China Launched Retrievable Satellite
- China successfully launched a bullet-shaped retrievable satellite SJ-10 (Shijian-10) on April 6, 2016. This satellite was launched aboard long March 2-D rocket from the North-West part of China i.e., Gobi desert.
- SJ-10 is launched by Chinese academy of Sciences (CAS) with the aim to help scientists in their study of microgravity and space life science.
ISRO-NASA to Launch Satellite to Study Earthquakes
- ISRO and NASA decided to join hands on April 5, 2016 to launch a satellite that will help study earthquakes and its patterns. The satellite is called NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR).
- It help in measurements of some of Earth’s most complex processes like ecosystem disturbances, melting ice sheets, earthquakes, tsunamies, volcanoes and landslides. It will also monitor landslides, estimate biomass and look for sea level changes.
New Planet with Triple Star System Discovered
- The scientists have discovered a triple star system with a gas giant planet (KELT-4Ab) similar in size to Jupiter. It was found that a binary system once thought to be a single star was actually a pair of stars orbiting one another and are part of the triple star system.
- The main star is brighter than the other stars that serve as Suns for their planets and making it easier to study both the start and the planet.
- In the new system KELT-4Ab, a gas giant planet takes approximately three days to make its way around the start KELT-A which serves as its Sun and other two stars, named KELT-B and C, are much further away and orbit one another approximately 30 years.
Defence & Security Current Affairs
ADMM Plus Exercise on Maritime Security
- Indian Naval Ship (INS) Airavat participated in the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting Plus t ADMM Plus) Exercise on Maritime Security and Counter Terrorism (Ex MS & CT) in Brunei which was held from May 1 to 9, 2016.
- ADMM Plus Ex MS & CT is a multinational exercise under the aegis of ADMM Plus consortium. The current edition will commence at Brunei and culminate at Singapore, with various drills and exercises in the South China Sea.
- INS-Airavat, commanded by Commander JayantMahadik, is a Landing Ship Tank (Large), indigenously designed and built at GRSE, Kolkata.
India’s First New Conventional Submarine began Trial
- India’s first new conventional submarine in 16 years, Kalvari, has finally begun its sea trials-off Mumbai on May 1, 2016.
- Kalvari is Indian Navy’s first indigenousScorpene-class stealth submarine. Kalvari is the first of the India’s six Scorpene-class submarines being built under the much-delayed Project 75.
- The vessels are being built by Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) in collaboration with French company DCNS.
Indian Naval Ships Veer, Nipat Decommissioned
- Indian Naval Ships Veer and Nipat, serving under the 22nd Killer Missile Vessel Squadron, decommissioned in Mumbai on April 28, 2106. These ships are the first of Veer Class of ships to be decommissioned from the Indian Navy.
- Both the ships, are 1241 RE class missile vessels, and have completed 29 and 28 years of commissioned service respectively.
- The ships have been deployed off Gujarat coast and Indian Navy set-up a new naval detachment at Androth j islands of Lakshadweep as part of measures to enhance surveillance of crucial shipping lanes on April 27, 2016.
- This facility will function as an observance and reporting organisation, provide connectivity with mainland and improve the Navy’s reach and surveillance, and contribute significantly to strengthen maritime security and stability.
- Earlier, the naval detachment at Kavaratti was specially made as a naval establishment, INS-Dweeprakshak, j in 2012.
Thank you for giving the advice. It’ll help me bunch.