NASA to launch ‘Mars mission’ on Blue Origin’s New Glenn
Jeff Bezos-led Blue Origin scored a big contract from the American space agency, Nasa, to launch a mission to Mars.
Jeff Bezos-led Blue Origin scored a big contract from the American space agency, Nasa, to launch a mission to Mars. The private space company was given its first interplanetary NASA contract to launch the mission to study the magnetic field around the Red Planet. The expected launch date for the mission is 2024.
Blue Origin’s New Glenn heavy-lift rocket:
The mission, dubbed the dual-spacecraft ESCAPADE, will be launched next year on Blue Origin’s recently developed New Glenn heavy-lift rocket. The mission will lift off in late 2024 from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The mission is part of Nasa’s Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration (SIMPLEx) program.
New Glenn, with a reusable first stage designed to be flown on at least 25 missions, is named for pioneering NASA astronaut John Glenn, who became the first American to orbit Earth in 1962. Blue Origin has flown previous NASA missions with its smaller, suborbital New Shepard rocket, which can carry research payloads on short, microgravity trips to the edge of space and back.
About The ESCAPADE:
ESCAPADE is a twin-spacecraft Class D mission that will study solar wind energy transfer through Mars’ unique hybrid magnetosphere. “Blue Origin was on-ramped to the NASA VADR launch services Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract on January 26, 2022, with a five-year period of performance,” the Bezos-led company said in a statement.
It will take the identical twin ESCAPADEs, short for Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers, about 11 months to reach Mars orbit.
Quad Nations begins Public Campaign To Improve Cyber Security
Public Campaign to Improve Cyber Security by Quad Nations: The commencement of a public campaign to strengthen cyber security in these four countries has been announced by The Quad.
Public Campaign to Improve Cyber Security by Quad Nations
The commencement of a public campaign to strengthen cyber security in these four countries has been announced by The Quad, a plurilateral structure made up of India, Australia, Japan, and the US.
Public Campaign to Improve Cyber Security by Quad Nations: Key Points
Internet users are encouraged to join the challenge and make a commitment to adopt safe and responsible online behaviours, according to the National Security Council Secretariat.
The programme is a reflection of the Quad’s ongoing efforts to increase cyber security action and awareness as well as to promote a more secure and robust cyber ecosystem for the benefit of economies and consumers worldwide.
Cybercrime and other hostile cyber threats, which can cost trillions of dollars annually and compromise sensitive, personal data, target Internet users all over the world.
Internet users and service providers can take small steps to significantly improve cybersecurity and cyber safety.
Pakistani PM approves IMF deal, Geo reports, without giving details
What is all there is in the Quad Nations Public Campaign?
● The recommendations include regularly updating security software, activating multi-factor authentication for better identity checks, using stronger passphrases that change frequently, and being aware of typical online frauds like phishing.
● The Quad Cyber Challenge offers resources for all users, from corporations to educational institutions, small businesses, and individuals, and will culminate in events during the week of April 10.
● These resources include fundamental cybersecurity knowledge and training.
● The Quad partners are striving to guarantee that everyone has access to the information required to make wise decisions when using the internet and mobile devices.
● Find out what you and your organisation can do to promote a more secure, resilient, and safe online environment so that the entire world is better protected from online dangers.
● This effort is being coordinated in India by the National Security Council Secretariat and the office of National Cyber Security Coordinator.
World Pulses Day 2023 is Observed On 10 February
World Pulses Day 2023: World Pulses Day is celebrated on February 10 with an aim to spread awareness about the nutritional and environmental benefits of pulses.
World Pulses Day 2023
Every year World Pulses Day is celebrated on February 10 with an aim to spread awareness about the nutritional and environmental benefits of pulses as part of sustainable food production. In 2019, the UN General Assembly dedicated a day to Pulses to increase awareness and access to pulses globally. Pulses also known as legumes, are considered as global foods, and are produced in almost every country.
World Pulses Day 2023: Theme
‘Pulses for a Sustainable Future’ as the theme for the 2023 celebration. This year’s celebration will highlight the contribution of pulses towards improving soil productivity, increasing the resilience of farming systems, providing a better life for farmers in water-scarce environments, and more. Since pulses have a low water footprint and can better tolerate drought and climate-related disasters, they are imperative to sustainable food production.
