Current Affairs - Technology

Su Sahay is an Artificial Intelligence-powered chatbot launched by the Indian judiciary to improve access to judicial services for citizens and litigants. Introduced alongside the One Case One Data initiative, the chatbot was developed by the National Informatics Centre in collaboration with the Supreme Court Registry. Its main purpose is to provide front-end assistance, guide users through judicial procedures, and offer access to live court updates and official legal information. The initiative aims to modernise the judicial system through digital integration, reduce administrative barriers, and make legal services more accessible and transparent for the general public across India.

NASA, in collaboration with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), successfully tested a 120-kilowatt lithium-fed magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thruster on May 08, 2026. The advanced propulsion technology uses ionized lithium plasma accelerated through magnetic fields to produce electromagnetic thrust. The system operates using Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NEP), where a compact nuclear reactor powers the thrusters instead of solar energy. This innovation is significant for future deep-space exploration and crewed Mars missions, which may require power outputs between 2 and 4 megawatts. The successful test represents a major milestone in high-power space propulsion technology for long-duration interplanetary travel.

Skyroot Aerospace became India’s first space-tech unicorn after raising $60 million in a funding round co-led by Sherpalo Ventures and Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC. The Hyderabad-based company achieved a valuation of $1.1 billion, marking a major milestone for India’s private space sector. Founded in 2018 by former ISRO engineers Pawan Kumar Chandana and Naga Bharath Daka, Skyroot Aerospace is developing orbital launch vehicles such as Vikram-1 and Vikram-2. The company had earlier achieved success by launching the Vikram-S suborbital rocket in 2022, becoming the first private Indian firm to send a rocket into space.

IIT Madras organised its first-ever Technology Summit at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi under the theme “From IITM. For Bharat. Building Together.” The summit was inaugurated by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and focused on showcasing deep technology innovations and research advancements. IIT Madras announced strategic collaborations with NTPC, BPCL, and HSBC to establish dedicated research centres aimed at healthcare technologies and sustainability initiatives. The event also highlighted developments in sovereign AI through the Bodhan AI project, semiconductor ecosystems, robotic surgery, and cardiovascular research. IIT Madras, established in 1959 with assistance from former West Germany, consistently ranks first in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF).

GalaxEye Space, a Bengaluru-based private Earth observation space technology company, successfully launched Mission Drishti aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket on May 3, 2026. The satellite weighs 190 kg and is considered the largest satellite ever built by a private Indian company. It carries the innovative OptoSAR payload, which combines optical imaging and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) into a single platform. This technology allows simultaneous collection of optical and radar data under all weather conditions, both day and night. The satellite is expected to support disaster management, agriculture monitoring, border surveillance, and infrastructure planning with enhanced Earth observation capabilities.