Space Awareness
GSLV MkIII-M1 Successfully Launches Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Chandrayaan - 2 and about GSLV Mk III ) + Mains (GS III space awareness)
What's the NEWS

• India's Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle GSLV MkIII-M1, successfully launched the 3840 kg Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft into an earth orbit
• The spacecraft is now revolving round the earth with a perigee (nearest point to Earth) of 169.7 km and an apogee (farthest point to Earth) of 45,475 km. Today's flight marks the first operational flight of the GSLV Mk III.

Know! more about the launch details

• About 16 minutes 14 seconds after lift-off, the vehicle injected Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft into an elliptical earth orbit. Immediately after spacecraft separation from the vehicle, the solar array of the spacecraft automatically got deployed and ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC), Bengaluru successfully took control of the spacecraft.
• GSLV MkIII-M1 successfully injected Chandrayaan-2 into an orbit of 6000 Km more than the intended orbit
• In the coming days, a series of orbit manoeuvres will be carried out using Chandrayaan-2's onboard propulsion system.
• This will raise the spacecraft orbit in steps and then place it in the Lunar Transfer Trajectory to enable the spacecraft to travel to the vicinity of the Moon.

Know! about GSLV Mk III

• GSLV Mk III is a three-stage launch vehicle developed by ISRO. The vehicle has two solid strap-ons, a core liquid booster and a cryogenic upper stage.
• The vehicle is designed to carry 4 ton class of satellites into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) or about 10 tons to Low Earth Orbit (LEO).

Objective of Chandrayaan-2

• The mission objective of Chandrayaan-2 is to develop and demonstrate the key technologies for end-to-end lunar mission capability, including soft-landing and roving on the lunar surface.
• This mission aims to further expand our knowledge about the Moon through a detailed study of its topography, mineralogy, surface chemical composition, thermo-physical characteristics and atmosphere leading to a better understanding of the origin and evolution of the Moon.

Know! about Chandrayaan-2

• Chandrayaan-2 is India's second mission to the moon. It comprises a fully indigenous Orbiter, Lander (Vikram) and Rover (Pragyan). The Rover Pragyan is housed inside Vikram lander.
• After leaving earth orbit and on entering Moon's sphere of influence, the on-board propulsion system of Chandrayaan-2 will be fired to slow down the spacecraft.
• This will enable it to be captured into a preliminary orbit around the Moon. Later, through a set of manoeuvres, the orbit of Chandrayaan-2 around the moon will be circularised at 100 km height from the lunar surface.
• Subsequently, the lander will separate from the Orbiter and enters into a 100 km X 30 km orbit around the Moon.
• Then, it will perform a series of complex braking manoeuvers to soft land in the South polar region of the Moon on September 7, 2019.
• Following this, the Rover will roll out from the lander and carry out experiments on the lunar surface for a period of 1 lunar day, which is equal to 14 Earth days.
• The mission life of the lander is also 1 lunar day. The Orbiter will continue its mission for a duration of one year.
• The orbiter had a lift-off weight of about 2,369 kg, while the lander and rover weighed 1,477 kg and 26 kg respectively. The rover can travel up to 500 m (half a kilometre) and relies on electric power generated by its solar panel for functioning.

Miscellaneous Factoids
Digitization of Archaeological Museum
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about JATAN)
Know! about JATAN

• The National Portal and Digital Repository for Indian Museums is developed and hosted by Human Centres Design and Computing Group, C-DAC, Pune, as per the agreement with Ministry of Culture, Government of India.
• Human Centres Design and Computing Group, being a technical expertise, developed JATAN: Virtual Museum software which is used for creating the digital collections in various museums and digital archival tools that are used in background for managing the National Portal and Digital Repository for Indian Museums.
• There are 48 (forty-eight) Archaeological Site Museums under Archaeological Survey of India out of which two Archaeological Site Museums, namely - Velha Goa; and Nagarjunakonda, have been digitised during the first phase through JATAN: Virtual Museum software and the data has been up-loaded in public domain through National Portal and Digital Repository for Indian Museums.

Defence
Raksha Mantri Inaugurates Ujh and Basantar Bridges in J&K

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about sampark and about BRO ) + Mains ( GS III security challenges and their management in border areas)
What's the NEWS

• Raksha Mantri ShriRajnath Singh inaugurated the One kilometre long Ujh bridge in Kathua district, 617.40 Metre long Basantarbridge in Samba district of Jammu & Kashmir today and dedicated these to the nation.
• One Km long Ujh bridge is the longest bridge constructed by BRO and also has the distinction where technology of Pre Cast Segmental br with 60 m spans was used.
• Both these bridges have been constructed under Project Sampark. These bridges will provide smooth connectivity and are vital for the Army for deployment on border areas. These bridges will be a big relief for the local people of border villages of Kathua and Samba sector as road connectivity used to get disrupted during Monsoon.

Know! about Project Sampark

• This project was raised by Border Roads Organisation (BRO) in 1975 with its Headquarters at Jammu. It has an area of responsibility from Pir Panjal Range (in north) to Pathankot (in south) and from Poonch (in west) to Dalhousie (in east), covering about 2200 km of road network. BRO has been rendering its services via construction and maintenance of roads and bridges in border areas thereby fulling strategic needs of Defence Forces.

Know! about BRO

• The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) develops and maintains road networks in India's border areas and friendly neighboring countries.
• Officers from the Border Roads Engineering Service (BRES) and personnel from the General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF) form the parent cadre of the Border Roads Organisation.
• Currently, the organisation maintains operations in twenty-one states, one UT (Andaman and Nicobar Islands), and neighboring countries such as Afghanistan, Bhutan, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka.
• Presently, BRO is also involved in the construction of a tunnel at the Rohtang pass which is estimated to be ready by 2019.
• The BRO operates in 18 Projects namely: Arunank, Beacon, Brahmank, Chetak, Deepak, Dantak, Himank, Hirak, Pushpak, Sampark, Setuk, Sewak, Shivalik, Swastik, Udayak, Vartak, Vijayak and sela tunnel.
• The BRO was formed on 7 May 1960 to secure India's borders and develop infrastructure in remote areas of the north and north-east states of the country.
• In order to ensure coordination and expeditious execution of projects, the Government of India set up the Border Roads Development Board (BRDB) with the Prime Minister as Chairman of the Board and Defence Minister as Deputy Chairman.
• In a bid to boost border connectivity, the Border Roads Organisation has been entirely brought under the Ministry of Defence. Earlier it received funds from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
• The BRO consists of Border Roads Wing under the Ministry of Defense and the General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF).
  
  

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