World Pulses Day 2023: Significance
Pulses hold significant importance for farmers as a crop because they can both sell and consume them. Pulses are also easy to grow and require less water to flourish. They can better tolerate drought and climate-related disasters, providing security and economic stability to the farmers. The nitrogen-fixing properties of pulses improve soil fertility and increase the productivity of the farmland. Thus, the celebration of World Pulses Day is important to spread awareness about the importance of pulses and their adoption across the world.
World Pulses Day: History
The UN General Assembly recognised the value of pulses in 2013 and adopted the year 2016 as the International Year of Pulses (IYP). The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the UN increased public awareness of the nourishing and environmental benefits of pulses. As the International Year of Pulses concluded, Burkina Faso, a landlocked country in West Africa, proposed the observance of World Pulses Day. Finally, in 2019, the UN General Assembly dedicated February 10 as World Pulses Day.
ISRO’s new rocket SSLV-D2 launched from Satish Dhawan space centre at Sriharikota
ISRO successfully launched the second edition of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV-D2) from the first launch pad of Satish Dhawan space centre at Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched the second edition of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV-D2) from the first launch pad of Satish Dhawan space centre at Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
The new rocket will attempt to put three satellites:
ISRO’s EOS-07, US-based firm Antaris’ Janus-1, and Chennai-based space startup SpaceKidz’s AzaadiSAT-2 – into a 450 km circular orbit during its 15-minute flight, the ISRO said.
Key things to know about SSLV-D2 and its launch:
1. According to ISRO, the SSLV caters to the launch of up to 500 kg satellites to low earth orbits on a ‘launch-on-demand’ basis. The rocket provides low-cost access to space, offers low turn-around time and flexibility in accommodating multiple satellites, and demands minimal launch infrastructure.
2. The SSLV is a 34 m tall, 2 m diameter vehicle having a lift-off mass of 120 tonnes.
3. The rocket is configured with three solid propulsion stages and a velocity terminal module.
About The 1st flight of SSLV:
The first test flight of SSLV ended in partial failure on August 9 last year after the upper stage of the launch vehicle injected the satellite into a highly elliptical unstable orbit due to a shortfall in velocity. The investigation into the failure also revealed that there was a vibration disturbance for a short duration on the Equipment Bay (EB) deck during the second stage separation, according to ISRO.
All the 3 Rockets of ISRO:
With the new rocket in its portfolio, ISRO will have three rockets — Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and its variants (cost about Rs 200 crore), Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-MkII cost about Rs 272 crore and LVM3 Rs 434 crore) and SSLV (Development cost of three rockets about Rs 56 crore each) and production cost may go down later.
About SSLV:
SSLV was designed for smaller satellites. These launch vehicles were designed to carry 500 kg of payload. The main objective was to reduce the burden of PSLV.
Pakistani PM approves IMF deal, Geo reports, without giving details
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has approved a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and all matters over the bailout programme are settled, citing sources.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has approved a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and all matters over the bailout programme are settled, citing sources. Cash-strapped Pakistan had been due to wrap up talks with the IMF in a bid to unlock stalled funds from a $6.5 billion bailout to ward off economic meltdown.
The Timeline of Pak-IMF Deal:
Earlier, an AFP report said Pakistan’s government remained locked in crunch talks with the IMF over the release of a crucial financial bailout on the last scheduled day of the global lender’s visit to the country. An International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation landed in Islamabad recently to thrash out tough conditions that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called “beyond imagination”.
The IMF is clearly asking for much more than what the government is willing to do, even with a little bit of arm twisting, said economic analyst Abid Hasan, a former adviser to the World Bank.
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar told reporters that “a final round of talks is going on”.
The IMF wants a boost to the pitifully low tax base, an end to tax exemptions for the export sector, and further hikes to artificially low petrol, electricity and gas prices meant to help low-income families.
It is also pushing for Pakistan to keep a sustainable amount of US dollars in the bank through guarantees of further support from friendly nations Saudi Arabia, China and the UAE, as well as the World Bank.
Pakistan had sketched out a $6.5 billion loan package with the IMF, which has so far paid out roughly half that amount.
Pak-IMF Deal: Asking for much more
The government secured a $1.1 billion loan in August, part of a $6.5 billion package agreed upon in 2019. But it has been halted multiple times because of Islamabad’s failure to meet loan conditions and disagreements over spending plans after the floods.
Pakistan’s Economic Crisis:
Pakistan’s economy is in dire straits, stricken by a balance of payments crisis as it attempts to service high levels of external debt amid political chaos and deteriorating security. The central bank released fresh data warning its forex reserves had plunged $170 million in a week, standing at just $2.9 billion.
