Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut, who is gearing up for her big release 'Thalaivii', pays homage at the J Jayalalithaa memorial in the iconic Marina beach.

 
This latest development comes ahead of Kangana's film release--the biopic where she plays the former Chief Minister.&nbsp;

 
In promo videos of the upcoming flick, Ranaut can be seen performing dance sequences with Aravind Swami(who plays MGR in the biopic). These sequences represent the on-screen chemistry that Jayalalithaa had shared with MG Ramachandran, (three time CM who won three consecutive polls), who was also her co-star and political mentor.&nbsp;

 
Eventually, Jayalalithaa took on the mantle of MGR's AIADMK and was elected Chief Minister four times--1991, 1996, 2001 and 2016.

Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut, who is gearing up for her big release 'Thalaivii', pays homage at the J Jayalalithaa memorial in the iconic Marina beach. This latest development comes ahead of Kangana's film release--the biopic where she plays the former Chief Minister.

Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut, who is gearing up for her big release 'Thalaivii', pays homage at the J Jayalalithaa memorial in the iconic Marina beach. This latest development comes ahead of Kangana's film release--the biopic where she plays the former Chief Minister. In promo videos of the upcoming flick, Ranaut can be seen performing dance sequences with Aravind Swami(who plays MGR in the biopic). These sequences represent the on-screen chemistry that Jayalalithaa had shared with MG Ramachandran, (three time CM who won three consecutive polls), who was also her co-star and political mentor. Eventually, Jayalalithaa took on the mantle of MGR's AIADMK and was elected Chief Minister four times--1991, 1996, 2001 and 2016.

Kangana Ranaut pays homage at the J Jayalalithaa memorial in Marina beach

The Madras High Court has directed the Tamil Nadu government that only native breed bulls (boy indicus) can take part in the traditional bull-taming sport, known as Jallikattu.

This order prohibits the participation of foreign or cross bred bulls and requires vet's certification of participating bulls. This was in response to a writ petition filed by E.Seshan, who stated that Jallikattu and similar sports were meant to promote indigenous breeds of bulls, but were witnessing the wrongful participation of foreign/cross breed bulls. The order was delivered by Justices N. Kirubakaran (Retd) and P.Velmurugan.&nbsp;

Jalikattu is a bull-taming sport where an athlete is required to cling to/embrace a running bull for a said time and distance, by putting his arms around the bull's hump. If the man holds on to the bull, he wins the contest and if the bull manages&nbsp;to dislodge the athlete from itself, it is the animal’s victory. Native bred bulls (bos indicus) are best suited for this sport as they have well-defined and large humps aligned with their front legs.&nbsp;

It was pointed out that when foreign breed or cross bred bulls are used, they have a huge body and tiny hump, thus making it impossible for the participants to cling onto the hump. Another hazard was that non-native bulls had the tendency to trample and crush players on the field. Also, players only had the option of hanging onto the hump and not the tails or horns.&nbsp;

However, bull owners started using foreign breeds or cross bred bulls to improve their winning chances and such foreign bulls had won titles in the years 2019 and 2020 at Alanganallur, Madurai. It must be noted that Jallikattu was banned by the Supreme Court in 2014 stating that it was an act of cruelty against animals. However, via an ordinance in the State Assembly and a subsequent law, the sport was permitted since 2017.

In this petition, it was pointed out that the 2017 amendment and law to permit Jallikattu sport in Tamil Nadu was solely aimed at preserving native breeds. It was mentioned that the relaxations to conduct the sport were only specific to native breeds and not foreign ones.

The order copy had photographs of the native bulls and foreign bred/cross bred ones to indicate the stark difference in hump size and the position of the hump (with respect to the frontal legs). These pictures were juxtaposed to demonstrate the difference between the Indian variety (bos Indicus) and the cross bred (bos indices x bos taurus) and help instant identification.

