY ACIDS (TFA) achieve this goal.
• TFAs pose a higher risk of heart disease than In May 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO)
saturated fats. While saturated fats raise total launched the REPLACE action package to support
cholesterol levels, TFAs not only raise total cholesterol governments to eliminate industrially produced TFA
levels but also reduce the good cholesterol which from the global food supply by 2023.
protect us against heart disease.
• It can lead to compromised foetal development.
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HEALTH & DISEASES
• It aims to ensure the vaccines distributed under the
HEALTH RELATED universal immunization program are safe.
PARTNERSHIPS • As part of the 3S project rotavirus vaccines is being

evaluated.
►GLOBAL ANTIBIOTIC RESEARCH &

►GLOBAL FUND FOR AIDS, TB AND
DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP
MALARIA
• It has been created by the World Health Organization
(WHO) and Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative • International financing institution based on a unique
(DNDi). partnership between governments, civil society, the
private sector and affected communities.
• Global Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Research and
Development (R&D) Hub: Berlin • To fight three of the world’s most devastating
diseases (AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria)
►MERA INDIA INITIATIVE • Secretariat – Geneva, Switzerland.
• Launched by ICMR to eliminate malaria by 2030 • The World Bank is the trustee of funds contributed to
the Global Fund.
• Malaria Elimination Research Alliance (MERA) India’ –
a conglomeration of partners working on malaria
control – to prioritise, plan and scale up research to ►NATIONAL HEALTH RESOURCE
eliminate the disease from India by 2030 REPOSITORY PROJECT
st
• Malaria is the deadliest vector-borne disease. • India’s 1 ever healthcare establishment census to
• Malaria is caused by a Plasmodium Parasites that is collect data of all public and private healthcare
transmitted from one human to another by the bite establishments.
of infected Anopheles mosquitoes. • It is launched by the Union Ministry of Health and
Family Welfare.
►E-2020 INITIATIVE • Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is

technology partner for this project for data security.
It is part of the Global Technical Strategy for Malaria
2016-2030 endorsed by WHO.
HEALTH RELATED
►NEW INFLUENZA RESEARCH
PROGRAM ORGANISATIONS
• Indian and European Union collaborated for new ►NATIONAL PHARMACEUTICAL
influenza research program to develop Next
PRICING AUTHORITY
Generation Influenza Vaccine.
Independent, non-statutory body under Department of
• The program will get fund under EU funding
Pharmaceuticals under Union Ministry of Chemicals and
program for research and innovation called
Fertilizers.
'Horizon 2020'.
IMPORTANT FUNCTIONS
• Fix/revise the controlled bulk drugs prices and
►SAANS CAMPAIGN
formulations
Social Awareness and Action to Neutralise Pneumonia -
• enforce prices and availability of the medicines
launched by Ministry for Health and Family Welfare
• Monitor the prices of decontrolled drugs
►3S PROJECT
►STANDING COMMITTEE ON
• Smart Safety Surveillance or 3S project aims to
optimize post-marketing surveillance of priority drugs
AFFORDABLE MEDICINES AND
and vaccines. HEALTH PRODUCTS
• Recommended by WHO. • An autonomous body under Ministry of chemicals
and fertilizers.
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HEALTH & DISEASES
• Gives recommendation to the National • It is formed by the Union Government under the
Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) societies Registration Act.
• It decides list of drugs which should be under price • NADA includes scientists and representatives from
control. the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).
►DRUGS TECHNICAL ADVISORY

BOARD
REPORT AND INDICES
• DTAB is highest statutory decision-making body on UN Office of Drugs &
World Drug Report
technical matters related to drugs in the country. Crime
• It is constituted as per Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. World Wildlife Crime UN Office of Drugs &
• It is part of Central Drugs Standard Control Report Crime
Organization (CDSCO) in the Ministry of Health and
Health Metrics and
Family Welfare. Global Burden of Disease
Evaluation, Bill & Melinda
Study
Gates Foundation
►CENTRAL DRUGS STANDARD
ICMR, Public Health
CONTROL ORGANIZATION (CDSCO) Foundation of India,
India State-Level Disease
• CDSCO is the national regulatory body for Indian Health Metrics and
Burden Initiative Report
pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Evaluation, Ministry of
Health and Family Welfare
• Within the CDSCO, the Drug Controller General of
India (DCGI) regulates pharmaceutical and medical Global Health Report World Health Organisation
devices, under the gamut of Ministry of Health and
World Health Statistics World Health Organisation
Family Welfare.
• DCGI is advised by the Drug Technical Advisory Board Global Health Expenditure
World Health Organisation
(DTAB) and the Drug Consultative Committee (DCC). Database
Tracking Universal Health

World Health Organisation
►NATIONAL ORGAN & TISSUE Coverage
TRANSPLANT ORGANISATION Universal Health Coverage
World Bank
• It functions under MoHFW and is an apex body for Index
coordination and networking for procurement and
Performance of Health
distribution of organs/tissues and transplantation. Niti Aayog
Outcome Index
• At National level it creates awareness, promotion of
organ donation and transplantation activities. Expert Group of Global
Global Nutrition Report Nutrition Report, WHO is a
partner
►NATIONAL ANTI-DOPING AGENCY
• National organisation responsible for promoting,
coordinating, and monitoring the doping control
program in sports in all its forms in India.
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SECTION-7
NFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY
►SEMICONDUCTORS b. Organic: Anthracene, Doped pthalocyanines etc.
• A semiconductor material has an electrical c. Organic polymers: Polypyrrole, Polyaniline,

conductivity value falling between a conductor (such Polythiophene etc.
as metallic copper) and an insulator (such as glass). Most of the currently available semiconductor devices
Lattice structure and atomic structure of constituent are based on elemental semiconductors Silicon or
elements decide whether a particular material will be Germanium (Ge) and compound inorganic
insulator, metal or semiconductor. semiconductors. However, after 1990s, a few
ENERGY BANDS semiconductor devices using organic semiconductors
and semi-conducting polymers have been developed.
• There are two distinct band of energies (called
valence band and conduction band) in which II. On the basis of purity:
electrons in a material lie. Valence band energies are (i) Intrinsic semiconductor: They are pure
low as compared to conduction band energies. All semiconductors with no impurities. They have no or
energy levels in the valence band are filled while zero conductivity at very low temperatures. However,
energy levels in the conduction band may be fully as temperature rises, the conductivity of these
empty or partially filled. materials increases.
• The electrons in the conduction band are free to (ii) Extrinsic semiconductor: When a small quantity of
move in a solid and are responsible for the small impurity is added to pure semiconductor, the
conductivity. The extent of conductivity depends upon conductivity of the semiconductor is increased
the energy gap between the top of valence band and manifold. These semiconductors are called extrinsic
bottom of conduction band. or impurity semiconductors. The deliberate addition
• The electrons from valence band can be excited by of a desirable impurity is called doping and the
heat, light or electrical energy to the conduction band impurity atoms are called dopants.
and thus, produce a change in the current flowing in a
Wide Bandgap semiconductor
semiconductor.
• They are semiconductors materials which have a
CLASSIFICATION OF SEMICONDUCTORS
larger band gap than conventional semiconductors.
I. On the basis of material: Conventional semiconductors like silicon have a
(i) Elemental semiconductors: Silicon (Si) and (Ge) bandgap in the range of 1-1.5 EV (silicon and gallium
(ii) Compound semiconductors: arsenide), whereas wide-bandgap materials have
bandgaps in the range above 2 EV.
a. Inorganic: CdS, GaAs, CdSe, InP etc.
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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
• Examples of wide-bandgap semiconductors: Boron personalized account, creating a public record on

nitride, Diamond, Zinc, Gallium nitride, Zinc Oxide, Tin blockchain of all that activity.
dioxide, Aluminium phosphide, Cadmium sulfide, • Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of World Wide Web,
Silicon carbide intended that internet would be a collaborative
Benefits of wide bandgap semiconductors: medium, a place where all meet and read and write.
But the current situation is entirely opposite, with big
• Permits devices to operate at much higher voltages
tech companies acting as gatekeepers to all that’s on
and frequencies.
World Wide Web (W3).
• Devices can operate at higher temperatures of the
• All data will be interconnected in a decentralized way,
order of 300o C.
unlike current generation of internet (Web 2.0), where
• Higher temperature tolerance allows these devices to data is mostly stored in centralized repositories.
operate at much higher power levels.
o Key features of Web 3.0 are: Ubiquity, Semantic
• Applications: They are key components to make green Web, Artificial Intelligence and 3D Graphics.
and blue LEDs and lasers, certain radio frequency
o Examples of Web 3.0: Most recent example of Web
applications notably military radars.
3.0 are the NFTs or non-fungible tokens.
GALLIUM NITRIDE
EVOLUTION OF WORLD WIDE WEB
• It is a very hard, mechanically stable widegap
bandgap semiconductor. It was commonly used in THREE STAGES OF INTERNET CONSUMPTION
blue light-emitting diodes since the 1990s. Web1 Web2 Web3
• Ministry of Electronics and IT (Meity) and IISc have Time period 1990-2005 2005-till date 2021 -
jointly established GaN based Development Line Blockchain,
Where data Server's On-
Foundry facility called Gallium Nitride Ecosystem distributed across
is stored file system premise/Cloud
Enabling Centre and Incubator (GEECI), especially for multiple networks
radio frequency and power applications, including User generated
strategic applications. content like
Social media, NFTs,
Benefits of Gallium Nitride Static web
Examples and web cryptocurrency
pages
• Higher breakdown strength applications like transaction
e-commerce
• Faster switching speed leading to faster devices
etc...
• Higher thermal conductivity Companies that
Companies
• Lower on-resistance giving lower conductance losses Who owns host application, No one owns the
running the
data cloud service data
• Less power needed to drive the circuit webpages
providers
• Ability to make smaller devices taking up less space
Payment
on the printed circuit board No Transaction
gateways for
Transacting transaction happens using
• Lower cost currency
possible crypto tokens
transactions
• Web 1.0 [1990 – 2000]: It is regarded as first

