Space Current Affairs
PSLV Launched 8 Satellites into Two Different Orbits
• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)’s PSLV C-35 rocket launched a total of eight satellites, into two different orbits on September 26, 2016.
• The rocket placed two satellites from two educational institutions (PISAT and PRATHAM), three commercial payloads from Algeria (ALSAT-1B, 2B and IN) and one each for Canada (NLS-19) and the USA (Pathfinder-1).
• The 10 kg PRATHAM by IIT-Bombay intends to estimate the total electron count with a.resolution of 1 kmxl Km location grid and PISAT (5.25 kg) from PES University in Bengaluru intends to explore remote sensing applications.
• Algeria’s ALSAT-1B is an earth observation satellite (103 kg), ALSAT-2B a remote sensing satellite (117 kg) and ALSAT-1N (7 kg) a technology demonstrator. Canada’s NLS-19 is a technology demonstration micro satellite (8 kg) and Pathfinder-1 is a commercial high resolution imaging micro satellite (44 kg).
Tiangong-2 Space Lab Launched Successfully
• The Tiangong-2 space lab was successfully launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in North-western China’s Gobi desert on September 15, 2016.
• The 8.6 tonne space lab will manoeuvre itself into an orbit about 380 km above the Earth for initial on-orbit tests.
• Tiangong-2, meaning ‘Heavenly Palace’ in Chinese, is the second space lab launched by China in its ongoing plan to develop its own space station.
ISRO Successfully Launched Weather Satellite INSAT-3DR
• India’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV), equipped with the indigenous Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUSJ, successfully launched the country’s weather satellite INSAT-3DR, into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) on September 7, 2016.
• In its oval shaped GTO, the INSAT-3DR satellite is now orbiting the Earth with a perigee (nearest point to Earth) of 169.76 km and an apogee (farthest point to Earth) of 36080.5 km with an orbital inclination of 20.62° with respect to the equator.
• This was the first operational flight of GSLV equipped with CUS and the fourth to carry the indigenous CUS. This GSLV flight was the third consecutive success achieved by GSLV carrying indigenous CUS and the 2211 kg INSAT-3DR is the heaviest satellite to be launched from the Indian soil.
• INSAT-3DR has a Data Relay Transponder as well as a Search and Rescue Transponder to assist search and rescue operations of security agencies including all defence forces, the Coast Guard, and in shipping.
HEALTH & NUTRITION CURRENT AFFAIRS
Americas Region became World’s First Region from Free of Measles
• Measles has been eradicated from the Americas after decades of vaccination efforts, making it the first region of the world to rid itself of the highly contagious disease on September 28, 2016.
• Measles remains a top killer of children worldwide, and took nearly 115000 lives in 2014 or about 13 deaths every hour . according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
• Measles is now the fifth vaccine-preventable disease to be eliminated in the Americas; after smallpox, polio, rubella and congenital rubella syndrome, according to a statement from the Pan American Health Organisation.
• The end of endemic transmission means the virus is no longer commonly spread locally, ‘ although imported cases may still lead to isolated outbreaks.
• Measles is a highly contagious virus that lives in the nose and throat of an infected person, and can linger in the air for hours. Symptoms include white bumps inside the cheeks, fever, runny nose, and cough.