Years of financial mismanagement and political instability have damaged Pakistan’s economy — damage exacerbated by a global energy crisis and devastating floods that submerged a third of the country.
The government loosened controls on the rupee to rein in a rampant black market in US dollars — a step that caused the currency to plunge to a record low — and hiked petrol prices by 16 per cent.
Struggling industries are battling for the government to unblock imports, with thousands of shipping containers held up at Karachi port. The steel industry has warned the government that unless scrap metal imports are restarted, there will be a cascading effect on employment.
The rupee advanced 1 per cent to 270.51 per dollar, while the benchmark stock index rose 1.8 percent at close, up a fourth day. Its dollar bonds also gained with notes due in 2024 indicated 4.5 cents higher, to trade at 59.6 cents on the dollar, the biggest jump in about two month.
PM Modi Inaugurates Global Investors Summit 2023 in Lucknow
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Uttar Pradesh Global Investors Summit 2023 in Lucknow.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Uttar Pradesh Global Investors Summit 2023 in Lucknow. The 10-12 February event is expected to be attended by several ministers of the Union and the state government and a host of leading industrialists.
The Attendees of the Uttar Pradesh Global Investors Summit 2023:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and State Industrial Development Minister Nand Gopal Gupta Nandi as well as industrialists Mukesh Ambani, K Chandrasekaran, Kumar Mangalam Birla and Anand Mahindra addressed the inaugural session of the summit.
More than 300 renowned industrialists are expected to participate.
The Targeted Investment in The Uttar Pradesh Global Investors Summit 2023:
The event is important for the state which initially set a target to attract investment proposals of Rs 10 lakh crore at the UPGIS-2023, and later revised it to Rs 17.3 lakh crore.
Preparations and arrangements made for the Uttar Pradesh Global Investors Summit 2023:
The state government has made arrangements at a vacant land in Vrindavan Yojna located close to the Lucknow Airport and the district headquarters for the event.
State-of-the-art hangers equipped with modern amenities have been erected in the 25,000 square meters area, officials said.
According to officials, the preparations for the summit began almost two months ago. “Investors’ summits were held at divisional and district levels. Special roadshows were held in various parts of the country and in 21 cities in 16 countries across the globe to attract major investment,” said an official.
The Partner Countries in The Uttar Pradesh Global Investors Summit 2023:
Along with partner countries including Singapore, Denmark, Japan, UAE, Australia and the UK, space has been allocated to different government departments and private companies to put up exhibitions there.
Inauguration of National Convention on ‘Women as Foundation of Value-based Society’
National Convention on ‘Women as Foundation of Value-based Society’: The National Convention on "Women as Foundation of Value-based Society" to be launched by President Droupadi Murmu.
National Convention on ‘Women as Foundation of Value-based Society’
The National Convention on “Women as Foundation of Value-based Society” to be launched by President Droupadi Murmu on February 9th, 2023 at Gurugram’s Om Shanti Retreat Center. A nationwide awareness campaign called “Empowering the Family” will also be launched by her.
National Convention on ‘Women as Foundation of Value-based Society’: Key Points
Speaking at the event, the President emphasised the importance of the theme of the current National Convention, which is “Women as the Foundation of a Value-based Society.”
The ideals and ethics of Indian society have been greatly influenced by women.
She expressed pleasure over the Brahmakumaris organization’s efforts to resurrect Indian ideals by prioritising women.
This is the greatest spiritual organisation led by women in the world today, and more than 46,000 of its sisters are preserving Indian culture and spirituality in about 140 different nations.
Indus Water Treaty: Why India wants to modify it after 62 years?
President Murmu on Women Empowerment
Speaking on women’s empowerment, the President noted that whenever they had equal opportunity, women performed on par with men—and occasionally even better—in every sector.
She mentioned how more women are participating in many areas.
Many of them, nevertheless, fall short of the top spot. Over a particular threshold, women’s participation in middle level management in the private sector has been seen to decline.
Family duties are the main cause of this. Typically, working women must handle both the responsibilities of home and work.
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Challenges Faced by Women
The idea that women alone are responsible for raising children and running the home needs to be challenged. So that they can advance to the top positions in their careers without any obstacles, women should have more assistance from their families. According to her, only when women are empowered will families be empowered, and societies and countries as a whole will follow suit.
It’s important to dispel the myth that women are solely in charge of caring for children and managing the home. Women should receive more support from their families so they can climb to the highest ranks in their careers without any barriers. She contends that only when women are empowered can families, societies, and nations as a whole be empowered.
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