Current Affairs - Technology

China launched its youngest-ever space crew in 2023 on the Shenzhou 17 mission. The crew consists of Tang Hongbo, Tang Shengjie, and Jiang Xinlin, with an average age of 38. This makes them the youngest team on a space station construction mission. Tang Hongbo, a seasoned astronaut, previously led a 2021 space mission for three months.

Kerala is planning to establish a graphene production facility with an estimated investment of ₹237 crore, making it a significant development in material technology.

China is building the world's largest neutrino-detecting telescope, "Trident", in the western Pacific Ocean. The telescope is expected to be completed in 2030 and will be used to study these enigmatic particles, which are often referred to as "ghost particles" because they rarely interact with matter.

Skyroot Aerospace unveiled its Vikram-1 orbital rocket in Hyderabad in October 2023. The rocket is scheduled for its first full launch in the later months of 2024. This is a significant milestone for India's space industry, as Skyroot is the first private Indian company to develop an orbital launch vehicle.

The "Space on Wheels" exhibition is a joint initiative between ISRO and Vijnana Bharati (VIBHA), a science and technology organization in India. The program is designed to bring the wonders of space exploration to students and space enthusiasts in remote areas of the country.