Latest news with #NVS-02
Indian Express
22-05-2025
- Science
- Indian Express
ISRO's 2025 setbacks mirror 1988 — and that's not bad news
Nearly 37 years ago, in 1988, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) was reeling under two successive failures of the Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle (ASLV). Critics had then questioned whether ASLV is capable of flying at all. The Expert Review Committee headed by the then director of the National Aerospace Laboratory at Bangalore, Roddam Narasimha, examined the causes of failure and observed that 'the investigations have not revealed any major technological problems that cannot be handled with the capabilities and skills already available in ISRO…. space projects outside India have gone through similar experiences, but lessons learnt from such failures can establish the basis for future successes'. After two successive failures this year, it might seem like deja vu for ISRO, but these lines from the committee's report will form a silver lining. Early this week, ISRO's reliable workhorse, Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), failed to launch the Earth Observation Satellite (EOS-09) into sun-synchronous polar orbit. It is only the fourth time that PSLV has failed in 62 launches since 1993. In January this year, GSLV successfully launched NVS-02, a surveillance satellite, but could not place it in the correct geosynchronous orbit. NVS-02 is part of a collection of satellites that will form the backbone of India's positioning system NavIC, a subcontinental answer to the United State's Global Positioning System (GPS). Most likely, having missed its correct position in the sky, NVS-02 will not be part of NavIC. Even as detailed reports on these failures are awaited, the reasons are not about a lack of mastery over the technology of satellite launches and placement in a desired orbit. In comparison, the failures of ASLV in 1988 – an inadequate digital autopilot system to poor control during the transition from one stage to another — were far more fundamental. Despite rare failures, the PSLV has emerged as a reliable and cost-effective launch platform for small satellites weighing up to 2,000 kg. Since 2015, PSLV has helped ISRO generate about Rs 3,861 crore from satellite launch services. In this segment, India's market share is only about 3 per cent, and this potential remains untapped. The failures remind us that despite the mastery over technology and repeated successes, space exploration will remain an unforgiving territory where even minor errors will be harshly punished. A mildly unhinged screw in a train might be harmless, but on a rocket it can be a disaster. There are many such instances. In 1988, about 50 seconds after the ASLV-D2 was launched, control over the rocket was lost for only about half a second after the first-stage ignition. This half-second error propagated quickly, and the rocket crashed into the sea. NASA launched the Mars Climate Orbiter in 1998. It failed due to a misunderstanding between two teams that used different units for distance measurement, one using meters and the other using inches. The lunar module that carried Neil Armstrong to the moon in 1969 was luckier. With hardly any fuel left, it landed far from the designated place due to an unexpected extra thrust. Expecting such eventualities, the US President's office had a prepared speech in case the astronauts did not return alive. Fortunately, that speech never had to be used. With lakhs of components and hundreds of interconnected subsystems, the reasons for rocket failures vary widely. Usually, failure implies that the rocket could not place the satellite in the intended orbit. By this yardstick, in the last two decades, the worldwide rocket launch failure rate is about 5-10 per cent. Nearly 58 per cent of the failures arose from propulsion systems responsible for rocket flight. This week's PSLV-C61 failure belongs to this category. ISRO's initial assessment attributes the failure to a pressure drop in its third-stage engine. Further, 36 per cent of failures are due to incorrect functioning of systems that control the trajectory, altitude, and separation of the rocket. Modern rockets are controlled by computer software, which itself is another point of failure. Since 2000, about 14 per cent of failures could be traced back to software