►WEB 3.0 generation of World Wide Web. Also known as
• Web 3.0 is the next version of internet, where services Syntactic web or read only web. Mostly, Web 1.0 was
will run on blockchain. It is a decentralized internet limited to searching info and reading what’s already
that runs on a public blockchain, which is also used there. There was little user interaction or content
for cryptocurrency transactions. contribution. It was disorganized and overwhelming,
• It will be permissionless and democratic. For and soon it came to be dominated by AOL,
instance: Twitter will not be able to censor posts and CompuServe, early Yahoo and other portals. These
Facebook will not be able to maintain a database of online service providers were gateway to Web 1.0.
billions of users that can be potentially used to (HTML 1.0)
influence elections. • Web 2.0 [from mid-2000s]: This phase was
• In a Web 3.0 universe, people will control their own characterised by enhanced user experience and
data and will be able to move around from social made internet interactive. Also known as Social
media to email to shopping using a single Web or read-write web. It enabled users to participate
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in content creation on social networks, blogs, sharing • A range of Indian start-ups like Biconomy, Polygon,
sites and more. Search engines (Google) and social EPNS, Persistence, and Vauld are working to put
media platforms (Facebook, Twitter) driven by user- together the technological building blocks to make
generated content disrupted media, advertising and Web 3.0’s mass adoption a reality.
retail industries. Web 2.0’s business model relies on
user participation to create fresh content and ►SPACE INTERNET
resultant data being sold to third parties for
• The internet is sent down from a satellite circling the
marketing. Facilitated by HTML 2.0.
Earth using this technique.
• Web 3.0 [yet to arrive]: Next stage of web evolution. It
• Thousands of these satellites will be sent into space
would make internet more intelligent, or process
by Jio, Bharti Airtel’s OneWeb, and billionaire Elon
information with near-human-like intelligence
Musk's Starlink.
through power of AI systems.
• OneWeb intends to launch 648 satellites, whilst
NEED FOR WEB 3.0
Starlink has permission to launch 4,000.
• Loss of privacy: Data is stored in servers of companies
• OneWeb has launched around 400 satellites so far,
that people interact with. Intermediaries become
while Starlink has launched over 2,000.
custodians of user data and profit from. For such
companies, more time consumers spend creating • It's worth mentioning that Starlink intends to deploy
content, more data company can collect, helping it to 42,000 satellites during the next ten years. Jio's
improve its AI algorithm and its advertising engine, a adventure is just getting started.
key revenue model for the company. This gives rise to WHY SPACE INTERNET SERVICES?
issues of privacy, wherein user data is shared for • This is primarily to guarantee that Internet services
profit without their consent. are stable and uninterrupted across the globe.
• Data ownership: Only centralized repositories are the • 4 billion people, or more than half the world's
ones that own user data and profit from it. In Web population, does not have reliable Internet
3.0, users can own and be properly compensated for connection currently.
their time and data.
• That's because standard Internet delivery methods,
• Plagiarism: It’s very easy to copy original content and such as fiber-optic cables or wireless networks, can't
build a following around it on social media. Plagiarism reach every corner of the globe.
makes it harder for creators to get compensated.
• Cables or mobile towers are not practicable or viable
Web3 might help address that issue as transparent
in many isolated regions or places with severe terrain.
nature of blockchain makes it easy for anyone to track
originator of content. • Signals from orbiting satellites can readily pass this
barrier.
KEY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN WEB 2.0 AND WEB 3.0
ORBITAL DETAILS
• Any information that users share on Web 2.0 is stored
with a cloud service provider whereas in Web3, all • Space-based Internet networks have been in
services are built on top of a blockchain. operation for several years, but only for a limited
number of people.
• Cloud is controlled by internet giants and is
centralized. In blockchain, data is distributed across • Most present systems rely on geostationary satellites.
networks and no single entity owns the information. • This orbit is 35,786 kms above surface of Earth, just
METAVERSE AND WEB 3.0 over Equator.
Metaverse is about creating digital avatars and • Satellites in this orbit travel at speeds of about 11,000
interacting with others in virtual spaces. It does not have kms/hr, completing one Earth rotation in the same
to be on a blockchain. The whole point of Web 3.0 is amount of time that the Earth turns on its axis.
decentralisation. • As a result, a satellite in geostationary orbit seems
EXAMPLES OF WEB 3.0 stationary to a terrestrial observer.
• Indian TikTok rival Chingari recently shifted from a • Because of their reduced height, their transmissions
Web 2.0 model of incentives for content creators to a only reach a narrow region. Therefore, many more
Web 3.0 model and is building its token called ‘$GARI’ satellites are required to transmit messages to all
on Solana blockchain. corners of the globe.
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• To compensate for the effects of gravity, spacecraft in phones and laptops), which run on classical physics
these orbits move at almost double the speed of like Newton’s laws of motion and utilising the flow of
satellites in geostationary orbit – around 27,000 electricity.
kms/hr. • They are based on Qubits as compared to transistors
WHO CAN USE SATELLITE INTERNET? on which traditional computers are based. Qubits can
• For a long time, militaries across the globe have relied stay in three states (1,0 and intermediate undefined
on satellite communications. stage) while traditional bits are based on two states
(0,1). This allows Quantum computers to solve
• Many military experts, however, believe that this
complex problems which traditional computers have
method is unreliable and too costly to be used as the
failed.
main mode of communication.
• They operate on Quantum principles of
• Satellite internet may still enable companies to create
local branches and deliver digital services in distant o Superposition
places. o Entanglement
• If a bank has access to satellite internet, it may • The quantum computer was posited by Richard
theoretically open additional ATMs in distant areas. Feynman.
CURRENT REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR SATELLITE PRINCIPLES OF QUANTUM COMPUTING
COMMUNICATION IN INDIA Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle which puts a
• For operating satellite communication systems in fundamental limit to the knowledge an observed might
India, be it Broadcasting Satellite (satellite to earth) have of a quantum system.
Service or telecommunication (satellite to earth and No-cloning theorem which states any arbitrary
earth to satellite) service, all entities, including quantum state cannot be copied to generate replicas.
government entities, need to obtain Service license
Quantum Entanglement which creates a non-classical
and also Wireless operating license.
correlation between two quantum entities.
• For broadcasting satellite services (Ex. Direct to Home
Two protocols have been developed for Quantum Key
(DTH), TV Uplink, Digital Satellite News Gathering
Distribution:
Service (DSNG) etc.) Ministry of Information &
• BB84 protocol which uses 4 different polarisation
Broadcasting is the licensing authority. For interactive
states of photons to encode key bits.
services like VSAT Services, DoT is the licensing
authority. For any hybrid service, respective service • B92 protocol is modified version of BB84 protocol
license needs to be obtained from both these which uses two polarisation states of photons.
authorities.
• In addition to these above service licenses, entities ►QUANTUM DOTS
need to obtain wireless licenses & uplink clearances • It is a nanoparticle made of any semiconductor
from Wireless Planning & Coordination (WPC), DOT material such as silicon, cadmium selenide, cadmium
and Network Operation & Control Centre (NOCC), sulfide, or indium arsenide.
DOT, respectively, for the operations of the satellite
• “Quantum dots” are more than 90% effective at
network.
wiping out antibiotic-resistant germs like Salmonella,
• Internet Service Provider (ISP)/Internet Protocol E. coli and Staphylococcus.
Television (IPTV) license is not alone sufficient to
HOW DOES IT WORK?
provide either Audio Visual or Broadband Wireless
Bacteria rely on redox reactions, those involving the
Access services through satellite.
addition or removal of oxygen (reduction and oxidation,
• Even government agency engaged in Satellite
respectively). And when several Quantum dots are
Communication needs to obtain these licenses.
“excited” nearby, they produce chemicals that can be
reduced or oxidized by reactive compounds within the
►QUANTUM COMPUTING bacteria. This effectively interferes with their intercellular
• Quantum computer runs on the laws of quantum processes, disrupts their cell growth, and kills them.
physics as opposed to the classical computers (i.e.,
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►QUANTUM KEY DISTRIBUTION A satellite-based communication between two ground

stations was activated by entangled-based quantum key
In traditional cryptography, security is usually because
distribution (QKD). This was achieved by Micius (also
an adversary is unable to solve a certain mathematical
known as the Quantum Experiments at Space Scale),
problem.
World's first quantum-enabled satellite. Micius was
launched by China in 2016.
• Quantum key distribution (QKD) is a secure
communication method which implements a
cryptographic protocol involving components of
quantum mechanics.
• It enables two parties to produce a shared random
secret key known only to them, which can then be
used to encrypt and decrypt messages.
• An important and unique property of quantum key
distribution is the ability of the two communicating
users to detect the presence of any third party trying
to gain knowledge of the key.
QUANTUM SUPREMACY
• In QKD, security is achieved through the laws of
It’s the point at which a quantum computer can
quantum physics.
complete a mathematical calculation that is beyond the
reach of even the most powerful supercomputer. POST-QUANTUM CRYPTOGRAPHY
Recently, Sycamore (Google’s quantum computer) took • This refers to cryptographic algorithms that are
200 seconds to perform a calculation that the world’s thought to be secure against a cyberattack by
fastest supercomputer, Summit, would have taken quantum computer.
10,000 years to accomplish. • Currently, popular algorithms (non-quantum) for
IN QKD, SECURITY IS ACHIEVED THROUGH THE LAWS network security relies on one of the three hard
OF QUANTUM PHYSICS mathematical problems: Integer Factorisation
Problem, Discrete Logarithm Problem and Elliptic-
curve discrete logarithm problem.
• All of these problems can be easily solved on a
sufficiently quantum computer. Algorithm’s for ex.
Shor’s Algorithm have been shown to easily break
classical cryptographic strategies.
►CYBER SECURITY THREAT

India has been victim to the Cyber-attacks number of
times in the recent past:
• 2017: WannaCry and Petya Ransomware
• 2018: Aadhaar Software hacked and Aadhaar details
of the people leaked online
India is the third most vulnerable country to Cyber-
attacks according to Internet Security Threat report
• Photons are generated randomly in one of two published by Symantec.
quantum states. BASICS OF CYBER SECURITY
• Quantum Superimposition. Based upon the motive, Cyber threats can be of 4 types:
• The process of measuring a quantum system in i. Cyber Espionage: The act or practice of obtaining
general disturbs the system. You can’t measure a secret information i.e., personal, sensitive, classified
quantum property without changing or disturbing it. nature from individuals, competitors or governments
using malicious software such as Trojan horses and
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spyware. Motive is to obtain secret information iii. Cyber Terrorism: Convergence of terrorism and
which could go against our National security. cyber space. Cyberspace has been used the by
ii. Cyber Attack: Targets computer information systems, terrorists for number of purposes such as Planning
infrastructures, computer networks. Motive is to terrorist attacks, recruitment of sympathizers,
damage or destroy targeted computer network or Spreading propaganda to radicalise people, to raise
system. Impact: Destruction of Communication funding etc.
network.
iv. Cyber warfare: Warfare conducted by a country or its Effect the National Security and peace and stability in a
proxies to attack the computer systems in other country.
countries. Can Include- Theft, Vandalism (Defacing
TOOLS OF CYBER ATTACKS
Web Pages), Destruction of Critical information
Malware:Malicious software to disrupt computers. It can
infrastructure.
include Virus, Spyware, Trojans etc.
IMPACT
Types of MALWARES
Impact on data: Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability
of information • Virus – It is the most common type of malware. It can
execute itself and spread by infecting other programs
Impact on Critical Information Infrastructure: Presently,
or files.
most sectors are critically dependent on use of ICT to
• Stuxnet: Malware that targeted Iranian nuclear
execute their operations. Cyber-attacks on these critical
enrichment facilities.
information infrastructures can bring the entire country
• Worm – It is a type of malware that can self- replicate
to a grinding halt. For example, the recent Chinese
without a host program. Worms typically spread
cyber-attack on the power system in Mumbai brought
without any human interaction or directives from the
the entire city to a halt. The local trains, which are
malware authors.
considered as Mumbai's lifeline stopped functioning and
• Trojan – It is a malicious program that is designed to
people got stranded. Similarly, the Stuxnet worm attack
appear as a legitimate program. Once activated
on the Iranian Nuclear facilities led to the destruction of
following installation, Trojans can execute their
the equipment which were controlled by the computers. malicious functions.
Financial loss: According to the Data Security Council of • Xafecopy
India, India has been the second most cyber-attacks ο It is a Trojan Malware.
affected country between 2016 to 2018.
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CYBER SECURITY AND IT SPACE
ο It is disguised as useful apps and operates Entice users to provide confidential information. For
normally. example, these days you must have come across some
ο Malware uses technology to bypass ‘captcha’ of the fake Facebook accounts which are opened in the
systems designed to protect users by confirming name of your close friends. First, the cyber attackers
the action is being performed by a human. send you the friend request in the name of your close
friend. Once u accept it, they will ask to request you to
• Spyware – It is a kind of malware that is
transfer some money.
designed to collect information and data on users and
ADVANCED PERSISTENT THREAT
observe their activity without users’ knowledge.
It is a type of cyber-attack in which an unauthorised user
• Pegasus: It is a spyware developed by the Israeli cyber
gains access to a system or network and remains there
arms firm NSO Group Technologies. It uses exploit
for an extended period without being detected.
links, clicking on which installs Pegasus on the target’s
They generally do not cause damage to company
phone.
networks or hardware. Instead, they are focussed on
• Ransomware: It is malicious software that is injected stealing data.
into the computer to limit the access of the system to
the user and encrypt the data. Cyber criminals ►CYBER SECURITY PREPAREDNESS
demand money in lieu of encryption key (that would
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
unlock all the data and restore the access to the
released Global Cyber Security Index in 2017. This index
system). Nowadays, ransom is demanded in terms of measures the performance of the countries in terms of
Bitcoins. Examples - WannaCry Ransomware, Locky policies taken by them to improve cyber security. India
Ransomware etc was placed at 23rd rank among 165 countries. The
• Phishing: It is the method of trying to gather personal relatively higher ranking of India shows that India has
information using deceptive e-mails and websites. taken adequate measures for the protection of cyber
space.
• Denial of Service attacks: A Denial-of-Service (DoS)
i. Section 66F of ITA: Specific provision dealing with
attack is an attack meant to shut down a machine or
the issue of cyber terrorism that covers denial of
network, making it inaccessible to its intended users.
access, unauthorized access, introduction of
• Crypto jacking: Cryptocurrencies are created through computer contaminant leading to harm to persons,
a process called mining. To mine digital coins, miners property, critical infrastructure, disruption of
need to use high-end processors that consumes a lot supplies, ‘sensitive data’ thefts. Provides for
of electricity. Crypto jacking is what some digital coin punishment which may extend to lifetime
miners do to illegally gain access to many computers. imprisonment.
The miners stealthily drop malware in an ii. National Cyber Security Policy 2013: Policy
unsuspecting user’s computer. These malware runs document drafted by the Department of Electronics
surreptitiously and turns devices into cryptocurrency- and Information Technology. Established National
Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre
mining botnets.
(NCIIPC) to improve the protection and resilience of
Unlike most other types of malwares, crypto-jacking the country’s critical infrastructure information;
scripts do not use the victim’s data. But they drain the Create a workforce of 5 lakh professionals skilled in
CPU’s resources, which slows down the system, cybersecurity in the next 5 years.
increases electricity usage, and causes irreparable iii. National Critical Information Infrastructure
damage to the hardware. Protection Centre (NCIIPC): Established under
HACKTIVISM Information Technology Act, 2000 to secure India’s
critical information infrastructure. It is designated as
Misusing a computer system or network for a socially or
the National Nodal Agency in respect of Critical
politically motivated reason. For example, the hacktivists
Information Infrastructure Protection. It has been
can block access to Government's website, deface
setup to enhance the protection and resilience of
government's website or unblock the sites which have Nation’s Critical information infrastructure. It
been blocked by the Government. functions under the National Technical Research
SOCIAL ENGINEERING Organization (NTRO).
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iv. CERT-IN: Organization under the Ministry of ο It leverages technology to generate secure
Electronics and Information Technology with an websites using GIGW compliant templates which
objective of securing Indian cyberspace. The are highly customizable and can seamlessly be
purpose of CERT-In is to respond to computer deployed on a scalable software defined
security incidents, report on vulnerabilities and infrastructure.
promote effective IT security practices throughout XII. TECHSAGAR
the country. According to the provisions of the
ο An online portal launched by National Cyber
Information Technology Amendment Act 2008,
Security Coordinator's office in partnership with
CERT-In is responsible for overseeing administration
the Data Security Council of India (DSCI).
of the Act. Sectoral CERT-Ins for dedicated sectors
have also been mandated. For ex for finance, power ο It provides actionable insights about capabilities
of the Indian Industry, academia and research
sector etc.
across 25 technology areas like Internet of Things
v. Cyber Surakshit Bharat Initiative: It was launched in
(IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), etc.
2018 with an aim to spread awareness about
cybercrime and building capacity for safety XIII. DATA SECURITY COUNCIL OF INDIA
measures for Chief Information Security Officers ο It is a not-for-profit premier industry body on
(CISOs) and frontline IT staff across all government data protection in India.
departments. ο It has been setup by NASSCOM
vi. Cyber Crisis Management Plan (CCMP): It aims at
countering cyber threats and cyber terrorism ►CHALLENGES AND STRATEGIES IN
vii. National Cyber Coordination Centre (NCCC): It seeks INDIA'S CYBER SECURITY
to generate necessary situational awareness of
• International Convention: Presently, Budapest
existing and potential cyber security threats and
Convention is the first international treaty seeking to
enable timely information sharing for proactive,
address Internet and computer crime by harmonizing
preventive and protective actions by individual
national laws, improving investigative techniques, and
entities.
increasing cooperation among nations. This
viii. National Cyber Security Coordinator (NCSC) under convention promotes greater cooperation between
National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) countries in fighting cybercrimes. However, India has
coordinates with different agencies at the national not joined this convention. This is because the
level for cyber security matters. convention allows for cross border access to data to
ix. Cyber Swachhta Kendra: A platform for internet conduct investigation and India believes that such
users to clean their computers and devices by cross-border access to data can infringe on National
wiping out viruses and malware. Sovereignty.
ο It is Botnet Cleaning & Malware Analysis Centre. However, cyber experts have pointed out that, given
ο Part of Digital India initiative under MEITY. the threats faced by us, India should accede to
Budapest Convention at the earliest.
ο It has been set up in accordance with the
objectives of the National Cyber Security Policy. • PPP Framework for Cyber Security: Presently, most of
the cyber security operations are carried out by the
ο Operated by Indian Computer Emergency
Government agencies such as CERT-In. Given the fast-
Response Team (CERT-In) under provisions of IT
changing nature and intensity of cyber threats, there
Act, 2000.
is a need to leverage private sector expertise in
x. Information Security Education and Awareness
combating cybercrimes through PPP framework.
Project (ISEA): Training of personnel to raise
• Shortage of Skilled Professionals
awareness and to provide research, education and
training in the field of Information Security. • Strengthen IT act and National Cyber Security Policy
2013: Experts have pointed out that the present legal
xi. S3WAAS
and facilitative framework to fight cybercrimes i.e., IT
ο Secure, Scalable and Sugamya Website as a
Act and NCSP, 2013 are outdated and not well-
Service
equipped enough to manage technologically
ο It is a website generating and deployment advanced cybercrimes. Prime Minister has said that
product hosted on the National Cloud of NIC.
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the Government is working on new Cyber security • CDN stores a cached version of its content in multiple
Policy 2020. geographic locations (points of presence or PoPs)
SECURING SECURE CYBER ECOSYSTEM: which enables faster delivery of internet content.
• Appointment of Chief Information Security Officer in • CDNs have emerged as overlay networks on the
all the Organisations. delivering
internet to provide better support for
• Earmark funds towards enhancing cyber security commercial content than was available using
basic, best effort internet packet transport
• Provide tax incentives to companies to upgrade
information infrastructure
services.
• Investment in R&D to improve Cyber Security- Big
data, AI
• Enhancing Awareness among the people through the
awareness campaigns
►INTERNET EXCHANGE POINT