The court has now ordered that a certificate issued by Animal Husbandry department identifying a bull as a native one must be filed, while applying to participate in the sport. A stern warning was issued to Doctors, against passing off (wrongly certifying) foreign/hybrid bulls as native ones. It also urged the government to encourage bull owners and farmers groom native breeds by offering subsidies or incentives. It was added that measures must be taken to avoid artificial insemination of animals, which would deny the voiceless animals their mating rights.&nbsp;

The Madras High Court has directed the Tamil Nadu government that only native breed bulls (boy indicus) can take part in the traditional bull-taming sport, known as Jallikattu.

The Madras High Court has directed the Tamil Nadu government that only native breed bulls (boy indicus) can take part in the traditional bull-taming sport, known as Jallikattu. This order prohibits the participation of foreign or cross bred bulls and requires vet's certification of participating bulls. This was in response to a writ petition filed by E.Seshan, who stated that Jallikattu and similar sports were meant to promote indigenous breeds of bulls, but were witnessing the wrongful participation of foreign/cross breed bulls. The order was delivered by Justices N. Kirubakaran (Retd) and P.Velmurugan. Jalikattu is a bull-taming sport where an athlete is required to cling to/embrace a running bull for a said time and distance, by putting his arms around the bull's hump. If the man holds on to the bull, he wins the contest and if the bull manages to dislodge the athlete from itself, it is the animal’s victory. Native bred bulls (bos indicus) are best suited for this sport as they have well-defined and large humps aligned with their front legs. It was pointed out that when foreign breed or cross bred bulls are used, they have a huge body and tiny hump, thus making it impossible for the participants to cling onto the hump. Another hazard was that non-native bulls had the tendency to trample and crush players on the field. Also, players only had the option of hanging onto the hump and not the tails or horns. However, bull owners started using foreign breeds or cross bred bulls to improve their winning chances and such foreign bulls had won titles in the years 2019 and 2020 at Alanganallur, Madurai. It must be noted that Jallikattu was banned by the Supreme Court in 2014 stating that it was an act of cruelty against animals. However, via an ordinance in the State Assembly and a subsequent law, the sport was permitted since 2017. In this petition, it was pointed out that the 2017 amendment and law to permit Jallikattu sport in Tamil Nadu was solely aimed at preserving native breeds. It was mentioned that the relaxations to conduct the sport were only specific to native breeds and not foreign ones. The order copy had photographs of the native bulls and foreign bred/cross bred ones to indicate the stark difference in hump size and the position of the hump (with respect to the frontal legs). These pictures were juxtaposed to demonstrate the difference between the Indian variety (bos Indicus) and the cross bred (bos indices x bos taurus) and help instant identification. The court has now ordered that a certificate issued by Animal Husbandry department identifying a bull as a native one must be filed, while applying to participate in the sport. A stern warning was issued to Doctors, against passing off (wrongly certifying) foreign/hybrid bulls as native ones. It also urged the government to encourage bull owners and farmers groom native breeds by offering subsidies or incentives. It was added that measures must be taken to avoid artificial insemination of animals, which would deny the voiceless animals their mating rights.

Indian court bars participation of foreign, cross bred bulls in taming-sport Jallikattu

According to top officials, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) will be making only minor tweaks to its heavy-lifter rocket GSLV Mk3, as the agency gears up for Human Spaceflight missions. These changes to its most-advanced rocket are meant to improve its reliability for undertaking the daunting task of lifting a human-carrying spacecraft into orbit. Additional emphasis would also be paid to the manufacturing process of the rocket and its components.&nbsp;

ISRO is working towards performing two unmanned flights of Gaganyaan, in order to test and certify its systems, before the actual Human Spaceflight. Mandatory testing and qualifications apart, ISRO will also be launching two satellites that are meant to provide communications support for its human-carrying spacecraft. Known as IDRSS (Indian Data Relay System Satellites), they would be placed nearly 36,000km above the equator (where they would remain in sync with the earth’s rotation or at a constant position when seen from earth) and will offer near-total tracking and communication with India’s space assets. It must be noted that a constellation of 3 satellites positioned in a 36,000km orbit can offer real-time, 24/7 monitoring of almost the entire earth.