glitches. Failures are a great leveller. They haunt more advanced spacefaring nations, such as the US and Russia, as much as they hurt India. The Vanguard rockets the US employed during the 1950s had only a 27 per cent success rate. Russia's famed Soyuz rockets, too, have failed, most recently in 2018 while carrying astronauts to the International Space Station. Space exploration is fraught with failures. For ISRO, 2025 has kicked off with challenges but not setbacks. As the Expert Committee spelt out in 1989, research, design and operations must be made rigorous in 'evolving solutions to the complex problems posed by the advanced technologies' in launch vehicle programmes. In the world of space exploration with zero tolerance for errors, this is the only way to recover from failures. The writer is a professor of Physics at IISER, Pune. Opinions are personal
Time of India
21-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Glitch-hit NVS-02 can provide services only for 2-3 hours per day
BENGALURU: Even as the failure analysis committee (FAC) set up to look into the May 18 PSLV failure prepares for its first formal meeting, details about the defective valve that affected India's NV-02 navigation satellite , launched on Jan 29, have emerged, confirming that the satellite is only partially operational. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In an official response to queries under right to information, has conceded that NVS-02's current orbital parameters — approximately 190km perigee (closest point to Earth) and 37,000km apogee (farthest point to Earth) — allow for only a few hours of usable Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) service daily. 'At present, with the given orbital parameters of NVS-02, it is estimated to provide PNT service for an average duration of 2 to 3 hours per day. But this calls for user receiver modifications and firmware updates. Technical feasibility of the same is being worked out,' Isro's response reads. Isro's GSLV-F15 that lifted off with the NVS-02 at 6.23am on Jan 29 had placed the satellite which is part of India's NavIC constellation, in a geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO) around 19 minutes later. Just a few hours later, Isro had detected a glitch in the valve that was to supply oxidiser to the liquid apogee motor (LAM). No exact reason Without oxidiser, Isro was unable to fire LAM, perform orbit corrections and take the satellite to the intended final orbit. The exact reason for the failure could not be ascertained, the response reads, noting that no single point failure was responsible. Test results confirmed that the issue was not related to power disconnection. Despite the reduced service window, Isro maintains that the accuracy of the PNT signal from NVS-02 will be 'usable'. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The NVS-02, part of India's NavIC constellation, carries one indigenous Rubdium Frequency Standard (RAFS) and three foreign RAFS, which serve as timing sources critical to navigation accuracy. While Isro maintains that the Indian-made RAFS unit is performing comparably to their foreign counterparts, it declined to disclose technical information about the same, citing national scientific interest. PSLV failure Meanwhile, the FAC setup to investigate the cause of failure of the PSLV whose third stage (PS3) failed on May 18, was scheduled to meet for the first time on May 21. Isro chairman V Narayanan told TOI: 'I have conducted the six meetings so far, including four on the day of the launch. We have to enable the FAC to conduct its meeting.' While Isro has officially said that there was a drop in chamber pressure of the third stage (PS3) motor case, it is yet to conclude on what may have caused the pressure to dip. Sources had indicated to TOI, as reported in its May 19 edition, that reasons that may have caused the drop in pressure could be: depletion of internal insulation, which affects the fuel burn, or a defective nozzle. Narayanan, however, said: 'I don't want to preempt anything at this moment and all I can say is that it is connected to the third stage.' He said that the FAC headed by M Annamalai will investigate the matter. Annamalai is a former Isro scientist who has served as director, Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) and has earlier been part of multiple FACs.