• IXP is a technical facility designed to route the traffic
quickly and cost-effectively between different network
members by enabling interconnection.
• They are essentially large local area networks that are
built with interconnected Ethernet switches.
• IXPs allows ISPs and CDNs to interconnect their
networks locally.
• This leads to flatter internet, improves international ►MOBILE NETWORK
bandwidth utilisation and reduce the cost and latency
• Mobile phones communicate through ground-based
of interconnections.
cellular networks. Cellular networks are divided into
• Traffic exchange between two networks connecting at
‘communication cells’ with which our mobile phones
an IXP is facilitated by an exterior gateway protocol
and mobile devices communicate.
called Border Gateway Protocol (BGP).
• Mobile communication involves transmitting voice or
• Current, Internet exchanges can be operated by both
data using wireless radio transmission.
Private and Public Sector Players.
• The first mobile systems were based on analogue
• National Internet Exchange of India is a non-profit
transmission called as 1G.
company under Ministry of Electronics and
• The second-generation mobile systems were based
Information Technology that operates internet
on digital transmission.
exchanges in the public sector.
• Initially only voice was carried over the network.
BORDER GATEWAY PROTOCOL
• The commonly used standards for voice
• Simply described, it is the Protocol that runs or makes
communication were GSM and CDMA.
the internet function.
• These days, most mobile communications use Long
• The BGP is the technology that binds the internet
Term Evolution communication– or LTE which allows
together, since it is a network of networks.
us to communicate with voice and data
• When the BGP fails, the internet routers are unable to
simultaneously over the same network.
determine what to do, resulting in the internet
• The rules for carrying voice or data in a network are
becoming unavailable.
defined under the standards for mobile network
communications often seen as 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G.
►CONTENT DELIVERY NETWORK
• It is a system of distributed group of servers and ►1G TO 4G
networks that deliver pages and other web content to 1G
a user, based on geographic location of the user, the
• Mobile phones began with 1G technology in the
origin of the webpage, and the content delivery
1980s.
server.
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• 1G is analog technology that supported only voice • The max speed of a 4G network when the device is
communications. moving is 100 Mbps or 1 Gbps for low mobility
• The maximum speed is 2.4 Kbps communication like when stationary or walking.
2G 1G 2G 3G 4G
• First launched in 1991. Period 1980-1990 1990-2000 2000-2010 2010-(2020)

Bandwidth 150/900MH2 900MHz 100MHz 100MHz
• For the 1st time radio signals became digital rather
than analog. Frequency Analog signal 1.8GHz (digital) 1.6-2.0 GHz 2-8 GHz
(30 KHz)
• 2G phones are used for data also along with voice.
Data rate 2kbps 64kbps 144kbps- 100Mbps-
• Thus, 2G telephone introduced call and text 2Mbps lGbps
encryption, SMS, picture messages, and MMS. Characteristic First wireless Digital Digital High speed, all
communication broadband, IP
• Maximum speed under 2G networks with General
increased
Packet Radio Service (GPRS) was 50 kilobits per speed
second. Technology Analog cellular Digital cellular CDMA, UMTS, LTE, WiFi
• With Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) (GSM) EDGE
the speed went up to 1mbps
GPRS ►5G TECHNOLOGY
• Launched in 2000 • 5G is the next generation cellular technology that will
• Bridge between 2G and 3G. provide faster and more reliable communication with
ultra-low latency (Latency is gap time or transmission
• It marks the coming of data transmission besides
voice communication time for a packet of data).
• General Packet Radio Service enabled mobile devices • The Steering Committee constituted for identifying
to send and receive e-mails and pictures. the 5G deployment roadmap for India recently
submitted report titled 'Making India 5G Ready'. As
• GPRS used EDGE and GSM standards for both voice
per government panel report with 5G data speed
and data transmission.
would be 2-20 Gbps.
• GPRS had operating speeds of up to 115kbit/s.
FEATURES OF 5G
• It increased to a maximum of 384kbit/s by using
• High datarates (1Gbps for hotspots, 100Mbps
EDGE.
download and 50Mbps upload for wide-area
3G coverage)
• The introduction of 3G networks in 1998 ushered in • Massive connectivity (1million connections per square
faster data-transmission speeds. kilometre)
• Maximum speed of 3G is estimated to be around 2 • Ultra-low latency (1milli second)
Mbps for non-moving devices and 384 Kbps in moving
• High reliability (99.999% for mission critical ‘ultra-
vehicles.
reliable’ communications).
• Further a 3G phone cannot communicate through
• Mobility at high speeds (up to 500km/hr i.e., high-
a 4G network, but a 4G phone can communicate
speed trains).
through a 3G or even 2G networks.
APPLICATIONS IN INDIA
• Under both 2G to 3G technologies, data and voice
transmission over the different networks using GSM • Will enhance infrastructure efficiencies like ‘vehicle
or CDMA technology. platooning’. Platooning can double vehicle density in
roads promoting efficient and safer use of the limited
4G
road infrastructure.
• 4G uses LTE which allows us to communicate with
• In manufacturing, 5G will enable use of robotics for
voice and data simultaneously over the same network
precision manufacturing.
• Applications include amended mobile web access, IP
• 5G can also enable better logistics to track goods
telephony, gaming services, high-definition mobile TV,
from raw materials to product delivery.
video conferencing, 3D television, and cloud
computing. • In agriculture, 5G can enable improvement in the
entire value-chain, from precision farming, smart
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irrigation, improved soil and crop monitoring to although the greatest internet data speed in 4G has
livestock management. been reported at 1 Gbps in most circumstances.
• In the energy sector, ‘smart grids’ and ‘smart MILLIMETRE (MM) WAVE BAND
metering’ can be efficiently supported enabling • The millimetre wave band, or mmWave, is a portion of
growth of alternate energy technologies. the radio frequency spectrum that spans 24 to 100
• In healthcare, 5G can enable more effective tele- GHz.
medicine delivery, tele-control of surgical robotics and • As the name implies, this spectrum has a short
wireless monitoring of vital statistics. wavelength and is more likely to give higher speeds
• 5G will be used in in key government projects such as and shorter latencies.
smart cities and Digital India. • Since a result, data transport becomes more efficient
and smoother, as existing networks are optimised for
►5G- MILLIMETER WAVE BAND lower frequency bandwidths.
5G TECHNOLOGY SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS MM BAND
• The fifth generation (or 5G) of long-term evolution • Lower frequency bands may be used to deliver 5G
(LTE) mobile broadband networks is the most recent services.
update. • They can reach longer distances and have been
• It's a single platform with much greater capacity, demonstrated to perform well even in congested
lower latency, quicker data delivery rates, and better metropolitan areas.
spectrum utilisation than earlier mobile services. • However, when it comes to data rates, these bands
5G SPECTRUM fall short of the maximum capacity required for a real
5G experience.
5G primarily operates in three bands, namely the low,
mid, and high-frequency spectrums, each of which has • So, mmWave is that key component in the 5G jigsaw
its own set of benefits and drawbacks. puzzle for mobile service providers.
LOW BAND SPECTRUM

• It has a lot of potential in terms of coverage and ►INDIGENOUS 5G
internet and data transfer speed; however, the Currently, Indian contribution is design ownership of
maximum speed is just 100 Mbps (Megabits per telecom products is very limited and India has been
second). significant importer of global products. TSDSI has been
• The low band spectrum may not be ideal for established to enable India industry to take lead in
specialised requirements of the business; thus, Telcos International standardization activities.
may utilise and deploy it for commercial cell phone 1. LMLC TECHNOLOGY
customers who may not have need for extremely
TSDSI in collaboration of IITs have been successful in
high-speed internet.
getting the Low Mobility Large Cell (LMLC) use case
MID-BAND SPECTRUM accepted by ITU as one of the 5G requirements for rural
• It has faster speeds than the low band, however it has areas.
restrictions in terms of coverage area and signal Benefits:
penetration.
a. Increases the distance between two base stations to
• This band might be utilised by companies and 6 km against 1.7 km by other technology. This
specialised production units to create captive technology will be beneficial for rural India and other
networks that can be tailored to their specific developing countries.
demands.
b. The base stations can be placed at Gram Panchayats
HIGH-BAND SPECTRUM and connectivity can be provided to neighboring
• It has the fastest speed of the three bands, but its villages and farms.
coverage and signal penetration intensity are severely c. Reduction of Capex cost.
restricted.
d. Increase in speed of internet access in rural areas.
• Internet speeds in the 5G high-band spectrum have
e. These rural towers have to be located where
been tested to reach 20 Gbps (gigabits per second),
BharatNet fiber ends in 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats.
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From these towers, neighboring villages numbering • Very low or no latency.
3.5 lakhs have to be provided wireless coverage. • Cost effective: Saving of money as processing is done
f. This is for the first time a global standard is emerging locally.
from India at ITU. • Faster response time
2. TSDSI RIT • Interoperability between legacy and modern devices.
IIT Madras along with other institutions has developed • Reliable operations with intermittent connectivity; low
this standard as a variation to 3GPP standards for pressure on bandwidth
enhanced rural connectivity. This technology is also
• Enhanced data security and privacy for users.
called 5Gi technology.
• Reduction of energy consumption
Benefits:
• Reduced amount of data that needs to be processed
a. Enhanced coverage in rural areas
in a centralized or cloud-based location.
b. Reduced capex costs.
• Enables Internet of Things as it has scalability, low
c. This standard however, has not been adopted by ITU latency, longer battery life for devices, efficient data
and thus not globally harmonised. management
• 5G networks are expected to be 1000 times faster
than 4G networks. Edge computing was developed
►EDGE COMPUTING
due to the exponential growth of IoT devices, which
• Edge computing enables data to be analyzed, connect to the internet for either receiving
processed, and transferred at the edge of a network – information from the cloud or delivering data back to
where things and people produce or consume that the cloud. And many IoT devices generate enormous
information. amounts of data during their operations.
• It brings computation and data storage closer to the HOW IS EDGE COMPUTING DIFFERENT FROM CLOUD
devices where it’s being gathered, rather than relying COMPUTING?
on a central location that can be thousands of miles
The basic difference between edge computing and cloud
away.
computing lies in where the data processing takes place.
The existing Internet of Things (IoT) systems perform all
their computations in the cloud using data centres.
Edge computing, on the other hand, essentially manages
the massive amounts of data generated by IoT devices
by storing and processing data locally.
►TECHNOLOGIES FOR INTERNET OF