ISRO intends to launch two such IDRSS satellites prior to the Gaganyaan Human Spaceflight. Dr. K.Sivan, Chairman, ISRO, told WION that the Gaganyaan spacecraft would be placed in a low earth orbit, 400kms above the earth. He added that ISRO was looking at launching the IDRSS satellites in 2022. For context, when Gaganyaan is orbiting the earth, but not visible to the ground stations, Gaganyaan can send its signals and communicate with the IDRSS satellites up above, which in turn would relay it down to the ground stations and vice versa. This would ensure constant communication between the astronauts and their mission control on earth.

Referring to the orbital placement of Gaganyaan, he said, "The rocket will put the 7.5ton Gaganyaan module into a 170x400kms orbit (170kms from earth and 400kms from earth at its nearest and farthest points in orbit respectively). Thereafter, the on-board propulsion will raise the Gaganyaan module to a uniform 400km (Low earth orbit). He also added that, the same propulsion system would be used to lower the orbit and bring the spacecraft closer to the earth to aid re-entry.

When queried about the astronauts' mission duration in space and the splash-landing site (Bay of Bengal or Arabian Sea), he said that it would be decided in due course.&nbsp;

On the testing of rocket engines, Dr. S. Somanath, Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Center, told Zee Media that minor tweaks would be made to the GSLV Mk3 rocket, in terms of materials being used. However, he added that these would be very minor changes that are aimed at improving reliability and not fundamental, technological ones. Also, the space agency will be laying additional emphasis on the manufacturing process of the rocket and its components. It is pertinent to recall that the GSLV Mk3, which is to be used for Gaganyaan, has had complete success in all its four flights thus far.&nbsp;

Regarding the engines being used to propel the Gaganyaan spacecraft, he said that it was a cluster of five engines. Here too, the engines being used are the tried and tested 440N thrust engines that are in use in the GSAT series of satellites. A system demonstration model comprising a cluster of five engines was recently test fired successfully by ISRO, for a duration of 450 seconds. In the coming months, ISRO will be performing a long duration test-fire of its engines, in order to accumulate more data for human-rating of the entire rocket. It essentially means that a rocket which is used for hauling cargo (satellites) to space is being modified and certified for carrying humans, while ensuring higher safety and reliability.&nbsp;

According to top officials, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) will be making only minor tweaks to its heavy-lifter rocket GSLV Mk3, as the agency gears up for Human Spaceflight missions.

According to top officials, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) will be making only minor tweaks to its heavy-lifter rocket GSLV Mk3, as the agency gears up for Human Spaceflight missions. These changes to its most-advanced rocket are meant to improve its reliability for undertaking the daunting task of lifting a human-carrying spacecraft into orbit. Additional emphasis would also be paid to the manufacturing process of the rocket and its components. ISRO is working towards performing two unmanned flights of Gaganyaan, in order to test and certify its systems, before the actual Human Spaceflight. Mandatory testing and qualifications apart, ISRO will also be launching two satellites that are meant to provide communications support for its human-carrying spacecraft. Known as IDRSS (Indian Data Relay System Satellites), they would be placed nearly 36,000km above the equator (where they would remain in sync with the earth’s rotation or at a constant position when seen from earth) and will offer near-total tracking and communication with India’s space assets. It must be noted that a constellation of 3 satellites positioned in a 36,000km orbit can offer real-time, 24/7 monitoring of almost the entire earth. ISRO intends to launch two such IDRSS satellites prior to the Gaganyaan Human Spaceflight. Dr. K.Sivan, Chairman, ISRO, told WION that the Gaganyaan spacecraft would be placed in a low earth orbit, 400kms above the earth. He added that ISRO was looking at launching the IDRSS satellites in 2022. For context, when Gaganyaan is orbiting the earth, but not visible to the ground stations, Gaganyaan can send its signals and communicate with the IDRSS satellites up above, which in turn would relay it down to the ground stations and vice versa. This would ensure constant communication between the astronauts and their mission control on earth. Referring to the orbital placement of Gaganyaan, he said, "The rocket will put the 7.5ton Gaganyaan module into a 170x400kms orbit (170kms from earth and 400kms from earth at its nearest and farthest points in orbit respectively). Thereafter, the on-board propulsion will raise the Gaganyaan module to a uniform 400km (Low earth orbit). He also added that, the same propulsion system would be used to lower the orbit and bring the spacecraft closer to the earth to aid re-entry. When queried about the astronauts' mission duration in space and the splash-landing site (Bay of Bengal or Arabian Sea), he said that it would be decided in due course. On the testing of rocket engines, Dr. S. Somanath, Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Center, told Zee Media that minor tweaks would be made to the GSLV Mk3 rocket, in terms of materials being used. However, he added that these would be very minor changes that are aimed at improving reliability and not fundamental, technological ones. Also, the space agency will be laying additional emphasis on the manufacturing process of the rocket and its components. It is pertinent to recall that the GSLV Mk3, which is to be used for Gaganyaan, has had complete success in all its four flights thus far. Regarding the engines being used to propel the Gaganyaan spacecraft, he said that it was a cluster of five engines. Here too, the engines being used are the tried and tested 440N thrust engines that are in use in the GSAT series of satellites. A system demonstration model comprising a cluster of five engines was recently test fired successfully by ISRO, for a duration of 450 seconds. In the coming months, ISRO will be performing a long duration test-fire of its engines, in order to accumulate more data for human-rating of the entire rocket. It essentially means that a rocket which is used for hauling cargo (satellites) to space is being modified and certified for carrying humans, while ensuring higher safety and reliability.