Indian Express
18-05-2025
- Science
- Indian Express
UPSC Key: ISRO's EOS-09, Rare-earth magnets, and Left Wing Extremism
Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for May 18, 2025. If you missed the May 17, 2025, UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here. Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life. What's the ongoing story: In a rare failure, India's main rocket PSLV developed problems a few minutes after take-off and failed to place earth observation satellite EOS-09 into the intended orbit in an early morning launch on Sunday. Key Points to Ponder: — What are the Earth observation satellites? — What are the different types of launch vehicles of ISRO? — What is the difference between PSLV and GSLV? — What are the various stages of rockets? — Learn about the important ISRO's missions – Aditya L1, Chandrayaan 4, Chandrayaan 5, Shukrayaan-1 — What do you understand by space debris? Key Takeaways: — 'Today's 101st launch was attempted. PSLV-C61 performance was normal till second stage. Due to an observation in the third stage, the mission could not be accomplished,' ISRO said. — This was the 101st mission launched by ISRO, and the 63rd one using the PSLV rocket, which is the most successful launch vehicle developed by India's space agency. — PSLV has failed on only two earlier occasions, the first time during its inaugural flight in 1993 and then in 2017 when the C-39 mission had been unsuccessful. — This is the second back-to-back failure for the space agency after its GSLV could not place NVS-02 satellite in the correct orbit during the space agency's 100th mission. After being placed in an incorrect elliptical orbit, the space agency started looking for alternative ways to utilise NVS-02 that has a mission life of 15 years. — This was also the second mission, after December's Spadex launch, where the PSLV was integrated at the newly built Payload Integration Facility (PIF) instead of the launch pad. The facility was designed to free-up launch pad while a mission was being put together in order to increase the frequency of launches. — The space agency was to put the 1,700-kg earth observation satellite at an altitude of about 597 km in a sun-synchronous polar orbit — meaning the satellite was to pass over a given place at the same time every day. The EOS-09 satellite carried a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) payload, capable of providing images of the earth in all weather conditions. — The satellite was meant to work in tandem with the EOS-04 satellite launched in 2022, ensuring seamless continuity and increasing the observation frequency. — Importantly, in order to ensure a debris-free mission, the space agency had put on the satellite some fuel reserved for de-orbiting manoeuvre after the end of its life so that it would fall into the earth's and burn up within two years. Do You Know: — The data from the Earth Observation Satellites are used for several applications covering agriculture, water resources, urban planning, rural development, mineral prospecting, environment, forestry, ocean resources, and disaster management. — Space debris can include natural space debris such as meteoroids, or man-made ones which can include defunct spacecrafts and satellites, stages of rockets which have launched payloads, dead satellites, satellite explosions and collisions. — According to NASA, 'more than 25,000 objects larger than 10 cm are known to exist' as space debris and the estimated population of particles between 1 and 10 cm in diameter is approximately 500,000. According to NASA's estimates, as of January 2022, the amount of material orbiting the Earth exceeded 9,000 metric tons. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍ISRO to launch earth observation satellite on Sunday, its 101st mission Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme: (1) With reference to India's satellite launch vehicles, consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2018) 1. PSLVs launch the satellites useful for Earth resources monitoring whereas GSLVs are designed mainly to launch communication satellites. 2. Satellites launched by PSLV appear to remain permanently fixed in the same position in the sky, as viewed from a particular location on Earth. 3. GSLV Mk III is a four-staged launch vehicle with the first and third stages using solid rocket motors; and the second and fourth stages using liquid rocket engines. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 2 only (d) 3 only Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilisation, of resources, growth, development and employment. What's the ongoing story: New restrictions on rare earth magnets and related materials imposed by China, as a direct response to US imposing tariffs that kicked in from April 4, are beginning to impact automakers across the world, including electric vehicle manufacturers in India. Key Points to Ponder: — What are rare earth magnets? — What is its role in the automobile and electronics sector? — How have the reciprocal tariffs imposed by Trump has impacted the global supply chain of rare earth minerals? — How is India getting impacted? — What are the rare earth minerals found in India? — Why is it called rare earth minerals? Key Takeaways: — EV