THINGS
NB-IoT technology operates on licensed spectrum, which
is a subset of LTE brands. It stands for Narrowband
Internet of Things. is a standards-based low power wide
area (LPWA) technology developed to enable a wide
range of new IoT devices and services. NB-IoT
significantly improves the power consumption of user
devices, system capacity and spectrum efficiency,
especially in deep coverage. Battery life of more than 10
years can be supported for a wide range of use cases.
LoRa/LoRaWAN uses linear frequency modulation in the
unlicensed frequency range in sub 1 ghz band. LoRa
stands for Low Power, Wide Area networking protocol
BENEFITS OF EDGE COMPUTING designed to wirelessly connect battery operating 'things'
to the internet in regional, national or global networks
• Useful for real time data processing applications.
and targets key Internet of Things requirements such as
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bi-directional communication, end to end security, transceivers that are line-of-sight (LOS) for
mobility and localisation services. successful transmission of optical signals.
Li-Fi: It is a wireless communication technology that • The channel can be atmosphere, space, or vacuum,
utilises light to transmit data and position between whose characteristics determine the transmission and
devices. It is also called Light-Fidelity. It uses light from reception of optical signals for designing reliable and
Light Emitting Diodes as a medium to deliver network. It efficient communication systems.
is similar to Wi-Fi, the difference being Wi-Fi uses radio • Using FSO technology data is transmitted by
frequency to communicate. This technology can propagation of light through atmospheric or space
theoretically transmit at speeds of 100 Gbit/s. communication channels, allowing optical
Near Field Communication: It is a communication connectivity.
protocol that enables communication between two • FSO communication offers a high data rate to meet
electronic devices over a distance of 4 cm or less. It the tremendous increasing demand of broadband
offers a low speed connection. It is based on inductive traffic mostly driven by Internet access and HDTV
coupling between two antennas. broadcasting services.
Zigbee: It is a communication technology used to create • Compared to fiber optics technology, FSO offers much
personal area networks with small, low power digital more flexibility in designing optical network
radios such as home automation, medical device data architectures at very high speeds, at tens and
collection and low power low bandwidth needs, hundreds of Gbit/s rates.
designed for small scale projects. (battery powered
• However, FSO communication is affected
devices). by atmospheric effects, which limits sensitivity and
Sigfox: It is a standards-based low power wide area achievable data rates with acceptable BER.
(LPWA) technology developed to enable a wide range of • Both point-to-point, point-to-multipoint, multipoint-
new IoT devices and services. NB-IoT significantly to-point, and multipoint-to-multipoint FSO
improves the power consumption of user devices, communications are possible, depending on the
system capacity and spectrum efficiency, especially in different scenarios of establishing optical links. FSO
deep coverage. Battery life of more than 10 years can be communication is the most practical alternative to
supported for a wide range of use cases. solve the bottleneck broadband connectivity
problem.
►WiFi 6.0
►GIGA MESH
• Next generation standard in WiFi technology. Also
known as “AX WiFi" • It is a wireless technology product that could enable
telecom operators deploy quality, high speed rural
• It was built for in response to the growing number of telecom infrastructure at 5 times lower cost.
devices in the world of IoT (Internet of Things) due to
faster data transmission rates. • Giga Mesh is based on millimeter wave multi beam
technology.
Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 NETWORKS ENSURE
• Each connected device performs at an optimum level, ►Wi-Fi CALLING
in locations with hundreds or thousands of connected
• It makes use of high-speed Internet connection,
devices.
available via broadband, to make and receive high
• Highest standards for security and interoperability. definition (HD) voice calls.
• Lower battery consumption. • This is not much different from a voice call using
• Increased bandwidth to deliver greater performance WhatsApp or any other over-the-top messaging
with lower latency. platform, but here the call is from one number to
another, and not using an app.
►FREE SPACE OPTICAL • Wi-Fi Calling can be configured on compatible
smartphones by upgrading operating systems to the
COMMUNICATION
version that supports Wi-Fi Calling and enabling this
• FSO communication systems are where free space in Settings.
acts as a communication channel between
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►DATA PROTECTION BILL GOVERNMENT’S POWERS
Access to data
• In the aftermath of the landmark decision of the
constitutional bench of the SC on Right to Privacy in Government is empowered to gain access to any non-
Puttuswamy case, Justice Sri Krishna Committee was personal data — anonymised data like traffic patterns or
constituted study issues relating to data protection in demographic information — mainly for framing policy
India and to recommend a suitable data protection for better delivery of services and evidence-based policy.
law for India. DUTY OF INTERMEDIARIES
• Accordingly draft Personal Data Protection Bill, 2018 User Verification
was framed covering various aspects of data
• The Bill also requires social media companies, which
protection.
are deemed “significant data fiduciaries” (SDF) to
ABOUT THE BILL develop their own user verification mechanism.
• The Bill deals with the broad guidelines on the • This is primarily to curb the menace of fake news in
collection, storage, and processing of personal data, India
the consent of individuals, penalties and
Processing of data without consent
compensation, and a code of conduct.
• The Bill includes exemptions for processing data
• Any entity that offers goods or services to Indian without an individual’s consent for “reasonable
residents or processes the personal data of Indian
purposes”, including security of the state, detection of
resident is covered under the data protection law.
any unlawful activity or fraud, whistleblowing, medical
IMPORTANT PROVISIONS emergencies, credit scoring, operation of search
The bill classifies personal data into 3 categories: engines and processing of publicly available data.
1. Critical personal data • Personal data processed in the interest of prevention,
detection, investigation and prosecution of any
• In case of certain critical personal data, the bill
requires both storage and processing of data on offence is exempt.
servers located solely within the national borders. • In the interest of sovereignty, national security,
preventing communal violence, we exempted some
• Central government is empowered to notify
categories of personal data as critical personal data. agencies from the law.
2. Personal data IN LINE WITH SOCIAL MEDIA REGULATION
• The bill allows some personal data to be stored and • This is in line with proposed changes to Section 79 of
processed abroad without requiring a mirror of the the IT which centres around social media regulation.
data in India. • According to draft rule 3(9), the online platforms or
“intermediaries” must “deploy appropriate
• However, all personal data can be processed outside
only with the consent of the person. technologies to proactively identify, remove or disable
access to unlawful content.
3. Sensitive Personal data
• The unlawful content also include those that
• The draft Bill classifies ‘sensitive personal data’ as
“threatens critical information infrastructure” in India.
including passwords, financial data, health data, sex
life, sexual orientation, biometric data, genetic data, • Further the online platforms would have to inform its
transgender status, intersex status, caste or tribe, and users to refrain from hosting, uploading or sharing
religious or political belief or affiliation. any content that is blasphemous, obscene,
defamatory, hateful or racially, ethnically
STORAGE
objectionable or those which threaten national
• “Sensitive” personal data shall be stored only in India. security.
PROCESSING TRACEABILITY OF CONTENT
• This data can be processed abroad only under certain According to the Draft Rule 3(5), the intermediary shall
conditions, including the approval of a Data enable tracing out of originator/source of unlawful
Protection Agency (DPA). content on its platform.
• Sensitive personal data can be processed only with DATA PROTECTION AUTHORITY
the explicit consent of the person, and this consent
• Data Protection Authority to ensure compliance with
needs to be informed, clear, and specific.
data protection norms.
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• Permission of DPA for processing of sensitive Canada and Australia are selective in that they have
information. provisions to protect their health data.
PENATIES
• In case of data leak of inaction - ₹5 crore or 2% of ►PUBLIC DOMAIN NAME SERVER
turnover, whichever is higher (DNS)
• In case of sharing of data without consent – 15 crore • The government will launch a public Domain Name
or 4% Server (DNS) aimed at providing a faster and more
WHAT IT MEANS FOR CONSUMERS secure browsing experience for Internet users in the
country, while ensuring that citizens’ data is stored
locally.
• The main objective of bringing country’s own public
DNS is to ensure availability, particularly for smaller
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) who don’t have
ROLE OF GOVERNMENT
credible DNS.
• A user will be free to choose any DNS and they need
not compulsorily need to shift to India public DNS.
• The National Informatics Centre (NIC) would configure
the setup which would be offered to all citizens
DUTIES OF INTERMEDIARIES
Domain Name System (DNS).
WHAT IS DNS?
• DNS is a system that translates domain names to
Internet Protocol or IP addresses that allows
browsers to load websites sought.
DATA LOCALIZATION IN INDIA
• Domain Name System translates human readable
• Reserve Bank of India has issued data localization domain names (for example, www.google.com) to
rules for local storage of payments data. machine readable IP addresses (for example,
• The draft Digital Information Security in Healthcare 192.0.2.44).
Act (DISHA) also has a provision for data localization
• A domain name server is a computer that houses DNS
of healthcare data.
zones of domain names.
• The draft National e-Commerce Policy by DIPP also
has a provision for data localisation of consumer
►NATIONAL SUPERCOMPUTING
data.
GLOBAL PRACTICES MISSION
Individual rights centric • Jointly steered by MEITY and Department of Science
and Technology (DST).
• EU’s GDPR
o According to EU’s General Data Protection • Being implemented by CDAC and IISc with the
Regulation it is not mandatory to have local storage objective of creation of state of art High Performance
of data. Computing facilities and infrastructure to enhance the
national capability to enable cutting edge research in
o Besides cross-border flow of information is
permitted if adequate data protection framework various domains in solving grand challenge problems.
in there is the recipient country. • Aims to empower our national academic and R&D
• USA institutions spread over the country by installing a
vast supercomputing grid comprising of 70 high
o US does not even have a federal law for data
performance computing facilities.
protection
STATE-CENTRIC • These supercomputers will also be networked on the
National Supercomputing grid over the National
China and Vietnam mandates strict data localisation
Knowledge Network.
norms.
• Phase III of the National Supercomputing Mission is
MIDDLE PATH
aimed at taking computing speed in India to 45
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Petaflops. Under the phase III, three systems of 3 • Note: India’s first Indigenous Semiconductor Chips by
Petaflop each and one system of 20 Petaflop will be Bengaluru based semiconductor company Signalchip
developed as a national facility. These systems will for 4G/LTE and 5G.
provide High-Performance computing facility to
researchers across the country through National ►CRYPTO CURRENCY
Knowledge Network. Phase III will focus on increasing
• European Central Bank defined virtual currency as "a
the indigenous content in supercomputers.
type of unregulated, digital money, which is issued
• Param Shivay: First supercomputer assembled and usually controlled by its developers, and used
indigeniously. It is installed at IIT-BHU. and accepted among the members of a specific virtual
• Param Shakti: Indigenous, Installed at IIT Kharagpur community.
• Param Brahma: Indigenous, Installed at IISER, Pune • Examples of such currencies are Bitcoin, Ethereum,
• Param Shavak: an affordable supercomputing Dogecoin, Ripple, and Libra (of facebook) etc.
solution in a box that aims to provide computational • All such currencies take help of Blockchain technology
resource in their operation.
• Rudra: Indigenous Server, which can meet HPC ISSUES WITH CYPTOCURRENCIES
requirements of all government and PSUs. This is the
1. Cryptocurrencies need to be continuously mined.
first time that a server system was made in India,
Mining is a very energy intensive process that
along with the full software stack developed by CDAC.
consumes lot of power.
2. Cryptocurrencies are often subject to theft and
►TRINETRA cybercrimes.
• It is the next generation indigenous HPC interconnect, 3. Beyond the remit of sovereign governments, they can
being developed by CDAC.
be misused as there is lack of agency and regulations.
• It will facilitate efficient inter-node communication
4. Can be used by terrorist, drugs mafia etc.
between compute nodes under National
Supercomputing Mission. BENEFITS OF CRYPTOCURRENCIES
• It is being designed for performance, power efficiency 1. Easy convertability from one currency to another.
and support for large scale systems. 2. Cannot be subject to hacking. Leads to financial
innovation etc.
►SPINNAKER SUPERCOMPUTER
• It is the world's largest neuromorphic supercomputer ►DeFi
that is designed and built to work in the same way a • Defi stands for decentralised finance.
human brain does.
• DeFi applications are platforms that facilitate crypto-
• Developed by the University of Manchester, UK. denominated lending outside traditional banking,
• SpiNNaker is unique because, unlike traditional using as open-source code with algorithms that set
computers, it doesn’t communicate by sending large rates in real time based on supply and demand.
amounts of information from point A to B via a
standard network. Instead, it mimics the massively • Many DeFi applications are embedded in the
parallel communication architecture of the brain, ethereum blockchain.
sending billions of small amounts of information
simultaneously to thousands of different destinations. ►NON-FUNGIBLE TOKENS (NFT)
• It is funded by Human Brain Project of the EU. NFTs are unique cryptographic tokens that exist on a
blockchain and cannot be replicated. NFTs can be used
►SHAKTI PROCESSOR PROGRAM to represent real-world items like artwork and real-
estate.
• India’s first indigenously developed microprocessor
that can be used in mobile computing, networking, ‘Tokeninzing’ these real-world tangible assets allows
wireless systems, and may be even for country’s them to be bought, sold, and traded more efficiently
nuclear systems. while reducing the probability of fraud. NFTs can also be
• Developed and booted by Indian Institute of used to represent peoples’ identities, property rights,
Technology Madras. and more.
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Non-fungible tokens or NFTs are cryptographic assets • In short, cloud-native app development is a way to
on blockchain with unique identification codes and speed up how you build new applications, optimize
metadata that distinguish them from each other. existing ones, and connect them all together. Its goal
Unlike cryptocurrencies, they cannot be traded or is to deliver apps users want at the pace a business
exchanged at equivalency. This differs from fungible need.
tokens like cryptocurrencies, which are identical to each
other and, therefore, can be used as a medium for
►OPEN API (APPLICATION
commercial transactions.
PROGRAMMING INTERFACES)
►GOVERNMENT INSTANT MESSAGING • They provide an open architecture, allowing any
business to access data and functionality without any
SYSTEM (GIMS)
association with the API providers.
• It is an Indian equivalent of popular messaging
• Open APIs can bring in the profound changes in the
platforms, such as WhatsApp and Telegram, for
overall digital ecosystem. Open APIs basically allow
secure internal use. data to be accessible to larger institutions.
• Designed and developed by National Informatics • Government of India has open API policy for
Centre (NIC). programs like Aadhaar, eKYC, eSign, and Unified
• It is being packaged for employees of Central and Payments Interface (UPI) among others.
state government departments and organisations for • Though Aadhaar data is handled by Unique
intra and inter organisation communications. Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and banks
• It is being developed as a secure Indian alternative have no control over the data, still banks can use the
without the security concerns attached with apps data. For instance, banks use Aadhaar-enabled
hosted abroad or those owned by foreign entities. biometric authentication to open bank accounts.
• Like WhatsApp, GIMS employs end-to-end encryption • An open API also gives banks the ability to monetise
for one-to-one messaging. your data. But that doesn't mean all your information
is made public. The data exchange in open APIs
happens in a controlled manner.
►SYCAMORE
• However, security does seem to be a concern with
• Google announced that it had reached quantum open APIs. Hence, not many banks currently offer
supremacy and made quantum computer called them. But they are still works in progress and you
Sycamore. can’t rule out the possibility that someday, any bank
• It is a 54-qubit processor, solved a particularly difficult would be able to fetch your data from any bank, of
problem in 200 seconds. course, with your consent.
• It could take years or decades for the technology to