ISRO making minor tweaks to GSLV for Gaganyaan, more emphasis on manufacturing process

Launching rockets and placing satellites in orbit has been a routine business for the Indian Space Research Organization. Meanwhile, Gaganyaan (Sanskrit for SkyCraft), a hugely complex mission to send Indian astronauts to space, is a work in progress.

Recently, ISRO announced the successful completion of a crucial test of the Gaganyaan spacecraft’s propulsion system. This cluster of engines would help Indian astronauts remain in orbit and also aid their safe return.

WION spoke to Chairman ISRO, Dr&nbsp;K Sivan, and Director, Vikram Sarabhai Space Center, Dr&nbsp;S Somanath, to throw light on the latest test and the mission plan.&nbsp;

The launch of satellites and human-carrying spacecraft are quite similar, but the latter is exponentially more sophisticated in terms of the technology and reliability that has to be developed. In both cases, the payload sits on the top-most portion of the rocket. 
 
The expendable rocket’s task ends about 16-20 minutes after lift-off and it falls back into the sea (in a phased manner), after ejecting the satellite. 
 
Once placed into orbit, the satellite/spacecraft is an independent entity in space that needs to navigate and propel itself, without the powerful propulsion of the rocket that got it up there.&nbsp;

The payload (satellite or the module carrying astronauts) must stay in orbit for a designated mission time, while enduring the harsh conditions of zero-gravity, severe temperature variations, and orbital movement at very high speeds. 
 
For context, the International Space Station, which continues to orbit the earth, moves at a whopping 7km/second or 27,850km/hour.

While satellites stay in orbit for many years, India’s Gaganyaan mission is meant to remain in orbit for upto a week. 
&nbsp;

This process of staying in a designated orbit requires the use of the spacecraft’s own engines. It was this system, Gaganyaan Service Module Propulsion System – System Demonstration Model (SDM), that was tested a few days ago.&nbsp;

The GSLV Mk3, India’s heaviest rocket, is meant to carry the Gaganyaan to space. "The launch vehicle will put the 7.5ton Gaganyaan module into 170x400km orbit (170kms from earth and 400kms from earth at its nearest and farthest points in orbit respectively). Thereafter, the system which we have now tested will raise the Gaganyaan module to a uniform 400kms orbit (Low earth orbit), "Dr. K. Sivan explained to Zee Media. He also added that, the same propulsion system would be used to lower the orbit and bring the spacecraft closer to the earth to aid re-entry.

