Current Affairs - Technology

The NISAR (NASA ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellite mission is a joint initiative between NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). This collaboration aims to launch a powerful Earth-observing satellite that will utilize synthetic aperture radar technology to monitor and measure various changes on Earth's surface, including ice sheets, glaciers, wetlands, forests, and geological features. The partnership underscores NASA's role in advancing global climate change research and enhancing environmental monitoring capabilities through space-based missions.

Chinese scientists, using the Chinese H-alpha Solar Explorer (CHASE) satellite, made a breakthrough in solar research by identifying a new pattern of solar atmospheric rotation. Launched by the China National Space Administration (CNSA), the CHASE mission aims to enhance understanding of solar dynamics through spectroscopic observations in the H-alpha waveband, marking a significant achievement in China's space exploration efforts.

Chinese scientists utilized the CHASE (Chinese H-alpha Solar Explorer) satellite to identify a novel pattern in the rotational dynamics of the solar atmosphere. Launched in October 2021 with a planned operational span of three years, CHASE orbits Earth in a fixed position relative to the sun, enabling continuous observation of solar phenomena and contributing valuable insights into solar physics and atmospheric dynamics.

Egypt and Bahrain have partnered with China to jointly develop a hyperspectral camera for the Chang’e-7 lunar mission. This camera will be instrumental in imaging and analyzing lunar surface materials, particularly in the Moon’s polar regions. It is designed to provide high-quality hyperspectral data that can support various scientific endeavours such as environmental monitoring, natural resource surveys, and climate change studies. This collaboration marks an important step in lunar exploration for both Egypt and Bahrain, aiming to deepen their space partnership with China and enhance their capabilities in space science and technology.

'Divya Drishti' is an AI-based tool developed by a woman-led start-up that integrates facial recognition with gait analysis to create a robust authentication system. This innovative approach enhances identification accuracy and reliability, minimizing risks associated with false positives or identity fraud. The tool has versatile applications across sectors such as defence, law enforcement, and corporate environments, developed under the technical guidance of DRDO's Centre for Artificial Intelligence & Robotics (CAIR) in Bengaluru.