►UNIFIED MESSAGING PLATFORM
be freely available.
• MeitY has released Unified Messaging Platform for
QUANTUM SUPREMACY
secure and efficient Government communications,
It refers to a problem-solving process by the quantum envisages to provide email service to over 5 million
computer that cannot be solved by a classical computer officials of Central and State Government employees
in its normal lifetime.
• NIC is the implementing agency
• The service has been built through an open-source
►CLOUD NATIVE SCALABLE solution in accordance with the “Policy on adoption of
APPLICATIONS Open-source software for Government of India”. This
gives strategic control of government over the
• Cloud-native applications are a collection of small,
solution.
independent, and loosely coupled services.
• The service provides a multilingual platform
• They are designed to deliver well recognized business
comprising of 11 local languages with a go-live in
value, like the ability to rapidly incorporate user
English and Hindi initially, followed by other
feedback for continuous improvement.
languages.
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• The data is generally sensitive and private
►GLOBAL CYBERSECURITY INDEX
(government private data, bank data, cloud data etc),
(GCI) so kept out of reach.
• The index measures the commitment of Member • The third layer is the darknet which is also known as a
States to cybersecurity to raise awareness. part of the ‘Deep Web’. It is a network built over
• The GCI revolves around the ITU Global Cybersecurity the internet which is encrypted.
Agenda (GCA) and its five pillars (legal, technical,
• It is basically a layer of the Internet accessible only by
organizational, capacity building and cooperation). using special software like Tor or I2P (Invisible
Internet Project).
►BROADBAND READINESS INDEX FOR
• Anything present on the dark web will not be pulled
STATES up in internet searches, thereby offering a high
• Department of Telecommunications and Indian degree of anonymity.
Council for Research on International Economic
Relations (ICRIER) have signed a MoU to develop a
►DIGITAL QUALITY OF LIFE INDEX,
Broadband Readiness Index for Indian states and
Union Territories (UT). 2020
• The index will include indicators such as percentage • This index ranks 110 countries on quality of digital
of households using computers/ laptops with internet wellbeing in in terms of e-infrastructure. It is released
connection, percentage of households with fixed by Surfshark.
broadband connection, internet users as a • Countries are ranked on five pillars: Internet
percentage of the population, smartphones density, Affordability, Internet Quality, Electronic
percentage of households with at least one digitally Infrastructure, Electronic Security & Electronic
literate member, etc. Government.
.
• India ranks among the lowest in the world in terms of

►NET NEUTRALITY th
Internet quality. (59 )
• Net neutrality is the principle that internet service
providers and governments regulating the internet
►QR CODE
should treat all data on the internet the same, and
not discriminating or charging differentially based on QR Code stands for Quick Response Code. Main purpose
user, content, website, platform, application, type of of development was to create a code that could be read
attached equipment, or mode of communication. quickly.
• In 2016, TRAI took a revolutionary decision, Features of QR Codes are:

prohibiting telecom service providers from levying 1. High capacity of encoding of data
discriminatory rates for data, thus ruling in favour of 2. Small printout size
Net Neutrality in India. This move was welcomed by
3. Dirt and Damage Resistant
not just by millions of Indians but also by various
political parties, businesspersons, and industry 4. Readable from any direction in 360 degrees
leaders. 5. Structured Appending feature
QR Code has error correction capability to restore data if
►DEEPNET AND DARKNET the code is dirty or damaged. Four error correction
levels are available for users to choose according to the
Internet has three layers –
operating environment. Raising this level improves error
• The first layer is publicly accessible. It consists of sites correction capability but also increases the amount of
that one uses frequently like social networking sites,
data QR Code size.
e-commerce sites etc. This layer makes up only
around 4% of the entire internet.
►RFID TECHNOLOGY
• The second layer, the deep web, is a network where
data is stored in databases that cannot be accessed • Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) refers to a
through traditional search engines like Google. It is wireless system comprised of two components: tags
used to provide access to a specific group of people. and readers.
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• Reader is a device that has one or more antennas that mainstream because of the enhanced levels of
emit radio waves and receive signals back from the safety and efficiency they bring.
RFID tag. o A drone’s autonomy level can range from remotely
• Tags, which use radio waves to communicate their piloted (a human controls its movements) to
identity and other information to nearby readers, can advanced autonomy, which means that it relies on
be passive or active. Passive RFID tags are powered by a system of sensors and LIDAR detectors to
the reader and do not have a battery. Active RFID tags calculate its movement.
are powered by batteries. APPLICATION OF DRONE TECHNOLOGY
• RFID tags can store a range of information from one • Defence: Drone system can be used as a symmetric
serial number to several pages of data. Readers can weapon against terrorist attacks.
be mobile so that they can be carried by hand, or they
o Drones can be integrated into the national airspace
can be mounted on a post or overhead.
system.
• Reader systems can also be built into the architecture
o Deployment of drones for combat, communication
of a cabinet, room, or building.
in remote areas, counter-drone solutions can be
ADVANTAGES OF RFID
done.
• Automates data collection, reduces human effort &
• Healthcare Delivery Purposes: Recently, the Ministry
error
of Civil Aviation has approved a project with
• Tag reading with no line-of-sight or item-by-item the Telangana government for using drone
scans required. technology to deliver vaccines in remote areas.
• Multiple RFID tags can be read simultaneously. • Agriculture: In the agriculture sector, micronutrients
• All RFID tags within range can be detected instantly can be spread with the help of drones.
and matched with information in your database.
o It can also be used for performing surveys for
• Assets can be cross-referenced against assigned identifying the challenges faced by the farmers.
locations & recorded as present, missing, or
• Monitoring: The drone technology in the SVAMITVA
relocated.
scheme launched by the Government of India, within
• RFID can be integrated with active scanning and fixed less than a year, has helped about half a million
readers for a totally automated tracking solution.
village residents to get their property cards by
• Assets and employees can be tracked and located mapping out the abadi areas.
automatically for everything from supplychain & asset
o Drones can be used for real-time surveillance of
management, facility security & emergency planning.
assets and transmission lines, theft prevention,
• Available scanners support both RFID and barcoding visual inspection/maintenance, construction
so you can upgrade at your own pace. planning and management, etc.
o They can be used for anti-poaching actions,
►NEW EMERGING TECHNOLOGY monitoring of forests and wildlife, pollution
DRONE TECHNOLOGY assessment, and evidence gathering.
• The Ministry of Civil Aviation has suggested to the • Law Enforcement: Drones are also significant for the
other Ministries to promote effective use of Drone law enforcement agencies; the fire and emergency
technology. This suggestion was made as part of the services wherever human intervention are not safe
initiatives to make India a global hub for drones and the healthcare services.
under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan and in the ASSOCIATED ISSUES
backdrop of the Union Government rolling out the
• Increased Risk of Armed Attacks: Operation of drones
liberalised Drone Rules 2021. Drones offer
without any adequate legal backing can pose several
tremendous benefits to almost every sector of the
security threats.
economy, national defence, agriculture, law
enforcement, and mapping, among others. It is also o Incidents of arms being dropped by drones are
known as Unmanned Aircraft. also there such as the recent Jammu drone attacks.
o Originally developed for the military and aerospace o They can be put to destructive use, to slam into
industries, drones have found their way into the critical targets, destroy infrastructure and so on.
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• Paramilitary Not Exempted from the Rules: The drone history when stored program electronic computers
rules 2021 are not applicable to the army, navy or the were developed.
air force. o Example: Millions of algorithms and codes are
o However, it still includes paramilitary forces. BSF is there around the humans to understand their
suffering a lot of issues due to the drones coming commands and perform human-like
across the lines. tasks. Facebook’s list of suggested friends for its
• Cheaper Cost Enables a Larger Population to Procure users, a pop-up page, talking about an upcoming
Drones: Drones are cheaper in comparison to sale of the favorite brand of shoes and clothes,
conventional weapons and yet can achieve far more that comes on screen while browsing the internet,
destructive results which is the primary reason for are the work of artificial intelligence.
increased number of drone attacks. • A Complex Technology: AI involves complex things
• Delivery of Mass Destruction Weapons: What makes such as feeding a particular data into the machine
combat drones most dangerous is the threat of them and making it react as per the different situations. It is
being used to deliver weapons of mass destruction. about creating self-learning patterns where the
machine can give answers to the never answered
o Procurement of combat drones by non-state actors
questions like a human would ever do.
poses serious threats.
AI IS A DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGY
WAY FORWARD
• AI is different from hardware driven robotic
• Training Programs: There must be training programs
automation. Instead of automating manual tasks, AI
for drone pilots. The drone technology alone will not
performs frequent high volume computerised tasks
be enough, there must be a few more aspects to take
reliably.
care of for using the technology to its fullest.
• AI is often misunderstood for machine learning. AI is a
• Balancing Security and Benefits: There is a need to
broader concept with a bunch of technologies that
ensure that the guidelines are in such a manner that
include machine learning and other technologies like
the security concerns are not at all compromised, but
natural language processing, inference algorithms,
the drone technology is also used to the maximum of
neutron networks etc.
its advantages.
EVOLUTION
• Developing Anti-Drone System: The DRDO has started
developing an anti-drone system, one is already in • In the year 1956, American computer scientist John
place. There are soft kill and hard kill options McCarthy organised the Dartmouth Conference, at
available. which the term ‘Artificial Intelligence’ was first
adopted. From then on, the world discovered the
o Soft kill options include jamming the drone.
ideas of the ability of machines to look at social
o Hard kill options include the laser technology,
problems using knowledge data and competition.
missiles or other drones to shoot down the drone.
• There used to be several dedicated projects on the
• Increasing Investments: India needs to invest in its same and the government was funding the research.
own Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) systems and
• Every aspect of science and especially when one
counter-drone technology to detect and track threats,
starts looking at empowering machines to behave
especially around critical assets.
and act like human beings, the questions of
ethics arise. About 70’s and late 80’s there was a time
►ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE when the governments stopped funding research into
AI.
• It describes the action of machines accomplishing
tasks that have historically required human • AI experienced a resurgence following concurrent
intelligence. advances in computer power and large amounts of
data and theoretical understanding.
• It includes technologies like machine learning, pattern
recognition, big data, neural networks, self-algorithms • AI techniques now have become an essential part of
etc. the technology industry helping to solve many
challenging problems in computer-science. From
• The origin of the concept can be traced back to the
Apple Siri to self-driving cars, AI is progressing rapidly.
Greek mythology, although it is only during modern
AI METHODS
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INDIA AND AI • Defence forces of India are now venturing into the
• According to a Canada based company’s report, products and technologies which will aid defence
Global AI Report 2019, India stood at the ninth measures using the AI and technologies.
position in terms of the number of the AI specialists • In India, corporates and startups have started
working in the field. The US, China and the UK topped collaborating with academia on AI. IBM’s Blue project
the list. is an example.
o The top ranked countries in this report have many • It is estimated that AI will add 957 billion dollars to
academic institutes with programs on AI. They India’s GDP by the year 2035 boosting India’s annual
have therefore a much greater number of people growth by 1.3% points.
skilled to do research in the field. BENEFITS
o India, on the contrary, lacks the opportunities in • In Policing: India still has a conventional policing. AI
formal education in data science but is slowly based products open a new window of opportunity to
trying to encourage the adoption of AI in do predictive policing in India. With the help of AI, one
educational institutes. can predict the pattern of crime, analyze lot of CCTV
• Starting this year, the CBSE has AI as an elective footage which are available across the country to
subject for its ninth-grade classes. identify suspects.
• IIT Hyderabad has launched a full-fledged Bachelor of o Government is digitizing all the records, especially
Technology (B Tech) program in AI becoming the first the crime records putting it into one single place
Indian educational institution to do so. It is also most called CCTNS where all the data including the
likely the third educational institute in the world after image, biometrics, or the criminal history of a
Carnegie Mellon University and the Massachusetts convict or suspect is available.
Institute of Technology to have a full-fledged B Tech • In Agriculture: It has many uses, for example, it can
program on AI. help sense one how much water the crop needs.
• IIIT Hyderabad is another educational institute that • For solving complex issues like efficient utilization of
introduced popular executive programs on AI and available resources.
machine learning and blockchain and distributed • Analyzing the Data: The AI technology helps in
ledger technologies. analyzing data and thus can improve the efficiency of
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the systems like power management in cars, mobile AI IN CHINA
devices, weather predictions, video and image • China has been consistently building an ecosystem to
analysis. fuel its ambition to become a world leader in AI by the
NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF AI year 2050.
Steps taken by the Government • A report on China AI development released in the
year 2018 said that from the year 2013 to the first
• In 2018-19 budget, the government mandated NITI
quarter of the year 2018, the investment and
Aayog to establish the National Program on AI with a
financing in AI technology in China accounts for 60%
view to guiding research and development in new and
in the world valued at 27 billion dollars in the year
emerging technologies.
2017.
o NITI Aayog then adopted a three-pronged
approach undertaking exploratory proof of
►NEGATIVE ION TECHNOLOGY
concept AI projects in various areas, crafting a
• Authority for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection
national strategy for building a vibrant AI
(ANVS), Netherlands issued a statement identifying
ecosystem in India and collaborating with various
various negative ion wearable products containing
experts and stakeholders.
more Radioactivity than legally permitted.
• NITI Aayog circulated the cabinet note to establish a • Negative ion technology embeds negative ions in
cloud computing platform called AIRAWAT (Artificial personal products and is currently being advertised to
Intelligence Research, Analytics and Knowledge maintain health, balance energy, and improve well-
Assimilation Platform. being.
o The note circulated by NITI Aayog proposes that • This technology is used in certain silicone wristbands,
the government should pump in Rs. 7,500 crore quantum or scalar-energy pendants, and
rupees over 3 years as well as set up a high-level kinesthesiology tape.
task force that will oversee the roll out and • Negative ions are also made when sunlight, radiation,
implementation of AI. air, or water break down oxygen.
o The move to create cloud computing platform is • The minerals that produce these negative ions often
part of the government’s goal of making India a include naturally occurring radioactive substances
pioneer amongst emerging economies with such as uranium and thorium.
regards to AI and transform sectors like education, • It is believed that negative ions create positive vibes
health, agriculture, urbanization and mobility. and uplift the mood. They show the various mental
and physical health benefits, such as stress reduction,
• In Budget 2018, the government announced funds to
better sleeping, respiration etc. whereas these ions
support the country’s AI, machine learning, robotics
may also act on pollutants, make them negatively
and IoT sector.
charged and get them collected on surfaces.
• As part of the initiative, NITI Aayog in the year 2018,
published a draft National Strategy for AI, planning its
►SOLID STATE BATTERIES
scope for research, adoption and commercialization.
• A solid-state battery is a battery technology that uses
o It envisioned AI use case clearly in the sectors
solid electrodes and a solid electrolyte, instead of the
like healthcare, agriculture, education, smart cities liquid or polymer gel electrolytes found in lithium-ion
and infrastructure, smart mobility and or lithium polymer batteries.
transportation.
• Such batteries can provide potential solutions for
• The Commerce and Industry Ministry has also set up many problems of liquid Li-ion battery, such as
task forces to explore the use of AI and Big Data flammability, limited voltage, unstable solid-
technologies in the country. electrolyte interphase formation, poor cycling
• In the Budget 2019-20, the government has performance and strength.
announced setting up of a National Sports Education • A solid-state battery can increase energy density per
Board under Khelo India to prepare youth for new unit area since only a small number of batteries are
age skills, Artificial Intelligence, IoT, Big Data, 3D needed. For that reason, a solid-state battery is
Printing, Virtual Reality etc. perfect to make an Electric Vehicle (EV) battery system
of module and pack, which needs high capacity.
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►ELECTRIC VEHICLES private light-duty slow charger. To compound this

