Science and Technology Current Affairs

Science and Technology, Important Development for Competitive Exams. 

NASA Postponed Artemis Moon Missions, which aims to send humans to the moon.

  • NASA has postponed its plans for the Artemis program, which aims to send humans to the moon.
  • The Artemis III mission, intended to land four astronauts near the lunar south pole, will be delayed until September 2026.
  • Artemis II, a 10-day mission to send a crew around the moon to test life support systems, will also be pushed back to September 2025.
  • NASA cited development challenges associated with the program as the reason for the delays.
  • The Artemis III mission aims to have astronauts walking on the lunar surface for the first time in half a century.
  • The postponement was announced shortly after a Pittsburgh company abandoned its attempt to land a spacecraft on the moon due to a mission-ending fuel leak.
  • The Astrobotic Technology’s Peregrine lander, launched as part of NASA’s commercial lunar program, was supposed to serve as a scout for astronauts.

Q: What is the primary goal of NASA’s Artemis program?

a. Sending humans to Mars
b. Sending humans back to the moon
c. Exploring asteroids
d. Establishing a space station on Mars

Ans : b. Sending humans to the moon

NASA Postponed Artemis Moon Missions, which aims to send humans to the moon. Read More »

ISRO’s Aditya-L1 successfully placed in a halo orbit around L1 point  

  • ISRO successfully placed the Aditya L1 satellite into its final orbit around the Lagrangian point on January 6, 2024.
  • The Halo orbit around the L1 point is considered a challenging task, and ISRO used a meticulous approach, employing the motor and thrusters from the Ground Command Centre, located approximately 1.5 million km away.
  • The propulsion system of Aditya L1 includes a 440 Newton Liquid Apogee Motor, eight 22 Newton thrusters, and four 10 Newton thrusters, which were intermittently fired to position the spacecraft at the L1 point.
  • Aditya L1 is India’s first solar mission designed to observe and study the Sun’s Corona, exploring its extreme heat and its impact on Earth.
  • The Lagrangian Point (L1) is where gravitational forces between the Earth and the Sun achieve equilibrium, allowing observation of the Sun without the hindrance of an eclipse.
  • Aditya L1, launched from Sriharikota, underwent four Earth-bound maneuvers and a Trans Lagrangian Point Insertion maneuver as part of its mission.

Q: What is the Lagrangian Point (L1) ?

a. A point where two spacecraft collide
b. A point where gravitational forces reach equilibrium between Earth and the Moon
c. A point where gravitational forces reach equilibrium between Earth and the Sun
d. A point in space where there is no gravitational force

Ans : c. A point where gravitational forces reach equilibrium between Earth and the Sun

ISRO’s Aditya-L1 successfully placed in a halo orbit around L1 point   Read More »

ISRO launched XPOSAT aboard PSLV-C58 from Sriharikota

  • ISRO launched X-ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat) on January 1, 2024, aboard Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV-C58 from Sriharikota.
  • This marks India’s first dedicated scientific effort to study the polarization of cosmic X-rays from celestial sources.
  • PSLV-C58 also launched ten other scientific payloads along with XPoSat.
  • The launch involved PSLV-DL, placing XPoSat and other payloads in orbit at an altitude of about 650 km.
  • Objectives include measuring polarization of X-rays in a specific energy band, conducting long-term spectral and temporal studies of cosmic X-ray sources, and measuring X-ray emissions from cosmic sources in specific payloads.
  • After orbiting XPoSat at 650 km, the rocket’s fourth stage will be lowered to 350 km through two restarts, creating a 9.6-degree orbit.
  • The leftover propellant in the PS4 will be disposed of through main engines, contributing to the safety of PS4 stage in planned atmosphere re-entry experiments in the future.

Q: What is the primary objective of the X-ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat) launched by ISRO?

a. Studying atmospheric conditions
b. Analyzing polarisation of cosmic X-rays
c. Monitoring space debris
d. Examining lunar surface features

Ans : b. Analyzing polarisation of cosmic X-rays

ISRO launched XPOSAT aboard PSLV-C58 from Sriharikota Read More »

ISRO plans to launch 50 satellites in the next five years for geo-intelligence gathering

  1. ISRO plans to launch 50 satellites in the next five years for geo-intelligence gathering.
  2. The satellite deployment includes creating a layer in different orbits with the ability to track troop movements and image vast areas.
  3. ISRO Chairman S Somanath emphasizes the need for a satellite fleet size ten times larger than the current one for India to achieve its aspiration of becoming a strong nation.
  4. Somanath highlights the importance of enhancing satellite capabilities to detect changes and advocates for an AI-related and data-driven approach to data analysis.
  5. The goal is to reduce data downloads and obtain only necessary information for efficient satellite operations.

Q: What is the primary objective of ISRO’s plan to launch 50 satellites in the next five years?

  • A. Weather monitoring
  • B. Geo-intelligence gathering
  • C. Communication enhancement
  • D. Deep space exploration

Ans : B. Geo-intelligence gathering

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Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence Summit in New Delhi on December 12th and 13th, 2023

The Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence Summit took place in New Delhi on December 12th and 13th, 2023. Representatives from 28 member countries and the European Union attended the summit, which aimed to discuss the challenges and opportunities of AI and promote the development of responsible AI.

During the summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized “extreme caution” and addressed the challenges posed by the darker aspects of AI. Day one discussions included panel discussions on AI applications in priority sectors, responsible AI working groups, and ‘AI and Global Health: Role of AI In Advancing Healthcare.’

