• The Indian Navy on May 6, 2019 launched the fourth Scorpene class Submarine of Project 75 ‘INS Vela' at the Kanhoji Angre Wet Basin of Mazagon Dock Limited at Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• The submarine will now undergo rigorous trials and tests in both harbour and sea phases before induction into the Indian Navy.
• The submarine was manufactured by Mazagon Dock Limited, with the help of main collaborator Naval Group, France (formerly DCNS).

• The submarine has been named ‘Vela' after an earlier lead submarine of the erstwhile Vela class, which was the second batch of the Foxtrot class submarines acquired from erstwhile Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).

• The modern technology utilised for construction of the Scorpene class submarines ensures superior stealth features such as advanced acoustic silencing techniques, low radiated noise levels and hydro-dynamically optimized shape.
• These submarines have the ability to launch a crippling attack on the enemy using precision guided weapons. The attack can be launched with both torpedoes and tube launched anti-ship missiles, while underwater or on surface.
• Scorpene submarines can undertake diverse types of missions such as Anti-Surface warfare, Anti-Submarine warfare, intelligence gathering, mine laying, area surveillance etc.
• The submarine is designed to operate in all theatres with means provided to ensure interoperability with other components of a Naval Task Force.

Know! the features of Scorpene Class Submarines

• The Scorpene Class Submarines are designed by French naval defence company ‘DCNS' and are being manufactured by Mazagon Dock Limited in Mumbai.
• India purchased six submarines for USD 3 billion under Project 75 in 2005.
• The project was undertaken due to the decreasing number of submarines in the Indian Navy. The Navy required replacement for older Sindhughosh and Shishumar class submarines.
• The Scorpene class submarines have the capability to fire Exocet anti-ship missiles.
• INS Kalvari, the first of the Scorpene-class submarines, was commissioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 14, 2017.
• INS Khanderi, the second of the 6 Scorpene Class Submarines, will soon be inducted into the Indian Navy by May 2019.
• The third Scorpene-class submarine, INS Karanj was launched by the Indian Navy on January 31, 2018 and is in the advanced stage of trials.
• The remaining fifth and sixth submarines INS Vagir and INS Vagsheer are in advanced stages of manufacturing.

• e-Governance Services India Limited, an initiative of Common Service Centre's (CSC), a special purpose vehicle under the Ministry of Electronics & IT, has tied up with Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur to upscale Unnat Bharat Abhiyan.

• It is an initiative of the Ministry of HRD. It aims to find solutions to accelerate sustainable growth in rural India.
• Under the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan, IIT-Kanpur has brought together 15 leading higher education institutions from Uttar Pradesh.

• IIT Kanpur has adopted five villages Baikanthpur, Hridayapur, Pratappur Hari, Ishwariganj, and Saxupurva situated on the outskirts of Kanpur for its overall development.
• About fifteen affiliated educational institutions under Unnat Bharat Abhiyan will adopt gram panchayats and equip them with all citizen centric services through CSCs.
• These institutions will train village level entrepreneurs (VLEs) who run CSCs as part of the village development plan.
• The VLEs will also be skilled about the use of solar energy, cleanliness and use of modern technologies through interventions of IIT-Kanpur.

• Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA) is an initiative of the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD). Its second edition was launched in the year 2018.
• The Mission of Unnat Bharat Abhiyan is to enable higher educational institutions to work with the people of rural India in identifying development challenges and evolving appropriate solutions for accelerating sustainable growth.
• It also aims to create a virtuous cycle between society and an inclusive academic system by providing knowledge and practices for emerging professions.
• One of its goal is to build an understanding of the development agenda within institutes of Higher Education and an institutional capacity and training relevant to national needs, especially those of rural India.

• SpaceX has launched a Dragon cargo capsule to orbit to International Space Station.
• This mission was seventeenth routine launch of SpaceX for NASA since 2012.
• Cargo Dragon spacecraft was carrying 2,500 kilograms (5,500 pounds) of supplies for the astronauts on the ISS as part of the CRS-17 mission.

• The spacecraft will remain at the space station for about four weeks before returning to Earth with more than 1,900 kg of research and return cargo.
• Space X's Dragon was also carrying some special items in a trunk which is a cylindrical structure that rides attached to the capsule during flight, providing support and power.
• It is experiments from NASA called OCO-3, which will help the space agency measure the Earth's carbon dioxide levels.
• When Dragon cargo will reach ISS, robotic arm will place OCO-3 on the outside of the space station, where the instrument will help scientists learn how carbon dioxide fluctuates all over the world.

• Falcon-9 is a two-stage rocket designed and manufactured by SpaceX for the reliable and safe transport of satellites and the Dragon spacecraft into orbit.
• Falcon 9 is the first orbital class rocket capable of reflight.

• Dragon is a free-flying spacecraft designed to deliver both cargo and people to orbiting destinations.
• It is the only spacecraft currently flying that is capable of returning significant amounts of cargo to Earth. Currently Dragon carries cargo to space, but it was designed from the beginning to carry humans.