technological problem of slow charging at home,
• An EV operates on an electric motor instead of an
there are a few charging stations around the country.
internal combustion engine and has a battery instead
of a fuel tank. o This is woefully inadequate in a country as large
• In general, EVs have low running costs as they have and densely populated as ours.
fewer moving parts and are also environmentally • Lack of a Stable Policy for EV Production: EV
friendly. production is a capital-intensive sector requiring long
• In India, fuel cost for an EV is approx. 80 paisa per term planning to break even and profit realization,
km. Contrast this with the cost of petrol which is uncertainty in government policies related to EV
today more than Rs 100/liter in Indian cities, or Rs 7-8 production discourages investment in the industry.
per km to operate a petrol-based vehicle. • Technological Challenges: India is technologically
PROSPECTS IN INDIA deficient in the production of electronics that form

the backbone of the EV industry, such as batteries,
• The private sector has appreciated the inevitability of
semiconductors, controllers, etc.
the dominance of the EV.
• Lack of Associated Infrastructural Support: The lack of
• Companies like Amazon, Swiggy, Zomato and Ikea are
clarity over AC versus DC charging stations, grid
deploying EVs for deliveries.
stability and range anxiety (fear that batteries will
• Car manufacturers like Mahindra are partnering with soon run out of power) are other factors that hinder
consumers like Ola, while Tata Motors is partnering the growth of the EV industry.
with Blu Smart Mobility in moves that will ensure
• Lack of Availability of Materials for Domestic
more EV delivery and ride-hailing services.
Production: Battery is most important component of
ASSOCIATED CHALLENGES EVs. India does not have any known reserves of
• Lack of Charging Infrastructure: EVs are typically lithium and cobalt which are required for battery
powered by lithium-based batteries. These batteries production. India is dependent on countries like Japan
need to be charged usually every 200-250 kms or so and China for the import of lithium-ion batteries.
for a car. So, there is a need for a dense proliferation • Lack of skilled workers: EVs have higher servicing
of charging points. costs and higher levels of skills is needed for
• Issue of Slow Charging: It takes up to 12 hours for a servicing. India lacks dedicated training courses for
full charge of a vehicle at the owner’s home using a such skill development.
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WAY FORWARD ►AMMONIUM NITRATE
• Increasing R&D in EVs: The Indian market needs • Government has amended rules for Ammonium
encouragement for indigenous technologies that are Nitrate to curb its pilferage, introduce fire-fighting
suited for India from both strategic and economic provisions and improve ways to handle and store it.
standpoint.
• These rules have been amended after lesson learnt
o Since investment in local research and from Beirut Explosion in 2020. Nearly 3,000 tons of
development is necessary to bring prices down, it ammonium nitrate was stored at Beirut's port for
makes sense to leverage local universities and six years that detonated in 2020.
existing industrial hubs.
• ABOUT NEW RULES
o India should work with countries like the UK and
• Ammonium nitrate received at ports be transferred to
synergize EV development.
storage houses 500 m beyond the port area.
• Sensitizing Public: Breaking away the old norms and
• Permit auction of seized ammonium nitrate to ensure
establishing a new consumer behaviour is always a
safe and speedy disposal besides requiring that
challenge. Thus, a lot of sensitisation and education is
Ammonium Nitrate be imported in bagged form only.
needed, to bust several myths and promote EVs
within the Indian market. • Provision for adequate fire-fighting facilities in storage
and handling areas, improvement of flooring in
• Viable Electricity Pricing: Given current electricity
storage and handling areas.
prices, home charging may also be an issue if the
generation is from thermal power plants run on coal. • Impact: Reduce handling of loose chemicals at port
and therefore enhance safety.
o Thus, a shift in the electricity generation landscape
is what is required to facilitate the growth of ABOUT AMMONIUM NITRATE
electric cars. • Ammonium Nitrate (NH4NO3) is a nitrogen-rich white,
o In this context, India is on track to become one of crystalline chemical which is soluble in water.
the largest solar and energy storage markets by • Uses:
2025. o Manufacturing agricultural fertilizers.
o A combination of solar-powered grid solutions that o Production anesthetic gases and cold packs.
are organised with a general improvement in grid
o Manufacturing of commercial explosives used in
resilience will ensure adequate charging
mining and construction.
infrastructure for EV’s being a green option.
AS EXPLOSIVE
• Creating the Closed-Loop Mobility Ecosystem:
• Main component of explosive composition known
Subsidizing manufacturing for an electric supply chain
as ANFO- Ammonium Nitrate Fuel Oil.
will certainly improve EV development in India.
• Pure ammonium nitrate is not an explosive. For
o Along with charging infrastructure, the
Ammonium nitrate to be explosive, a primary
establishment of a robust supply chain will also be
explosive or detonator like RDX or TNT is required.
needed.
• Many Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) used by
o Further, recycling stations for batteries will need to
terrorists have ANFO as the main explosive.
recover the metals from batteries used in
electrification to create the closed loop required • Stored ammonium nitrate is a fire hazard. It can
for the shift to electric cars to be an explode in two ways: (a) Encounter some explosive
environmentally sound decision. mixture. (b) Oxidation process at large scale, heat
may be generated starting a fire and explosion. This is
• The largest suppliers of lithium-based EV batteries are
probable cause of incident at Beirut port.
reported to be the Chinese and the South Korean
companies. If this is so, then a new global order is REGULATIONS
emerging to replace the Organisation of the • Global: Classified as an oxidizing content under
Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). the UN classification of dangerous goods. UN
o India must plan for its place in this order — with Committee of Experts on Transport of Dangerous
better-charging infrastructure, battery-making Goods categorizes types of dangerous goods, under
factories and smart incentives for car companies nine classes like Explosive Materials, Inflammable
and consumers to go electric. liquids, easily oxidizing contents etc.
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• India: In India, manufacture, conversion, bagging, (FAO), vegetable yield of soilless systems is 20-25%
import, export, transport, possession for sale or use higher than in traditional systems as number of
of ammonium nitrate is covered under Ammonium plants per square meter is higher.
Nitrate Rules, 2012 under Explosives Act, 1884. DRAWBACKS
o Explosives Act, 1884, defines ammonium nitrate as • Water needs to be replaced at regular intervals as
the “compound with formula NH4NO3 including any standing or re-circulating water makes it easier for
mixture or compound having more than 45% plant disease to spread if pathogens enter water
ammonium nitrate by weight including emulsions, supply.
suspensions, melts or gels but excluding emulsion • Water and electricity are two major factors in
or slurry explosives and non explosives emulsion Hydroponic farming, in absence of adequate water
matrix and fertilizers from which the ammonium supply or stable electricity, it cannot function well.
nitrate cannot be separated”. 2. Aeroponics
o Storage of ammonium nitrate in large quantities in • It is a way of farming where roots are suspended in
populated areas is illegal in India. air & plants grow in a humid environment without
o For manufacture of ammonium nitrate, an soil.
Industrial licence is required under Industrial • It is a variation of hydroponics where both growing
Development and Regulation Act, 1951. medium and flowing water are absent. Roots of
o License under Ammonium Nitrate Rules, 2012 is plants sprayed with water and nutrient solution.
required for any activity related to ammonium This technique enables farmers to control
humidity, temperature, pH levels & water
nitrate.
conductivity inside a greenhouse.
►SOILLESS CULTIVATION Advantages
TECHNIQUES • The water usage in the system reduces by 98% and
Soilless Cultivation generally refers to any method fertilizer usage by 60%. Pesticides are fully
of growing plants without soil as a rooting medium. eliminated as absence of soil reduces chances of
diseases.
NEED FOR SOILLESS CULTIVATION
• Aeroponically grown plants can be harvested three
• Ensuring Food Security.
times faster and yields are more consistent.
• Depletion of Resources for Traditional Farming.
• As nutrients are sprayed onto plants and roots,
• Helps maintain healthy root zones. there's plenty of oxygen and other gases in
• Full potential of plant can be realized. growing chamber for roots to absorb.
Easier to manage plant diseases during cultivation. • Farming in a confined space gives farmer control
TYPES OF SOILLESS FARMING over pest, locust attacks and sudden heat waves.
1. Hydroponics Drawbacks
• Hydroponics is a method of growing plants in a • Aeroponics is far too dependent on technology. If