makers here are staring at a potential shortage of the critical components, which raises concerns of price hikes and production delays in a nascent, cost-sensitive segment of the auto market. — The Indian car industry is learnt to have initiated a conversation with the government to smoothen the process for procuring the rare earth magnets from Beijing. — Rare earth magnets, especially neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) magnets, are crucial for EV manufacturing, particularly in electric motors. They provide the strong magnetic fields needed for efficient and powerful electric motors, including traction motors that drive EVs. — These magnets also play a major role in other EV components like power steering systems, wiper motors, and braking systems. China has a near monopoly over these rare earth magnets. — While the availability of rare earth metals is not limited to China, it is in the efficient processing of these critical elements where Beijing has a substantial lead, which was once enjoyed by the US and Japan. — In recent years, Japan has been able to restart some of its minerals' processing industry owing to government policies, but countries like the US and India are heavily dependent on Chinese exports of these metals Do You Know: — India imported 2,270 tonnes of REEs in 2023-24, up 23 per cent from 1,848 tonnes in 2019-20, according to a recent press release from the Ministry of Mines. Imports from China accounted for 65 per cent, and another 10 per cent came from Hong Kong. — The 17 rare earth elements (REE) include the 15 Lanthanides (atomic numbers 57 — which is Lanthanum — to 71 in the periodic table) plus Scandium (atomic number 21) and Yttrium (39). REEs are classified as light RE elements (LREE) and heavy RE elements (HREE). — Some REEs are available in India — such as Lanthanum, Cerium, Neodymium, Praseodymium and Samarium, etc. Others such as Dysprosium, Terbium, and Europium, which are classified as HREEs, are not available in Indian deposits in extractable quantities. Hence, there is a dependence on countries such as China for HREEs, which is one of the leading producers of REEs, with an estimated 70 per cent share of the global production. — Despite the name – rare earth elements – these elements are not so rare. They are found in abundance in the Earth's crust. However, they're rarely found in concentrations that are economically viable for mining. Therefore, extracting and processing REEs is complex and expensive, requiring high-end techniques and specialised labour to isolate and purify them. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Explained: What are rare earth elements, and why is India keen to join a global alliance to ensure their supply? 📍What is India's share in rare earth elements, the backbone of modern technologies? Prelims Question Covering similar theme: (2) With reference to the Rare Earth Elements, consider the following statements: 1. These are crucial for manufacturing high-value goods in defence and clean energy. 2. The United States dominated rare earth elements, supplying 85 to 95 per cent of the world's demand. 3. Gadolinium (Gd) and holmium (Ho) are considered Rare Earth Elements. Which of the statements given above are correct? (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance Mains Examination: General Studies-II: India and its neighbourhood- relations; Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests. What's the ongoing story: India decided Saturday to place restrictions on Bangladeshi products being exported to North-East India and overseas. This appeared to be a reciprocal move given that Dhaka had been imposing non-tariff barriers on Indian exports to Bangladesh. Key Points to Ponder: — Read about the historical background of the India-Bangladesh relationship — What are the reasons for the recent crisis in their relationship? — What is the status of trade ties between India and Bangladesh? — What are the areas of cooperation and challenges between India and Bangladesh? — What is the role of China in all this? Key Takeaways: — The Directorate General of Foreign Trade, under the Ministry of Commerce, issued a notification Saturday. It said the restrictions will not apply to import of fish, LPG, edible oil and crushed stone to India from Bangladesh. The restrictions will also not apply to Bangladesh exports to Nepal/Bhutan transiting through India, it said. — The curbs come a month-and-a-half after Bangladesh interim government chief adviser Muhammad Yunus said in Beijing that North-East India is 'landlocked' and Dhaka is the 'only guardian of the ocean for all this region' — he made the remark while seeking 'extension of the Chinese economy'. — India decided to impose port restrictions on specified Bangladesh exports to India across all land customs stations (LCSs) or integrated check posts (ICPs) in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram and through Changrabandha and Fulbari in north Bengal. — The products include readymade garments, wooden furniture, plastic and PVC finished goods, fruit-flavoured and carbonated drinks, baked goods, snacks, chips and confectionery items, and cotton yarn among others. — The rationale for the restrictions in the North-East is that India had earlier