<a href="https://www.isro.gov.in/update/28-aug-2021/successful-hot-test-of-gaganyaan-service-module-propulsion-system-%E2%80%93-system">On its website, ISRO</a> mentions that the first hot test of the System Demonstration Model (SDM) of the Gaganyaan Service Module Propulsion System was done for a duration of 450seconds at the ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC), Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu. The system performance met the test objectives and there was a close match with the pre-test predictions. Further, a series of hot tests are planned to simulate various mission conditions as well as off-nominal conditions, it added.&nbsp;

Then Dr&nbsp;S Somanath, Director, VSSC, ISRO, said that the Gaganyaan integrated module consists of two parts - Crew Module and Service Module. While the crew module will house astronauts, the service module will provide the propulsion to raise the orbit and later lower the orbit. "To slow down the spacecraft (which is traveling at nearly 7.5kms per second) and facilitate re-entry, we will fire the five engines (as used in the GISAT Satellites) on the service module. Once the re-entry is facilitated, the service module will detach and the crew module alone will make a controlled descent, with its parachutes and crew module propulsion systems, "he explained to Zee Media.

While the latest test is a boost for India's ambitious Human Spaceflight programme, it must be kept in mind that each propulsion system that goes into the GSLV Mk3 rocket and the spacecraft will be further tested for longer durations and various parameters. Such tests are part of the 'Human-rating' of the launch vehicle and its systems. It essentially means that a rocket that is used for hauling cargo (satellites) to space is being modified and certified for carrying humans, while ensuring higher safety and reliability.

Launching rockets and placing satellites in orbit has been a routine business for the Indian Space Research Organization. Meanwhile, Gaganyaan (Sanskrit for SkyCraft), a hugely complex mission to send Indian astronauts to space, is a work in progress.

Launching rockets and placing satellites in orbit has been a routine business for the Indian Space Research Organization. Meanwhile, Gaganyaan (Sanskrit for SkyCraft), a hugely complex mission to send Indian astronauts to space, is a work in progress. Recently, ISRO announced the successful completion of a crucial test of the Gaganyaan spacecraft’s propulsion system. This cluster of engines would help Indian astronauts remain in orbit and also aid their safe return. WION spoke to Chairman ISRO, Dr K Sivan, and Director, Vikram Sarabhai Space Center, Dr S Somanath, to throw light on the latest test and the mission plan. The launch of satellites and human-carrying spacecraft are quite similar, but the latter is exponentially more sophisticated in terms of the technology and reliability that has to be developed. In both cases, the payload sits on the top-most portion of the rocket. The expendable rocket’s task ends about 16-20 minutes after lift-off and it falls back into the sea (in a phased manner), after ejecting the satellite. Once placed into orbit, the satellite/spacecraft is an independent entity in space that needs to navigate and propel itself, without the powerful propulsion of the rocket that got it up there. The payload (satellite or the module carrying astronauts) must stay in orbit for a designated mission time, while enduring the harsh conditions of zero-gravity, severe temperature variations, and orbital movement at very high speeds. For context, the International Space Station, which continues to orbit the earth, moves at a whopping 7km/second or 27,850km/hour. While satellites stay in orbit for many years, India’s Gaganyaan mission is meant to remain in orbit for upto a week. This process of staying in a designated orbit requires the use of the spacecraft’s own engines. It was this system, Gaganyaan Service Module Propulsion System – System Demonstration Model (SDM), that was tested a few days ago. The GSLV Mk3, India’s heaviest rocket, is meant to carry the Gaganyaan to space. "The launch vehicle will put the 7.5ton Gaganyaan module into 170x400km orbit (170kms from earth and 400kms from earth at its nearest and farthest points in orbit respectively). Thereafter, the system which we have now tested will raise the Gaganyaan module to a uniform 400kms orbit (Low earth orbit), "Dr. K. Sivan explained to Zee Media. He also added that, the same propulsion system would be used to lower the orbit and bring the spacecraft closer to the earth to aid re-entry. On its website, ISRO mentions that the first hot test of the System Demonstration Model (SDM) of the Gaganyaan Service Module Propulsion System was done for a duration of 450seconds at the ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC), Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu. The system performance met the test objectives and there was a close match with the pre-test predictions. Further, a series of hot tests are planned to simulate various mission conditions as well as off-nominal conditions, it added. Then Dr S Somanath, Director, VSSC, ISRO, said that the Gaganyaan integrated module consists of two parts - Crew Module and Service Module. While the crew module will house astronauts, the service module will provide the propulsion to raise the orbit and later lower the orbit. "To slow down the spacecraft (which is traveling at nearly 7.5kms per second) and facilitate re-entry, we will fire the five engines (as used in the GISAT Satellites) on the service module. Once the re-entry is facilitated, the service module will detach and the crew module alone will make a controlled descent, with its parachutes and crew module propulsion systems, "he explained to Zee Media. While the latest test is a boost for India's ambitious Human Spaceflight programme, it must be kept in mind that each propulsion system that goes into the GSLV Mk3 rocket and the spacecraft will be further tested for longer durations and various parameters. Such tests are part of the 'Human-rating' of the launch vehicle and its systems. It essentially means that a rocket that is used for hauling cargo (satellites) to space is being modified and certified for carrying humans, while ensuring higher safety and reliability.