water-based, nutrient-rich solution. any component of the system fails, it would render
the entire system completely useless.
• In this method, root system is supported using an
inert medium such as perlite, clay pellets, peat • One must be able to set up and run aeroponic
moss or vermiculite to provide access to oxygen System and be able to create perfect nutrient
which is essential for proper growth. solution for plants otherwise the plant might die.
Advantages • Aeroponics is highly costly and not affordable for

small and marginal farmers.
• Hydroponic farming technology with closed water
loop systems is a viable option for farmers with • Plants must receive constant attention to their pH
limited access to land and water. levels & nutrient density ratio as there is no
growing medium available to do this work.
• Significance of soilless systems increases for urban
and peri-urban areas where arable land is polluted. 3. Aquaponics
• Efficient resource consumption allows this • Aquaponics is a system that combines hydroponics
alternative farming technique to be adopted by a and aquaculture within a closed system.
variety of stakeholders. • There are three biological components in
• According to Food and Agricultural Organisation aquaponics process: fishes, plants & bacteria. The
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system represents a symbiotic relationship around a free electron. At atmospheric pressure, they
between plants and fishes; fish feces is used as are quite tiny, measuring around 2 nm in diameter.
fertilizer for plants, and plants clean water for fish. • A Single Electron Bubble (SEB) is formed when single
Advantages electron is injected into a superfluid form of helium. It
• Two agricultural products (fish and vegetables) are is a cavity that is devoid of helium atoms and contains
produced from one nitrogen source (fish food). just the electron. The form of the bubble is
Such a system prevents aquaculture waste from determined by the electron's energy state.
polluting nearby watersheds. • When the electron is in the ground state, for example,
• Aquaponics farming doesn’t involve pesticides or the bubble is spherical (i.e., state of lowest energy).
herbicides as these chemicals may kill fish. Here, Thousands of electrons are contained in many
fish feces are nutrient-rich fertilizer for plants. electron bubbles.
• Huge water savings (80-90℅ water savings). • The frictionless flow and other strange behaviour
seen in liquid helium at temperatures approaching
• An aquaponics system can be set on any scale. It
absolute zero (273.15 °C), as well as the frictionless
can be as small as an aquarium and as big as a
behaviour of electrons in a superconducting solid, is
greenhouse commercial farm.
known as superfluidity. The strange behaviour is
Drawbacks caused by quantum mechanical processes in each
• Supporting ideal environments for both plants and situation.
fishes make aquaponics a more complicated FEW-ELECTRON BUBBLES
endeavor than hydroponics.
• FEBs, on the other hand, are nanometre-sized cavities
• Not suitable for tuberous plants & root vegetables filled with just a few free electrons in liquid helium.
as they perform most of their growth within soil The physical and chemical characteristics of materials
and aquaponics uses water as a substitute for soil. are determined by the quantity, state, and
• In aquaponics, conditions where the system can interactions of free electrons.
fail are more; fish can die if they do not have right • FEBs are a fascinating system because they have both
conditions and plants are also susceptible to electron-electron and electron-surface interactions.
pathogens.
• Researchers discovered that FEBs are stable for at
SOIL-LESS FARMING OF TURMERIC least 15 milliseconds (quantum transitions generally
• Turmeric is grown in bags (large porous containers occur on much shorter time periods), allowing them
made of high-density polyethylene) packed with to be trapped and studied.
coco-peat (made from pith of coconut husk) IMPORTANCE
instead of soil, set in shade houses.
• FEBs may be used to investigate how the energy
• Turmeric grown by this technique has double levels of electrons and their interactions in a material
content of curcumin as compared to turmeric affect its characteristics.
grown by conventional methods.
• FEBs may assist scientists understand a variety of
• Curcumin is a bright yellow phenolic compound phenomena, including turbulent flows in superfluid’s
that has potential to fight cancer. Thus, there is a and viscous fluids, as well as the movement of heat in
demand for high curcumin turmeric by superfluid helium.
pharmaceutical companies.
• At extremely low temperatures, superfluid helium
transfers heat effectively in the same way that
►ELECTRON BUBBLES IN SUPERFLUID current flows without resistance in
superconducting materials.
HELIUM GAS
ELECTRON BUBBLE
• In a cryogenic gas or liquid, such as neon or helium,
an electron bubble is the empty space generated
146
SECTION-8
NSWER KEY
Q1. Which of the following is/are the application(s) of 2. Buprofezin is an insecticide which is toxic to the
the transparent ceramics? aquatic organisms.
1. Optical fibres Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
2. Infrared night vision (a) 1 only (b) 2 only
3. Thermal imaging (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only (b) 1 and 2 only Q4. Consider the following statements about
(c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 Aflatoxins:
1. They are produced by the fungi present in the
Q2. Which of the following statements are correct crops, such as maize.
about the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP)? 2. They are associated with stunted growth and
1. The Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) is a United delayed development in children.
Nations-backed public health organization. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
2. The MPP’s mandate is to accelerate access to (a) 1 only (b) 2 only
affordable quality treatments for the people living (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
with HIV, hepatitis C and tuberculosis.
3. COVID-19 treatments are included in the MPP’s Q5. Consider the following statements:
mandate. 1. The term “hypersonic” describes any speed faster
Select the correct answer using the code given below: than four times that of sound.
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only 2. Hypersonic cruise missiles are highly
(c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 manoeuvrable and they fly at lower altitudes,
making them more difficult to detect.
Q3. Consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
1. Tricyclazole is a fungicide used in rice. (a) 1 only (b) 2 only
147
MCQs & ANSWER KEY
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Q6. Which of the following statements is/are correct Q10. Consider the following pairs:
about Laser Communications Relay 1. TR-4 disease Sugarcane
Demonstration (LCRD)?
2. Karnal Bunt Rice
1. LCRD is a technology demonstration that will pave
3. Fall Armyworm Maize
the way for future optical communications
missions. 4. Pink Bollworm Cotton
2. LCRD can only undertake one way communication Which of the above diseases are correctly matched with
from space missions to ground stations. the crops affected by them?
Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) 3 and 4 only (d) 1 and 4 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Q11. Which of the following statements are correct?
Q7. Consider the following statements about Solar 1. The Gaganyaan Programme envisages
Panels: undertaking the demonstration of human
1. In hot climate, crystalline Silicon based solar spaceflight to the geostationary orbit.
modules degrade slower than in cold climates. 2. With the launch of the Gaganyaan Space Mission,
2. Roof mounted solar modules have lower India will become the fourth nation in the world to
degradation rate as compared to ground launch a human spaceflight mission, after the
mounted solar modules. USA, Russia and China.
3. Young solar modules have higher degradation Select the correct answer using the code given below:
rate as compared to old solar modules. (a) 1 only (b) 2 only
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
(a) 3 only (b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 2 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 Q12. ‘ICSI’, ‘ZIFT’ and ‘MESA’ are the technologies related
to which of the following?
Q8. Consider the following statements: (a) Space Exploration (b) Assisted
Reproduction
1. An antineutrino has no electric charge.
(c) Nanotechnology (d) Artificial
2. The Glashow resonance is a way to identify an
Intelligence
electron antineutrino.
3. IceCube Neutrino Observatory is buried under a
huge mass of Antarctic ice and is designed to Q13. Which of the following statements is correctly
detect ultra-high-energy (UHE) neutrinos from related to the 'Epoch of Reionization' in
outer space. cosmological history?
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) It is the age of the universe from which the cosmic
microwave background belongs.
(b) It is the age of the universe during which the
(c) 1 and 2 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
universe was rapidly expanding, just after the Big
Bang.
Q9. Consider the following statements about Prime
(c) It is the age of the universe during which the
Editing:
universe became opaque.
1. It is a targeted gene editing technique that can
(d) It is the age of the universe during which the first
focus on specific DNA sites.
stars and galaxies were formed.
2. It can facilitate gene editing without breaking both
strands of DNA.
Q14. With reference to the Border Gateway Protocol
3. It has reduced incidence of unwanted or random
(BGP), which of the following statements is/are
by-products of genome editing as compared to
correct?
CRISPR.
1. It is the Protocol that runs or makes the internet
Which of the statements given above are correct?
function.
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only
148
MCQs & ANSWER KEY
2. When the BGP fails, the internet routers are Q19. Consider the following statements about Small
unable to determine what to do, resulting in the Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV):
internet becoming unavailable. 1. The SSLV can carry satellites weighing up to 1000
Select the correct answer using the code given below: kg to a low earth orbit.
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only 2. SSLV is perfectly suited for launching multiple
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither1 nor 2 microsatellites at a time and supports multiple
orbital drop-offs.
Q15. With reference to the Linear No-Threshold (LNT) Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Model, which of the following statements is/are (a) 1 only (b) 2 only
correct? (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
1. It is a dose-response model used in radiation
protection. Q20. Consider the following statements about the
2. It is based on biological responses at high Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle
radiation doses and dose rates. (HSTDV) developed by DRDO:
Select the correct answer using the code given below: 1. HSTDV is not a weapon itself but and is being
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only developed as a carrier vehicle for hypersonic and
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 long-range cruise missiles.
2. HSTDV can cruise at a speed of Mach 8.
Q16. Consider the following statements about the 3. The HSTDV uses atmospheric oxygen for
monoclonal antibodies: propulsion.
1. They are artificially produced antibodies. Which of the statements given above are correct?
2. To produce the monoclonal antibodies, a culture (a) 1 and 3 only (b) 1 and 2 only
of cancer cells with B cells of an infected mouse is (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
fused to form hybridomas.
3. These antibodies can be used to treat cancer, Q21. With respect to “Pegasus”, consider the following
infectious diseases and COVID-19. statements:
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 1. It is a spyware tool developed by a Russian firm,
(a) 3 only (b) 1 and 3 only the NSO Group.
(c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 2. It is designed to enter a device, gather data and
then forward it to a third party, without the
Q17. Which of the following statements correctly consent of the user.
relates to the goal of the Psyche Mission of NASA? Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) It would allow studying of the core of the planets. (a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(b) It would allow the study of the presence of water (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
in other planets.
(c) It aims to find the traces of extra-terrestrial life. Q22. With respect to “Viruses”, consider the following
(d) It aims to study the blackholes and the dark statements:
matter. 1. Viruses are inert outside the host cell.
2. Viruses are able to generate energy.
Q18. Consider the following statements about the 3. The main purpose of a virus is to deliver its
Chimeric Antigen Receptor T (CAR-T) Cell Therapy: genome into the host cell to allow its expression
1. This cell therapy uses a person’s immune system by the host cell.
to fight cancer cells. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
2. CAR-T cell therapy can treat all forms of cancer. (a) 1 and 3 only (b) 1 and 2 only
3. CAR-T cells are found naturally. (c) 2 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 1 and 2 only Q23. Recently, IIT-Hyderabad has created India's first
(c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 AI-based employment portal for the persons with
a disability. What is it called?
149
MCQs & ANSWER KEY
(a) Nukarita (b) Shram Divyang 1. It is implemented by C-DAC, under the Ministry of
Portal Electronics and Information Technology.
(c) Divyangkari (d) Swarajability 2. Unique identification number, called ABHA
number, is provided to the persons.
Q24. Which of the following statements are correct 3. A registry has been created for the healthcare
regarding the Young Scientist Programme professionals and health facilities across India.
(YUVIKA)? Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
1. It is launched by ISRO for the Indian University (a) 2 and 3 only (b) 1 and 3 only
students. (c) 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
2. The programme's main goal is to teach the
students the fundamentals of space technology, Q29. Which of the following is/are the application(s) of
science and applications. Synthetic Biology?
3. It is planned that each state/UT picks 3 students to 1. Micro-organisms harnessed for bioremediation to
participate in this programme. clean pollutants from our water, soil and air.
Select the correct answer using the code given below: 2. Rice modified to produce beta-carotene.
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 1 and 3 only 3. Yeast engineered to produce rose oil, as an eco-
(c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 friendly and sustainable substitute for real roses
that the perfumers use to make luxury scents.
Q25. Consider the following statements: Select the correct answer using the code given below:
1. In adults, the red blood cells (RBCs) are generated (a) 1 only (b) 1 and 2 only
in the red bone marrow. (c) 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
2. Because of the presence of haemoglobin,
leucocytes are often referred to as the RBCs. Q30. Consider the following statements:
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 1. Gold Nano Particles show various useful
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only properties, like changing colour with changing size
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 of the particles.
2. Gold Nano Particles can enable the room
Q26. Which of the following statements is/are correct temperature catalyst to break down volatile
regarding the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty organic compound in the air.
(NPT)? Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
1. The Treaty is the only multilateral treaty that (a) 1 only (b) 2 only
contains a legally enforceable commitment to the (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
aim of nuclear disarmament by the nuclear-
weapon states. Q31. Consider the following statements:
2. India is one of the only 5 countries that either did 1. Microgravity is the condition in which the people
not sign or signed, but later withdrew from the or the objects appear to be weightless.
NPT. 2. Gravity becomes weaker with distance and it is
Select the correct answer using the code given below: possible for a spacecraft to go far enough from
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only the Earth that a person inside would feel very little
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 gravity.
Q27. Magic Pit, Constructed Wetland and TADOX are (a) 1 only (b) 2 only
the technologies related to which of the following? (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
(a) Wildlife conservation (b) Plastic waste
remediation Q32. Consider the following statements regarding the
(c) Fish farming (d) Wastewater LIDAR technology:
treatment 1. It is a remote sensing method that uses light in
the form of a pulsed laser to develop three-
Q28. Consider the following statements about the dimensional maps of the surface of the Earth.
Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission:
150
MCQs & ANSWER KEY
2. Satellites are the most commonly used platforms (a) 1 only (b) 2 only
for acquiring LIDAR data over broad areas. (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 2 and 3 only
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only Q37. Consider the following statements:
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 1. Waste materials, like livestock excreta, vegetable
waste, domestic waste, sewage waste; straw and
Q33. Consider the following statements: eradicated weeds are decomposed in pits as
1. Ingenuity is a small robotic solar-powered compost.
helicopter that landed on Jupiter. 2. Vermi-compost is prepared by using bacteria and
2. Ingenuity completed the world’s first powered fungi to hasten the process of decomposition of
extraterrestrial flight. plant and animal refuse.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 3. Sun hemp or guar is grown and then mulched into
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only green manure, which helps in enriching the soil in
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 nitrogen and phosphorus.
Q34. With reference to the Somatic Cell Nuclear (a) 3 only (b) 1 and 2 only
Transfer (SCNT), consider the following (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 2 and 3 only
statements:
1. The procedure involves implanting a donor Q38. ‘Xanthium’, ‘Parthenium’ and ‘Cyperinus rotundus’
nucleus from a somatic (body) cell into an are examples of which of the following?
enucleated oocyte (egg cell). (a) Biofertilizers (b) Herbicides
2. The most practical application of the SCNT is in (c) Viruses (d) Weeds
the reproductive cloning of farm animals that
have exceptional qualities, such as the ability to Q39. ‘Apis cerana indica’, ‘(A) dorsata’, ‘(A) florae’ and ‘(A)
produce large quantities of milk. mellifera’ are the varieties of which of the
3. The technique could also be used to revive extinct following?
species. (a) Mangroves
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (b) Bees
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) Primates
(c) 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 (d) Genetically modified variety of mustard
Q35. Which of the following reasons is/are correct Q40. With respect to “Black hole”, consider the
regarding Rainbow formation? following statements:
1. A rainbow is always formed in a direction same as 1. It is an object in the space that is so dense and
that of the Sun. has such strong gravity that no matter or light can
2. Refraction, reflection and dispersion play their escape its pull.
role in rainbow formation. 2. It can be observed with the telescopes that detect
Select the correct answer using the code given below: the X-rays, light, or other forms of electromagnetic
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only radiation.
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 3. It was predicted by Einstein's Theory of General
Relativity.
Q36. With respect to ‘Ribonucleic Acid (RNA)’, consider Which of the statements given above are correct?
the following statements: (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only
1. It is a linear molecule composed of 4 types of (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
smaller molecules, like adenine (A), cytosine (C),
guanine (G) and uracil (U). Q41. With respect to “Osmosis”, consider the following
2. It employs thymine as a nitrogenous base, in place statements:
of the uracil used in DNA. 1. It is the movement of a solvent across a semi-
3. Unlike DNA, RNA is usually single stranded. permeable membrane, towards a lower
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? concentration of solute.
151
MCQs & ANSWER KEY
2. Absorption of water by the plant roots is an Q46. With reference to sex determination in the human
example of osmosis. beings, consider the following statements:
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 1. All children inherit an X chromosome from their
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only mother, regardless of whether they are boys or
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 girls.
2. A child who inherits a Y chromosome from her
Q42. With respect to “Mitochondria”, consider the father will be a girl and the one who inherits an X
following statements: chromosome from him will be a boy.
1. The outer membrane of mitochondria is deeply Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
folded, while the inner membrane is porous. (a) 1 only (b) 2 only
2. They release adenosine triphopshate molecules (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
for chemical activities needed for life.
3. They have their own DNA and ribosomes. Q47. With respect to the “GSLV Mk-III”, consider the
Which of the statements given above are correct? following statements:
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only 1. It is a four-stage heavy-lift rocket with an
(c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 indigenous cryogenic engine.
2. It can carry the satellites weighing more than 4
Q43. Which of the following statements is/are correct tonnes to the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit
regarding nuclear fusion-based energy (GTO).
generation? 3. It was the designated launch vehicle for
1. It involves joining lighter nuclei to make a heavier Chandrayaan 2.
nucleus. Which of the statements given above are correct?
2. It releases a tremendous amount of energy, as the (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only
mass of the product is little more than the sum of (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
the masses of the original individual nuclei.
Select the correct answer using the code given below: Q48. Consider the following statements:
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only 1. Fly-bys are ‘gravity assist’ manoeuvres, which
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 enable the interplanetary ships to either gain or
lose momentum and modify their orbits around
Q44. Which of the following statements is/are correct? the Sun, without consuming large amounts of
fuel.
1. In a myopic eye, the image of a distant object is
formed in front of the retina. 2. BepiColombo uses them to brake, so that it falls
towards the inner solar system.
2. Presbyopia is the gradual loss of your eyes' ability
to focus on nearby objects. 3. A major focus for BepiColombo is water-ice
deposits inside the permanently shaded craters in
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Mercury’s Polar Regions.
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 2 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Q45. Which of the following reasons is/are correct
regarding the scattering of the sunlight?
Q49. With respect to the “Stem cells”, consider the
1. The longer the radiation travels through
following statements:
atmosphere, the lesser is the scattering.
1. Stem cells are basically undifferentiated, primitive
2. Blueish colour of the sky and reddish colour of the
cells.
Sun at sunrise and sunset is because of the
scattering. 2. These cells do not have the ability of self-renewal.
Select the correct answer using the code given below: 3. Embryonic stem cell can produce a clone of the
entire organism.
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
152
MCQs & ANSWER KEY
2. National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) works
Q50. Consider the following statements: towards a vision of ‘Dope Free’ sport in India.
1. The World Anti-Doping Agency annually updates Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
the List of Prohibited Substances and Methods. (a) 1 only (b) 2 only
ANSWER KEY
1. d 11. b 21. b 31. c 41. b
2. d 12. b 22. a 32. a 42. b
3. c 13. d 23. d 33. b 43. a
4. c 14. c 24. c 34. d 44. c
5. b 15. c 25. a 35. b 45. b
6. a 16. d 26. c 36. c 46. a
7. a 17. a 27. d 37. c 47. b
8. d 18. a 28. a 38. d 48. d
9. d 19. b 29. d 39. b 49. c
10. c 20. a 30. c 40. c 50. c
153

