ISRO launches India's heaviest satellite using launch vehicle GSLV Mark III D1

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on 5 June 2017 successfully launched the communication satellite GSAT-19 into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). The communication satellite was lifted by an indigenously developed launch vehicle named Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mk- III) D-1 from the second launch pad of the spaceport at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota at 5.28 pm.

The GSLV Mk-III is referred as FAT Boy of ISRO or India is ISRO’s its most powerful rocket. The countdown to ISRO's historic launch of GSLV Mark III D-1 was started on 4 June 2017 at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.

In a further advance of its space programme with this successful launch, India has managed to win a bigger share of the $300 billion global space industry.

This is the first ever developmental flight for the 4-ton class vehicle, powered by the indigenous cryogenic upper stage of 20 tonnes thrust. In this test flight, the ISRO's most powerful ever rocket is set to carry the satellite of 3136 kg lift off mass into space, the heaviest ever to be launched from Indian soil.

GSLV Mark III

GSLV Mark III has double the capacity of its predecessor GSLV Mark II in terms of its payload carrying capacity. Its first stage is made of two straps on motors filled with solid fuel.

The second and core stage is fueled by liquid propellants. The most crucial cryogenic engine at its upper stage provides a heavy thrust of 20 tonne to give the mammoth rocket the edge to take heavier payloads such as 4-ton class communication satellites to geosynchronous transfer orbits.

At 3136 kgs (6914 lb) the GSAT-19 satellite will be the heaviest India has attempted to put in orbit, the space agency said. The United States, Russia, China, Japan and European Space Agency have launched satellites weighing over three tonne.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has been promoting the home-grown space programme as a demonstration of low-cost technology and in February it launched 104 satellites in a single mission, most of them for foreign customers.

With this launch, ISRO hopes that the launch will help it in attracting more foreign business in the heavier segment of the satellite business.

GSAT – 19

GSAT-19 satellite with a lift-off mass of 3136 kg is the communication satellite of India, configured around the ISRO’s standard I-3K bus. The satellite carries Ka/Ku-band high throughput communication transponders.

Besides, it carries a Geostationary Radiation Spectrometer (GRASP) payload to monitor and study the nature of charged particles and the influence of space radiation on satellites and their electronic components.

GSAT-19 also features certain advanced spacecraft technologies including miniaturised heat pipe, fibre optic gyro, Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) accelerometer, Ku-band TTC transponder, as well an indigenous Lithium-ion Battery.

Important Fact: GSAT-19 was powered by indigenously-made Lithium-ion batteries. This was the first time when ISRO has powered a satellite for the first time with Lithium-ion batteries. Similar batteries will be used in future to power electric vehicles like cars and buses.

International Day for Biological Diversity celebrated worldwide

22 May: International Day for Biological Diversity The International Day for Biological Diversity was celebrated globally on 22 May 2017 with the theme “Biodiversity and Sustainable Tourism”.

The theme was chosen as it coincides with the observance of2017, which is the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, and also to contribute to ongoing initiatives like the Sustainable Tourism Programme.

Significance

The observance of the day aims to raise awareness of the important contribution of sustainable tourism to economic growth as well as to the conservation of biodiversity. While the diversity in species, ecosystems and landscapes plays a huge role in attracting tourism and promoting economic growth, a well-structured tourism sector can help reduce threats to wildlife population and in turn maintain and increase the biodiversity through the revenue obtained from tourism.

Background

• Though there is a growing recognition that biological diversity is a global asset of tremendous value to present and future generations, the threat to species and ecosystems continues at an alarming rate due to certain human activities.
• The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) convened the Ad Hoc Working Group of Experts on Biological Diversity in November 1988 to explore the need for an international on Biological Diversity
• In May 1989, the Ad Hoc Working Group of Technical and Legal Experts was established to prepare an international legal instrument for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.
• The group’s work culminated on 22 May 1992 with the Nairobi Conference for the Adoption of the Agreed Text of the Convention on Biological Diversity. • The Convention entered into force on 29 December 1993. It represents a dramatic step forward in the conservation of biological diversity, sustainable use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources.
• Given the importance of public education and awareness for the implementation of the Convention, the General Assembly proclaimed 22 May, the date of the adoption of its text, as the International Day for Biological Diversity.

India to host Call To Action Summit 2015

India to host Call To Action Summit 2015

India will be hosting the 'Call to Action' Summit on 27th and 28th this month in Delhi aiming to end maternal and child mortality. 

This summit will have the participation of 24 nations.UNICEF, UNDP, WHO , Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Tata Trusts are partners in this summit. (PT)

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PM Modi addresses 2nd FIPIC Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured Pacific Island nations of full Indian support at various International Forums.

