- GSAT-20 (GSAT-N2) ABOARD SPACEX’S FALCON-9 –
- The commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) is set to launch GSAT-20 (GSAT-N2), aboard SpaceX’s Falcon-9 in 2024.
- Falcon 9 is the world’s first orbital class reusable, two-stage rocket designed and manufactured by SpaceX for the reliable and safe transport of people and payloads into Earth orbit and beyond.
- GSAT-20 is a high throughput Ka-band satellite that provides high-speed broadband internet connectivity, digital video transmission, and audio transmission.
- It is being launched to address the growing broadband communication needs of India. It is designed to provide comprehensive coverage across India, including remote regions like Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep Islands.
- This satellite offers an impressive HTS (High Throughput Satellite) capacity of nearly 48Gbps. Notably, it comprises 32 beams specifically designed to meet the demanding service needs of underserved areas, aiming to bridge the connectivity gap.
- QATARI COURT DECISION ON INDIAN NAVAL PERSONNEL –
- Qatar has commuted the death sentence for eight Indian Navy veterans and turned that into a “varying quantum” of jail terms. The jailed former Indian Navy personnel in Qatar have been given 60 days to appeal against the varying prison terms.
- Commutation of a death sentence refers to the reduction or change of a death penalty to a less severe punishment.
- The eight Indians, whose death sentences are commuted, now qualify for repatriation to India. This falls under the 2015 Bilateral Agreement with Qatar, permitting prisoners to serve their terms in their home country.
- Qatar, a strong regional player, is a key supplier of energy to India and at least seven lakh Indians form a part of the foreign workforce in the Gulf nation.
- IIT-DELHI MADE THE FIRST HIGH RESOLUTION LANDSLIDE RISK MAP FOR INDIA –
- The ‘Indian Landslide Susceptibility Map’ is the first of its kind by virtue of being on a national scale, leaving out no locations in the country. It was developed with the help of the Geological Survey of India (GSI)’s extensive collection of landslide data with ‘latest techniques’.
- It is available and accessible publicly through the internet, and one doesn’t need technical knowledge to interact with the data.
- A national landslide susceptibility map can help the policymakers to assess vulnerability and take appropriate measures for mitigation. It can help identify the most dangerous areas and helps in allocating resources for mitigation strategies better, given the high fatalities due to landslides in India.
The map acknowledged some well-known regions of high landslide susceptibility, like parts of the foothills of the Himalaya, the Assam-Meghalaya region, and the Western Ghats.