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CONTENTS

PREFACE OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 01  INDIAN REMOTE SENSING SATELLITE

SPACE TECHNOLOGY 03 OTHER REMOTE SENSING SATELLITES 10

 ROCKET PROPULSION 03 ►MICROSAT R 11

LAUNCH VEHICLES IN INDIA 04 ►HYSIS: HYSPECTRAL IMAGING SATELLITE 11

►VIKAS ENGINE 05 ►TUNDRA SATELLITE 12

►LOX METHANE ENGINE 06 ISRO’S SPACE EXPLORATION

SPEED TEST – 2 06 ►MANGALYAAN 14

 INSAT SERIES 06 ►CHANDRAYAAN 1 14

►LATEST COMMUNICATION SATELLITES 07 ►CHANG’E-5 LUNAR MISSION 15

►GSAT 31 07 ► GAGANYAAN MISSION 16

►GSAT 7A (MILITARY SATELLITE) 07 ►SUBORBITAL FLIGHT 16

►GSAT 11 07 ►SPACE DEBRIS 17

►HIGH-THROUGHPUT COMMUNICATION SATELLITES OF ►NEW SPACE INDIA LIMITED 18

►NEW FRONTIER’S PROGRAM 21 ►THE GIANT METERWAVE RADIO TELESCOPE 26

►NEW HORIZON 21 ►GEMINI TELESCOPE IN HAWAII 27

►DRAGONFLY 21 ►EVENT HORIZON TELESCOPE 27

►DISCOVERY PROGRAM 21 ►THIRTY METER TELESCOPE 27

►LUCY MISSION 21 ►DARK ENERGY SPECTROSCOPIC INSTRUMENT (DESI) 27

►DAVINCI 22 ►STARLINK INTER-NET CONSTELLATION 27

►IO VOLCANO OBSERVER 22 SPEED TEST – 3 27

►VERITAS 22 BASIC PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY 28

►FRANCE’S FIRST SPACE MILITARY EXERCISE: ASTERX ►INDIA’S NUCLEAR COMMERCE 50

Section-2 IAEA SAFEGUARD AGREEMENT AND INDIA 52

BASICS 44 WASSEGNAR ARRANGEMENT 53

►EARTH BIO-GENOME PROJECT 65 ►VACCINE AND ITS TYPES 83

►IN-VITRO FERTILIZATION AND FROZEN EMBRYOS 65 ►VACCINES - HOW IT WORKS? 84

►DESIGNER BABIES 66 ►m-RNA VACCINE 84

►FIRST GENE-EDITED BABIES 66 SPEED TEST – 3: SOLUTION 84

►MULTI-LAYERED AIR DEFENCE SYSTEM FOR DELHI 91 ►US-2 AMPHIBIOUS AIRCRAFT 95

►NASAMS-2 91 IMPORTANT HELICOPTERS 95

►ARTILLERY WEAPON SYSTEM OF ►DHRUV 95

INDIA SIGNIFICANCE 92 ►CHINOOK 96

►INFANTRY WEAPON SYSTEM OF ►TREATIES GOVERNING OUTER SPACE 97

SUBMARINE ARM OF INDIA 93 ►INFORMATION FUSION CENTRE-IOR 101

►BOLD-QIT (BORDER ELECTRONICALLY DOMINATED QRT

Section-6 ►PINK BOLLWORM 112

GENETIC DISEASES 110 ►MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES 117

►SICKLE CELL ANAEMIA 110 ►ENVIRONMENTAL DNA (EDNA) 117

►THALASSAEMIAS 110 ►ALLOGRAFT 117

►HAEMOPHILIA 110 ►TRANS FAT LEVELS IN FOODS 118

►TURNER'S SYNDROME 110 HEALTH RELATED PARTNERSHIPS

►NATIONAL PHARMACEUTICAL PRICING AUTHORITY 119 ►SPINNAKER SUPERCOMPUTER 136

►‘STANDING COMMITTEE ON AFFORDABLE MEDICINES ►SHAKTI PROCESSOR PROGRAM 136

Information technology ►NET NEUTRALITY 138

121 ►DIGITAL QUALITY OF LIFE INDEX, 2020 138

understanding of scientific developments.

Hope the book helps you achieve your dreams.

All the best!!!

Rau’s IAS Study Circle

1. Recombinant Vector Vaccine 1. Carbon Nanotubes 1. LTE vs VoLTE

2. Bollgard I and II - BT cotton 2. Drone technology 2. Augmented Reality vs Virtual reality

3. Pressure Cooker 3. Evolved - LISA 3. Denisovan

4. Water properties - Dipolar 4. Gene editing 4. DNA technology

5. ACE2 5. Pneumococcal Vaccine 5. Digital signature

6. Bisphenol 6. Plant vs Human cells 6. Wearable technology

7. Astronomical distances in 7. Pronuclear

8. Bacteria , Virus and Fungi -

9. “Visible Light 9. multi-drug resistance in microbial