permitted export of Bangladesh goods via all LCS and ICP and through seaports without undue curbs. — But Bangladesh continues to impose port restrictions on Indian exports, particularly at LCSs and ICPs bordering North-East states despite the issue being raised at all relevant meetings for a long time now. — Due to landport restrictions by Bangladesh, North-East states suffer from lack of access to the Bangladeshi market to sell locally manufactured goods, restricting market access to primary agricultural goods only. Bangladesh, on the other hand, has free access to the entire North-East market, creating an unhealthy dependency and stymying growth of the manufacturing sector in the North-East, according to Delhi's view. Do You Know: — Bangladesh is India's biggest trade partner in South Asia and India is the second biggest trade partner of Bangladesh in Asia. In the fiscal year 2023-24, Bangladesh exported goods worth USD 1.97 billion to India, and the total bilateral trade for that year amounted to USD 14.01 billion. — The illegal migration from Bangladesh to India continues to be a major concern in bilateral relations. This influx of migrants puts a strain on Indian border states, not only impacting their resources but also presenting a challenge to security. The problem of illegal migration has intensified with the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar. — The growing influence of China in Bangladesh is a point of concern for India. Bangladesh is a member of China's Belt and Road Initiative. There is concern that China's increasing involvement with Bangladesh can challenge India's regional standing and impede its strategic aspirations. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍UPSC Issue at a Glance | Bangladesh Crisis and India: 4 Key Questions You Must Know for Prelims and Mains Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme: (3) With reference to river Teesta, consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2017) 1. The source of river Teesta is the same as that of Brahmaputra but it flows through Sikkim. 2. River Rangeet originates in Sikkim and it is a tributary of river Teesta. 3. River Teesta flows into Bay of Bengal on the border of India and Bangladesh. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 and 3 only (b) 2 only (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme: Analyze internal security threats and transborder crimes along Myanmar, Bangladesh and Pakistan borders including Line of Control (LoC). Also, discuss the role played by various security forces in this regard. (UPSC CSE 2018) Incidents of LWE-led violence down from 1,936 to 374 in 15 years: Centre Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Linkages between development and spread of extremism What's the ongoing story: The Centre said incidents of violence by Left Wing Extremism (LWE) have reduced to 374 in 2024 from its highest level of 1936 in 2010, on Saturday. Key Points to Ponder: — What is LWE? — What are the reasons for the rise of Naxalism in India? — What are the efforts taken by the government to curb LWE? — What is the Naxal Surrender policy? — How is terrorism different from Naxalism? — What is the linkage between development and the spread of extremism? — What is Mission Sankalp? Key Takeaways: — While the incidents of violence by LWE saw a reduction of 81 per cent, 'the total number of deaths, including civilians and security forces, has also reduced by 85 per cent — from 1005 deaths in 2010 to 150 in 2024,' a government press release said. — Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, 'It is true that Maoist violence had stalled the progress of many districts in Central and eastern India. That is why in 2015, our government formulated a comprehensive 'National Policy and Action Plan' to eradicate Maoist violence.' — The press release said, 'Recently, in one of the biggest anti-Naxal operations in the country's history, security forces achieved a major breakthrough in the fight against LWE along the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border.' — It said a massive operation was carried out between April 21 and May 11 2025, in the Karreguttalu Hill (KGH) region — a known stronghold of Naxalite groups. — The number of LWE-affected districts reduced from 126 to 90 in April 2018, 70 in July 2021 and to 38 in April 2024. — 'The government of India is committed to completely eliminate Naxalism by March 31 2026, since Naxalism is seen as the biggest obstacle in the development of remote areas and tribal villages, as it prevents education, healthcare, connectivity, banking, and postal services from reaching these villages,' said the statement. Do You Know: — Prakash Singh writes: The Maoist movement, it may be recalled, had touched a peak in 2010 when 223 districts across 20 states were affected by violence to some degree. Then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh described Left-wing extremism (LWE) as the gravest internal security threat to the country. Heavy deployment of central armed police forces, however, gradually contained the geographical spread of Maoist influence. — States, unfortunately, consider LWE a national problem. They find it convenient to pass the buck to Delhi. The problem will not be conclusively