ISRO successfully tests a system that will propel India’s human-carrying spacecraft

According to the&nbsp;defence&nbsp;establishment, the area falling under&nbsp;three&nbsp;km radius from the perimeter of naval installations in Tamil Nadu has been designated as a&nbsp;'No Fly Zone'. This means that individuals/civil agencies are prohibited from flying non-conventional aerial objects,&nbsp;such as drones or unmanned aerial&nbsp;vehicles&nbsp;(UAVs) without any prior permission.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In a stern warning, it has been stated that “The Indian Navy will destroy or confiscate any non-conventional aerial object including drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) found flying without proper approval.&nbsp; Further, the operator found violating these orders will be charged under the provisions of Indian Penal Code.”&nbsp;

It was added that the approval for using drones by any operator/government agency is governed by the guidelines issued by Ministry of Home&nbsp;Affairs&nbsp;(MHA). In case of an approved, scheduled flying operation, the approval from Director General Civil Aviation (DGCA) is to be obtained through Digi Sky Website, and a copy of the approval letter is to be submitted to Headquarter Tamil Nadu &amp; Puducherry Naval Area/ Staff Officer (Security) and concerned Naval Station at least a week prior to the flying operation.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In July, the areas falling within&nbsp;three&nbsp;km radius of the perimeter of Indian Naval Air Station INS&nbsp;Rajali&nbsp;in&nbsp;Arakkonam, Tamil Nadu were designated as&nbsp;'No Fly&nbsp;Zone'A&nbsp;similar warning regarding the confiscation and destruction of the UAV/drone and legal action against the violators was&nbsp;emphasised&nbsp;upon, back then.&nbsp;&nbsp;

It is understood that this warning gains significance, given the recent terror attacks on&nbsp;defence&nbsp;facilities in Jammu and Kashmir, using explosive laden drones. These mini flying machines pose a significant threat as they can be launched from anywhere, in a short notice and can cause damage to life and property.&nbsp;

According to the defence establishment, the area falling under three km radius from the perimeter of naval installations in Tamil Nadu has been designated as a 'No Fly Zone'.

According to the defence establishment, the area falling under three km radius from the perimeter of naval installations in Tamil Nadu has been designated as a 'No Fly Zone'. This means that individuals/civil agencies are prohibited from flying non-conventional aerial objects, such as drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) without any prior permission. In a stern warning, it has been stated that “The Indian Navy will destroy or confiscate any non-conventional aerial object including drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) found flying without proper approval. Further, the operator found violating these orders will be charged under the provisions of Indian Penal Code.” It was added that the approval for using drones by any operator/government agency is governed by the guidelines issued by Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). In case of an approved, scheduled flying operation, the approval from Director General Civil Aviation (DGCA) is to be obtained through Digi Sky Website, and a copy of the approval letter is to be submitted to Headquarter Tamil Nadu & Puducherry Naval Area/ Staff Officer (Security) and concerned Naval Station at least a week prior to the flying operation. In July, the areas falling within three km radius of the perimeter of Indian Naval Air Station INS Rajali in Arakkonam, Tamil Nadu were designated as 'No Fly Zone'A similar warning regarding the confiscation and destruction of the UAV/drone and legal action against the violators was emphasised upon, back then. It is understood that this warning gains significance, given the recent terror attacks on defence facilities in Jammu and Kashmir, using explosive laden drones. These mini flying machines pose a significant threat as they can be launched from anywhere, in a short notice and can cause damage to life and property.

