Defence
DRDO successfully flight-tests surface-to-air missile Akash-NG

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about New Generation Akash Missile (Akash-NG)
What's the NEWS

• Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight-tested the New Generation Akash Missile (Akash-NG), a surface-to-air Missile from Integrated Test Range (ITR) off the coast of Odisha
• The flight trial was conducted from a land-based platform with all weapon system elements such as Multifunction Radar, Command, Control & Communication System and launcher participating in deployment configuration.

Know! about New Generation Akash Missile (Akash-NG)

• The missile system has been developed by Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories.
• Production agencies - Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL).
• The missile has high manoeuvrability required for neutralising fast and agile aerial threats.
• Once deployed, the Akash-NG weapon system will prove to be a force multiplier for the air defence capability of the Indian Air Force.

Defence
DRDO successfully flight-tests indigenously developed MPATGM for minimum range

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Man Portable Antitank Guided Missile (MPATGM)
What's the NEWS

• In a major boost towards AatmaNirbhar Bharat and strengthening of Indian Army DRDO successfully flight-tested indigenously developed low weight, fire and forget Man Portable Antitank Guided Missile (MPATGM)

Know! about MPATGM

• The missile was launched from a man portable launcher integrated with thermal site and the target was mimicking a tank.
• The missile hit the target in direct attack mode and destroyed it with precision.
• The test has validated the minimum range successfully. All the mission objectives were met.
• The missile has already been successfully flight tested for the maximum range.
• The missile is incorporated with state-of-the-art Miniaturized Infrared Imaging Seeker along with advanced avionics.
• The test brings the development of indigenous third generation man portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile close to completion.

Defence
DRDO indigenously develops High Strength Beta Titanium Alloy on industrial scale

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about High Strength Metastable Beta Titanium Alloy and its application)
What's the NEWS

• DRDO has indigenously developed a High Strength Metastable Beta Titanium Alloy containing Vanadium, Iron and Aluminium Ti-10V-2Fe-3Al on industrial scale for applications in aerospace structural forgings.

Know! about Ti-10V-2Fe-3Al

• It has been developed by Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL), a premier Hyderabad based laboratory of DRDO.
• These alloys are already being used by many developed nations in recent times as beneficial substitute for the relatively heavier traditional Ni-Cr-Mo structural steels to achieve weight savings.
• The excellent forgeability of high strength-to-weight ratio Ti-10V-2Fe-3Al alloy facilitates manufacture of intricately configured components for aerospace applications with potential for significant weight savings.
• Indigenous development of High Strength Metastable Beta Titanium Alloy will be useful for aerospace structural forgings.

Beta titanium alloys

• The high strength beta titanium alloys are unique due to their higher strength, ductility, fatigue, and fracture toughness - making them increasingly attractive for aircraft structural applications.
• Furthermore, their relatively lower lifetime cost, owing to superior corrosion resistance in comparison to steels, is an effective trade-off to justify the use of this expensive material in India too.

Space Awareness
NEA Scout
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about NEA Scout)
What's the NEWS

• NASA announced that its new spacecraft, named NEA Scout, has completed all required tests and has been safely tucked inside the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.

Know! about the mission

• NEA Scout is one of several payloads that will hitch a ride on Artemis I, which is expected to be launched in November.
• Artemis I will be an uncrewed testflight of the Orion spacecraft and SLS rocket.
• Under the Artemis programme, NASA has aimed to land the first woman on the Moon in 2024 and also establish sustainable lunar exploration programs by 2030.

Near-Earth Asteroid Scout, or NEA Scout

• It is a small spacecraft, about the size of a big shoebox. Its main mission is to fly by and collect data from a near-Earth asteroid.
• It will also be America's first interplanetary mission using a special solar sail propulsion.
• It will take about two years to cruise to the asteroid and will be about 93 million miles away from Earth during the asteroid encounter.
• It will travel to a near-Earth asteroid and perform a slow fly-by, capturing up-close images of the surface.

Near-Earth Objects (NEOs):

• NEOs are comets and asteroids pushed by the gravitational attraction of nearby planets into orbits which allow them to enter the Earth's neighbourhood.
• These objects are composed mostly of water ice with embedded dust particles.
• NEOs occasionally approach close to the Earth as they orbit the Sun.
• NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Study (CNEOS) determines the time and distances of these objects

Asteroids

• These are rocky objects that orbit the Sun, much smaller than planets. They are also called minor planets.

Asteroids are divided into three classes:

• First, those found in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, which is estimated to contain somewhere between 1.1-1.9 million asteroids.
• The second group is that of trojans, which are asteroids that share an orbit with a larger planet.
• The third classification is Near-Earth Asteroids (NEA), which have orbits that pass close to the Earth.
• Those that cross the Earth's orbit are called Earth-crossers.