dealt with until state forces take the lead in anti-Naxal operations and the central armed police forces play a subsidiary role only. This was a great lesson from the Punjab insurgency where the state police was always at the vanguard of all operations. — The whole-of-government approach is also missing on the ground. The security forces can deliver only up to a point. They can clear an area of Naxals but, thereafter, the administration has to step in and establish infrastructure. This is not happening, with the result that an area cleared yesterday is re-occupied by Maoists tomorrow. — There are fundamental problems that are adding fuel to the Naxal fire. India's forest cover is being gradually denuded. It is estimated that since 2008-2009, a total of 3,06,001 hectares of forest land was diverted for non-forestry use. Tribals inhabiting these forest areas were displaced in the process. Deprived of their land and any regular means of livelihood, many of them gravitated towards the Naxals — Yet another disturbing feature of our economy underlined by the World Inequality Lab (WIL) is the extreme levels of inequality. The WIL paper titled 'Income and Wealth Inequality in India, 1922-2023: The Rise of the Billionaire Raj' revealed that the share of wealth with the top 1 per cent of the population was 40.1 per cent in 2022-2023. — There has been much bloodletting on the Naxal front. Now that the government has the upper hand, it is the right time to initiate peace dialogue with the Naxal leadership. It would not be taken as a sign of weakness. In fact, it would be considered magnanimous. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍After the anti-Naxal operation: Time to heal, not conquer UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme: 📍Left Wing Extremism (LWE) is showing a downward trend, but still affects many parts of the country. Briefly explain the Government of India's approach to counter the challenges posed by LWE. (2018) 📍What are the determinants of left-wing extremism in the Eastern part of India? What strategy should the Government of India, civil administration and security forces adopt to counter the threat in the affected areas? (2020) Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. General Studies III: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.; and Investment models What's the ongoing story: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate 103 stations, including Bikaner's Deshnoke located nearly 200 km from the International Border with Pakistan, which have been redeveloped under the Railways' ambitious Amrit Bharat Station Scheme in Bikaner on May 22 virtually, a senior Railways official told The Indian Express. Key Points to Ponder: — What is the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme? — What is the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) model? — What are the different types of Public Private Partnership (PPP) modes? — What are the advantages of the EPC model? — What are the key issues associated with Indian railways? — Overcrowding at railway stations is a major issue. Discuss. — What steps need to be taken by the government to address these issues? Key Takeaways: — Some of the key stations redeveloped under the scheme, launched in 2022 aimed at transforming 1,337 stations into 'city centres', includes Rajasthan's Deshnoke & Mandalgarh, Gujarat's Dakor & Morbi, UP's Saharanpur junction & Govardhan station, Telangana's Begumpet, Bihar's Thawe junction, MP's Shajapur, Tamil Nadu's Srirangam, and Karnataka's Dharwad. — These stations are equipped with modern toilets, lifts, escalators, free Wi-Fi, improved passenger information system, waiting areas, executive lounges, bigger circulating area and grand porch, the official added. The building design is based on local culture and heritage. — According to officials, most stations are being redeveloped through the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) model, meaning a contractor handles a project from start to finish. However, 20 projects — such as at Pune, Delhi junction, Vijayawada, and Chennai Central — are being implemented in a Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode. Do You Know: — Launched on December 23, 2022, the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme envisages to develop a station as a 'city centre', which will have modern facade, regulated traffic movement, well-lit, aesthetically pleasing grand porches, landscaping, and representation of local art and culture, signages and roof plazas. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Focus on improving crowd management under station redevelopment scheme: House Panel to Railways Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme: (4) With reference to bio-toilets used by the Indian Railways, consider the following statements: (2015) 1. The decomposition of human waste in the bio toilets is initiated by a fungal inoculum. 2. Ammonia and water vapour are the only end products in this decomposition which are released into the atmosphere. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Mains Examination: General Studies II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation; Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests. What's the ongoing story: On September 19, 1960, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Mohammad Ayub Khan, then Pakistan President, signed the historic Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in Karachi. This was the second major pact with Pakistan since its creation, the first being the Nehru-Noon pact of October 1958 on East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). Key Points to Ponder: — Know the history of the Indus-Water Treaty — Know about the international water disputes of India — Why did India suspend the IWT? — What role is played by the World Bank in the IWT? — What are the major tributaries of the Indus? Key Takeaways: — The IWT, which survived four wars, decades of cross-border terrorism against India by Pakistan and opposition in India for over 64 years, was finally placed in abeyance on April 23, 2025, a day after 26 men were shot dead by terrorists in a Pahalgam meadow. — Water disputes between the two nations date back to Partition, starting with the contentious division of resources across the Indus river system. — Before signing the May 1948 pact, Pakistan was secretly trying to construct a channel upstream of Ferozepur to divert the Sutlej waters. Had this subterfuge not been detected in time, some of the Indian canals would have run dry. — Pakistan proposed approaching the Security Council and the International Court of Justice — a plan rejected by India. It was at this stage in 1951 that the World Bank offered to settle the issue. By 1954, the institution was ready with a proposal on allotment of the waters of the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab, except for minor uses in Jammu and Kashmir, to Pakistan, and those of the Sutlej, Ravi and Beas to India. Though this allotment was accepted by India, Pakistan had reservations. — The biggest hold-up to the World Bank's proposal was the cost of replacement works, estimated to be nearly Rs 700 crore. Of that, Rs 620 crore — 60% of which was a grant — came from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, the US, West Germany and the World Bank. The rest, around Rs 83 crore, was to be given by India in 10 installments to the World Bank. The money was constituted as a separate fund, named the Indus Basin Development Fund, which was managed by the World Bank. — It was estimated that the replacement works would be completed within 10 years, starting from 1960. Pakistan was offered a three-year extension, if required, subject to a penalty of Rs 4 crore per annum. Six years after it was originally proposed, Pakistan finally agreed to sign the plan. — On the day he signed the IWT, Nehru announced that '… a very difficult and complicated problem which has troubled India and Pakistan for many years has been satisfactorily solved'. Though it was signed in September 1960, the proposal was effective from April 1960 onwards. — In May 1964, Nehru died. In August 1965, India went to war with Pakistan over territorial disputes, particularly Kashmir. A few months after the ceasefire in the 1965 war, there were demands to end the IWT. Do You Know: — The IWT was signed in Karachi on September 19, 1960, following nine years of negotiations between India and Pakistan. The Treaty has 12 Articles and 8 Annexures (from A to H). — According to the provisions of the Treaty, all the water of the 'Eastern Rivers' of the Indus system — Sutlej, Beas and Ravi — shall be available for the 'unrestricted use' of India. Pakistan shall receive water from the 'Western Rivers' — Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab. — The Indus Waters Treaty lacks an exit clause, meaning neither India nor Pakistan can legally abrogate it unilaterally. — The Treaty has no end date, and any modification requires the consent of both parties. — But while the Treaty cannot be exited, it does contain a dispute resolution mechanism: Article IX, along with Annexures F and G, lays out procedures for raising grievances — first before the Permanent Indus Commission, then a neutral expert, and eventually, a forum of arbitrators. Indus River system — A river, along with its tributaries, is called a river system. The Indus River system comprises six rivers: Indus, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej. The Indus and Sutlej are antecedent rivers, meaning they existed even before the formation of the Himalayas and cut deep gorges after originating in the Tibet region. The other four rivers – Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi and Beas – originate in India. — The Indus Basin extends across four countries, namely China, India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. In India, the basin spans the Union Territories of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir as well as Chandigarh and the states of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. The total drainage area of the basin is approximately 3,21,289 sq. km, accounting for nearly 9.8% of India's total geographical area. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Knowledge Nugget | What should you know about the Pahalgam terror attack and the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 for the UPSC Exam? Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme: (5) With reference to the Indus river system, of the following four rivers, three of them pour into one of them which joins the Indus direct. Among the following, which one is such river that joins the Indus direct? (UPSC CSE 2021) (a) Chenab (b) Jhelum (c) Ravi (d) Sutlej ALSO IN NEWS Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for May 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at Khushboo Kumari is a Deputy Copy Editor with The Indian Express. She has done her graduation and post-graduation in History from the University of Delhi. At The Indian Express, she writes for the UPSC section. She holds experience in UPSC-related content development. You can contact her via email: ... Read More