Q: Where was the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence Summit held in December 2023?

  • A) Beijing
  • B) New Delhi
  • C) Geneva
  • D) Washington, D.C.

B) New Delhi

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ISRO Moves Chandrayaan Orbiter from Moon to Earth Orbit

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully shifted the Chandrayaan orbiter, also known as the Propulsion Module, from the Moon to Earth.

Previously, ISRO accomplished the historic touchdown of the Vikram lander and the deployment of the Pragyan rover on the lunar surface near the south pole on August 23rd, 2023.

After more than one month of operations in lunar orbit, the Propulsion Module had over 100 kgs of fuel. ISRO decided to utilize the remaining fuel to gather additional information for future lunar missions.

The Propulsion Module was successfully maneuvered to an orbit around Earth. The SHAPE payload on the module will now be utilized for Earth observation.

Q: What historic achievement did ISRO accomplish on August 23rd related to Chandrayaan?

  • a) Successful return to Earth
  • b) Deployment of Pragyan rover
  • c) Historic touchdown of Vikram lander
  • d) Earth observation mission

Ans : c) Historic touchdown of Vikram lander

ISRO Moves Chandrayaan Orbiter from Moon to Earth Orbit Read More »

Sam Altman returns as the Chief Executive of OpenAI

  1. Sam Altman has been reinstated as the chief executive of OpenAI on November 22.
  2. Altman was initially sacked by the organization’s board of directors, but an “agreement in principle” was reached for his return.
  3. As part of the deal, OpenAI’s board of directors will be overhauled, with all members involved in Altman’s ouster being removed, except Adam D’Angelo, CEO of Quora.
  4. The situation created chaos in the tech world for almost a week.

Q.: Who was recently reinstated as the chief executive of OpenAI?

  • a) Elon Musk
  • b) Sam Altman
  • c) Adam D’Angelo
  • d) Mark Zuckerberg

Ans : b) Sam Altman

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Former chief of OpenAI Sam Altman joins Microsoft to lead a new advanced AI research team

Sam Altman, former chief of OpenAI, will lead a new advanced AI research team at Microsoft, according to an announcement by Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella on November 20, 2023.

Altman, along with OpenAI co-founder and former president Greg Brockman, will be part of the team leading the new advanced AI research efforts at Microsoft.

OpenAI had recently appointed Emmett Shear as the new CEO, replacing Altman, following investor concerns about Altman’s leadership abilities at the AI firm.

Q.: Who will lead the new advanced AI research team at Microsoft?

  • A. Greg Brockman
  • B. Emmett Shear
  • C. Sam Altman
  • D. Satya Nadella

Ans : C. Sam Altman

Q.: Who is the new CEO of OpenAI, succeeding Sam Altman?

  • A. Greg Brockman
  • B. Satya Nadella
  • C. Emmett Shear
  • D. Satya Nadella

Ans : C. Emmett Shear

Former chief of OpenAI Sam Altman joins Microsoft to lead a new advanced AI research team Read More »

“AI Safety Summit 2023”, world’s first Artificial Intelligence Safety Summit, held in Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom

The “AI Safety Summit 2023” is the world’s first Artificial Intelligence Safety Summit, held in Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom. Union Minister of State for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and Electronics & IT, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, addressed the inaugural plenary session of the summit on September 1, 2023.

  1. The objectives of the two-day summit include deliberating the risks associated with AI, especially at its cutting edge, and exploring strategies for risk mitigation through global coordination.
  2. The summit has brought together participants from various countries, including governments, prominent AI corporations, civil society organizations, and research experts.
  3. Dignitaries and leaders attending the summit include European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and representatives from influential AI companies like Anthropic, Google’s DeepMind, and OpenAI.
  4. Renowned computer scientists, including Yoshua Bengio, one of the pioneers of AI, are also participating in the event.

Q.: Where was the “AI Safety Summit 2023,” the world’s first Artificial Intelligence Safety Summit, held in November 2023?

A) New Delhi, India
B) Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom
C) London, United Kingdom
D) Silicon Valley, USA

Ans : B) Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom

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India Launches First Home-Produced Reference Fuel for for developing engines and assessing their performance.

Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri launched India’s first home-produced Reference Fuel in New Delhi on October 26, 2023. It’s used for developing engines and assessing their performance.

  1. The Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) developed these higher-specification reference fuels to replace imports and ensure a reliable supply at a lower cost.
  2. Indian Oil’s Paradip and Panipat refineries will produce the reference fuel.
  3. These fuels are used for calibration and testing of vehicles by automobile manufacturers and testing agencies like the International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT) and the Automotive Research Association of India.
  4. India’s self-reliance strategy aims to end the country’s reliance on imports in the energy sector.
  5. This marks the first time India has ventured into the production of reference gasoline and diesel fuels, reducing import dependency.
  6. The move is a significant step toward achieving India’s goal of energy self-reliance, reducing the carbon footprint, and having a cost advantage by ending imports.

MCQs on Reference Fuel

Q.: What is the primary purpose of Reference Fuel?

a) Fuel for vehicles
b) Fuel for household use
c) Developing engines and assessing their performance
d) An alternative to conventional fuels

Ans : c) Developing engines and assessing their performance

Q.: Which organization developed the Reference Fuel to replace imports?

a) Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)
b) Indian Oil Corporation (IOC)
c) Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI)
d) International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT)

Ans : b) Indian Oil Corporation (IOC)

India Launches First Home-Produced Reference Fuel for for developing engines and assessing their performance. Read More »

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