Prelims Factoids
Monkey B virus (BV)
Relevance In - Prelims ( about Monkey B Virus)

What's the NEWS
Recently, China has reported the first human infection case with Monkey B virus (BV).
Know! all about BV

• The virus, initially isolated in 1932, is an alphaherpesvirus enzootic in macaques of the genus Macaca.
• B virus is the only identified old-world-monkey herpesvirus that displays severe pathogenicity in humans.
• The infection can be transmitted via direct contact and exchange of bodily secretions of monkeys and has a fatality rate of 70 per cent to 80 per cent.
• Alphaherpes viruses are pathogens or neuroinvasive viruses that establish lifelong infections in the peripheral nervous system of humans and many other vertebrates.
• Macaque monkeys commonly have this virus, and it can be found in their saliva, feces (poop), urine (pee), or brain or spinal cord tissue.
• The virus may also be found in cells coming from an infected monkey in a lab.
• B virus can survive for hours on surfaces, particularly when moist.
• Humans can get infected if they are bitten or scratched by an infected monkey
• B virus is also commonly referred to as herpes B, herpesvirus simiae, and herpesvirus B.
• Till date, only one case of Human-to-human Transmission has been reported
• Currently, there are no vaccines that can protect against B virus infection.

Infrastructure Development
Special Scheme for Inter-Linking of Rivers

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about NPP and about Inter- linking of rivers - map based questions) + Mains ( GS III infrastructure development + Environment conservation + GS II government policies and intervention)
Know! about National Perspective Plan (NPP)

• The National Perspective Plan (NPP) was prepared by the then Ministry of Irrigation (now Ministry of Jal Shakti) in August 1980 for water resources development through inter basin transfer of water, for transferring water from water surplus basins to water-deficit basins.
• Under the NPP, the National Water Development Agency (NWDA) has identified 30 links (16 under Peninsular Component & 14 under Himalayan Component) for preparation of Feasibility Reports (FRs).

Under the Peninsular Component of NPP, the following 14 links are envisaged in the Southern part of India:

1. Mahanadi (Manibhadra) -Godavari (Dowlaiswaram) link
2. Godavari (Inchampalli) - Krishna (Pulichintala) link
3. Godavari (Inchampalli) - Krishna (Nagarjunasagar) link
4. Godavari (Polavaram) - Krishna (Vijayawada) link
5. Krishna (Almatti) - Pennar link
6. Krishna (Srisailam) - Pennar link
7. Krishna (Nagarjunasagar) - Pennar (Somasila ) link
8. Pennar (Somasila) - Cauvery (Grand Anicut) link
9. Cauvery (Kattalai) - Vaigai -Gundar link
10. Par-Tapi-Narmada link
11. Damanganga - Pinjal link
12. Bedti - Varda link
13. Netravati - Hemavati link
14. Pamba - Achankovil - Vaippar link

Out of the above 14 links, the following 8 link projects involve Narmada, Godavari and Krishna rivers.

1. Mahanadi (Manibhadra) - Godavari (Dowlaiswaram) link
2. Godavari (Polavaram)-Krishna (Vijayawada) (Implemented by Govt. of AP)
3. Godavari (Inchampalli) -Krishna (Pulichintala) link
4. Godavari (Inchampalli)- Krishna (Nagarjunasagar) link
5. Krishna (Nagarjunasagar)-Pennar (Somasila) link
6. Krishna (Srisailam) - Pennar link
7. Krishna (Almatti) - Pennar link
8. Par-Tapi -Narmada link project

The Pre-Feasibility Reports (PFRs) and FRs

• The Special committee for Interlinking of Rivers (ILR), after considering the views of all the stakeholders, is proceeding ahead to expedite the objectives of the interlinking of rivers in a consultative and cooperative manner.
• The implementation of the ILR projects involves various steps such as perpetration of The Pre-Feasibility Reports (PFRs) and FRs of links, negotiation and consensus among concerned States, preparation of DPRs of the projects, clearance from appraisal agencies which includes clearance by Ministry of Environment & Forests and Climate Change and Ministry of Tribal Affairs, techno-economic clearance by Advisory Committee on Irrigation, Flood control &Multipurpose Projects of Ministry of Jal Shakti, investment clearance and the construction time required for the completion of the projects as per the DPR.
• An ILR project would reach the implementation stage when all the statutory clearances are taken and an agreement is reached amongst party states from the implementation of the project.

Names of Inter Basin Water Transfer Links, the States involved, name of rivers and status of Feasibility Reports/Detailed Project Report

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