Indian Express
16-05-2025
- Science
- Indian Express
ISRO to launch earth observation satellite on Sunday, its 101st mission
ISRO will launch an earth observation satellite EOS-09 on-board its workhorse PSLV on Sunday (May 18) at 05:59 am from the country's only spaceport at Sriharikota, a remote sensing satellite mission. This comes four months after the space agency's 100th launch failed to put the navigation satellite NVS-02 in the intended orbit. The EOS-09 satellite, with a mission life of five years, will have a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) payload, capable of providing images of the earth in all weather conditions. The satellite, which is a repeat of EOS-04 launched in 2022, has been designed to improve the frequency of observations. This is the second PSLV — after last December's launch of Spadex mission — where the vehicle was assembled in ISRO's new Payload Integration Facility (PIF). This facility allows the integration of the launch vehicle in a separate facility, before being moved to the mobile launch tower for the lift-off, leaving the launch pad free for other launches. The facility was set up to free up the first-launch pad for an increased number of launches. Sunday's launch will see the satellite being injected into orbit just over 17 minutes after the lift-off. The satellite will be placed in a Sun-synchronous polar orbit, which means the satellite would pass over a given place at the same time every day. Importantly, the satellite will carry fuel that will be reserved for de-orbiting it after the end of its mission-life. The orbit of the satellite will be lowered in a manner that it will enter the earth's atmosphere and burn up within two years, making it a debris-free mission. In fact, the fuel on-board the fourth stage of the launch vehicle will also be removed in line with international guidelines. It is also recommended that stored fuel be removed from spacecrafts or upper stages of launch vehicles to ensure that there are no accidents that break up the satellite in space and create more debris.
Yahoo
04-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Newly-launched Indian satellite left stranded by propulsion problem
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. India just launched its first mission of 2025. The Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) lifted off from Satish Dhawan Space Centre on schedule today at 7:53 p.m. EST (0053 GMT and 6:23 a.m. local time on Jan. 29). It was the 100th launch overall from the storied spaceport, which lies on the barrier island Sriharikota, off India's southeastern coast. The first orbital liftoff from the site occurred in August 1979, according to The Hindu. NVS-02 was expected to take up a position along the geostationary belt, around 22,236 miles (35,786 kilometers) above the equator. Reaching geostationary orbit usually first involves launching into a low Earth orbit, before the rocket's upper stage fires to send the spacecraft into an elliptical transfer orbit, with a low perigee, or closest point to Earth, and a high apogee, or furthest point from Earth, around the altitude of geostationary orbit. When the satellite reaches apogee, the spacecraft fires its engines to raise the perigee and make the orbit circular at geostationary altitude. This is, however, the point at which NVS-02 was found to suffer a value issue, could not fire its engines, and thus remains in transfer orbit. ISRO is now looking into alternative solutions and uses for the satellite, potentially including using the spacecraft's smaller, attitude control thrusters to raise its perigee and prevent it deorbiting due to atmospheric drag. "The satellite systems are healthy and the satellite is currently in elliptical orbit," ISRO says. "Alternate mission strategies for utilising the satellite for navigation in an elliptical orbit is being worked out." RELATED STORIES: — Major milestone! India becomes 4th nation to dock satellites in orbit — Watch Chandrayaan-3's Pragyan rover adorably avoid a lunar crater (video) — India launches Aditya-L1 solar observatory, its 1st-ever sun probe NVS-02 is the second of five planned next-gen spacecraft in the Navigation with Indian Constellation. NavIC, which is designed to provide India and surrounding regions with positioning, navigation and timing services, similar to those provided by the US GPS and other systems. The launch was India's first of 2025 and the 100th launch from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, situated on the barrier island Sriharikota, off India's southeastern coast.