He was speaking in his opening remarks at the 2nd Summit of Forum for India-Pacific Island Countries in Jaipur this evening. Prime Minister also said there is huge potential for cooperation in Ocean economy.  Prime Minister Narendra Modi also said that the centre of gravity of global challenges and opportunities is shifting to the Indo-Pacific region. The PM exhorted these island nations to become partners of India in various fields beyond fisheries, and to work together for a separate goal on climate change. Prior to the Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral meetings on friday afternoon with Prime Minister of Fiji Josaia V. Bainimarama, Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea Peter O' Neill, Prime Minister of Vanuatu Sato Kilman, and President of Nauru, Baron Divavesi Waqa. All the above-mentioned dignitaries expressed strong support for UN reforms and India's candidature for the permanent membership of a reformed UN Security Council. www.harekrsnaimpex.com

Greece Crisis : IAS Prelims Diary 20151301 : Greek PM resigns and calls for snap polls

21 aug 2015 : Greece Crisis

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has submitted his resignation and that of his cabinet to President Prokopis Pavlopoulos, and asked that elections be held on the soonest possible date. Following Alexis Tsipras' address to the nation, government sources say snap poll likely to be held on September 20. "The present parliament cannot offer a government of majority or a national unity government," Tsipras told Pavlopoulos during a meeting on Thursday night.

The resignation comes after a divide within the governing left-wing party over the terms of the country's latest bailout.Panos Skourletis, energy and environment minister, said there were two reasons for snap polls, which come just seven months after the government came to power.

The first is that dozens of Tsipras' governing left-wing Syriza party legislators voted against the government on the bailout deal.The government "has lost its majority [in parliament] - one can't avoid this," Skourletis said.The other reason was that Syriza is part of a government that needs to implement a programme that is different to that which it was elected for, the minister said.

Policy U-turn

Tsipras and his coalition government made a major U-turn in policy by accepting stringent budget austerity conditions that creditors had demanded in exchange for the $96bn, three-year bailout programme.Tsipras and his Syriza party came to power in January promising to scrap such spending cuts and tax hikes

One Minute Greek Debt Crisis

He has since said that accepting the terms was the only way to ensure his country remains in the eurozone, which opinion polls have shown the vast majority of his population wants. A parliamentary vote to approve the bailout conditions last week led to dozens of Syriza legislators voting against him, accusing him of capitulating to unreasonable demands that will plunge the Greek economy further into recession.

The planned election could help increase support in Greece for the bailout programme, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker's chief-of-staff said. "Swift elections in Greece can be a way to broaden support for ESM stability support programme just signed by PM Tsipras on behalf of Greece," Martin Selmayr said on Twitter.


Renowned economist Joseph Stiglitz says Europe needs to keep supporting Greece.
Speaking to Al Jazeera in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa Stiglitz said that it is in the self-interest of Eurozone and Europe to help Greece.

"Almost all the money, 90 percent of the money, that allegedly went to Greece did not go to Greece. It went to German and French banks and to the creditors," the Nobel Laureate said.

PM Narendra Modi launched a new campaign Start-up India, Stand up India

The Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 15 August 2015 launched a new campaign Start-up India, Stand up India to promote bank financing for start-ups and offer incentives to boost entrepreneurship and job creation.

The campaign was launched during the celebrations of 69th Independence Day at Red Fort, Delhi. The initiative is aimed at encouraging entrepreneurship among the youth of India. As per the initiative, each of the 1.25 lakh bank branches should encourage at least one Dalit or tribal entrepreneur and at least one woman entrepreneur.Under this initiative, in addition to existing systems to facilitate start-ups, loans would also be given to help people. This initiative will give a new dimension to entrepreneurship and will help set up a network of start-ups in the country.


Other Announcements

• Union Agriculture Ministry will now be renamed as Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Ministry with a view to take care of the farming community’s needs as well as the personal problems faced by them.

• The Prime Minister also announced to replace the current practice of interview-based selections for low-skilled government jobs with online merit based recruiting.

• Under the Skill India and Digital India initiative, government will now work to provide package of incentives to manufacturing units for generating jobs.

Bangladesh became first country to receive funds from UN for Solar Home Systems

Bangladesh on 20 August 2015 became the first country to receive funds from the United Nations (UN) for its fast growing solar home systems. The UN Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC) issued 395286 carbon credits worth 3.56 million US Dollar to two Bangladeshi organisations.

Infrastructure Development Company Ltd (IDCOL) and Grameen Shakti are the two organisations that won the carbon credits. The UNFCCC has issued 212482 carbon credits to the IDCOL and 182804 credits to Grameen Shakti.

The IDCOL is a state-owned development financial institution dedicated to promote and finance infrastructure and renewable energy projects, while Grameen Shakti, set up by Nobel Laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus, aims to take clean solar power systems and communication technology to villages.

Solar home systems of Bangladesh
Supported by various international organisations like the World Bank and Global Environment Facility (GEF), Bangladesh has installed around 6 million small solar home systems covering over 10 percent of its 160 million population.

Being one of the lowest carbon emitters and one of the most climate-change vulnerable countries, Bangladesh has emerged as one of fastest growing solar energy users with rural households using renewable energy for lighting, running fans and TVs and charging mobile phones.

Solar home systems are helping Bangladesh cut carbon emissions by reducing use of kerosene in rural areas.