Current Affairs - Technology

IIT Bombay commissioned India’s first Integrated Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage (CCUS) Field Laboratory Facility under Bharat Innovates 2026 on May 11, 2026. The indigenously developed pilot facility has the capacity to process up to 3 tonnes of carbon dioxide per day using advanced aqueous-based catalytic CO₂ capture technology. The system can capture carbon dioxide from ambient air and industrial emissions using non-potable water sources such as seawater and industrial effluents. The project also includes geological sequestration in the Deccan Traps to permanently store CO₂. IIT Bombay, established in 1958, is an Institute of National Importance located in Powai, Mumbai.

The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is an autonomous body operating under the Ministry of Science & Technology. It facilitated the transfer of 13 indigenous technologies developed by the Central Building Research Institute (CBRI) during the National Technology Day event held on May 12, 2026. These technologies were related to fire safety, sustainable construction, infrastructure protection, energy efficiency, and advanced building materials. Headquartered in New Delhi and established in 1942, the organisation plays a major role in advancing scientific research, innovation, and industrial development in India through its network of laboratories and institutes.

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.