3 km area surrounding naval installations turns 'No Fly Zone' in Tamil Nadu  

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has asked the Central Government to consider and pass a law that would grant greater autonomy to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The Justices N.Kirubakaran and Pugalendhi also mentioned that the CBI has to be on par with entities such as the Election Commission and Comptroller Auditor General (CAG).

It was emphasized that the CBI must not be under the administrative control of the Central Government. The court was hearing a plea by a group from Ramanathapuram that sought a CBI probe into an alleged Rs.300cr financial fraud.&nbsp;

In its order, the Court pointed out the public demand for CBI investigation into cases involving heinous and sensitive crimes, in the absence of proper investigation by local police. It was noted that while the people trusted the CBI and its credibility, the premier probing agency dragged its feet, citing resource and manpower shortages that prevented them from conducting investigations.&nbsp;

Referring to the many serious cases investigated by the CBI that led to an acquittal, the Court said that it reflected badly on the investigation of the agency. It was added that the CBI’s dependence on officers from the police, CISF and CRPF in investigating white-collar crimes highlighted that the officers coming on deputation did not have experience in probing such cases. A slew of measures and modernizations to augment the CBI were also shared.&nbsp;

The court order mentioned the need to have CBI officers with a wide spectrum of knowledge and expertise in various fields. Numerous high-profile cases, such as the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, 2G Scam, Coal Scam, Hawala Scandal, Sushant Singh Rajput Suicide, etc. were stated to showcase the different domains of crime.&nbsp;

Among the directions issued to the government of India were to enact a separate Act giving statutory status with more powers and jurisdiction to the CBI, to make the agency more independent like the Election Commission and CAG, and to provide a separate budgetary allocation for the CBI. The Director of the CBI shall be given powers as that of Secretary to the Government and shall directly report to the Minister/Prime Minister, the order added.

It was added that CFSL (Central Forensic Science Laboratory) should have more modern facilities that are on par with the FBI in the US and Scotland Yard in the UK. The Court order also urged the CBI to file a policy for permanent recruitment of Cyber Forensic experts, financial audit experts and also send a detailed proposal seeking an increase in Divisions/Wings and strength of officers in the CBI. The Court has also stated deadlines, before which, the CBI and the government of India must respond and take action on these matters.

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has asked the Central Government to consider and pass a law that would grant greater autonomy to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has asked the Central Government to consider and pass a law that would grant greater autonomy to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The Justices N.Kirubakaran and Pugalendhi also mentioned that the CBI has to be on par with entities such as the Election Commission and Comptroller Auditor General (CAG). It was emphasized that the CBI must not be under the administrative control of the Central Government. The court was hearing a plea by a group from Ramanathapuram that sought a CBI probe into an alleged Rs.300cr financial fraud. In its order, the Court pointed out the public demand for CBI investigation into cases involving heinous and sensitive crimes, in the absence of proper investigation by local police. It was noted that while the people trusted the CBI and its credibility, the premier probing agency dragged its feet, citing resource and manpower shortages that prevented them from conducting investigations. Referring to the many serious cases investigated by the CBI that led to an acquittal, the Court said that it reflected badly on the investigation of the agency. It was added that the CBI’s dependence on officers from the police, CISF and CRPF in investigating white-collar crimes highlighted that the officers coming on deputation did not have experience in probing such cases. A slew of measures and modernizations to augment the CBI were also shared. The court order mentioned the need to have CBI officers with a wide spectrum of knowledge and expertise in various fields. Numerous high-profile cases, such as the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, 2G Scam, Coal Scam, Hawala Scandal, Sushant Singh Rajput Suicide, etc. were stated to showcase the different domains of crime. Among the directions issued to the government of India were to enact a separate Act giving statutory status with more powers and jurisdiction to the CBI, to make the agency more independent like the Election Commission and CAG, and to provide a separate budgetary allocation for the CBI. The Director of the CBI shall be given powers as that of Secretary to the Government and shall directly report to the Minister/Prime Minister, the order added. It was added that CFSL (Central Forensic Science Laboratory) should have more modern facilities that are on par with the FBI in the US and Scotland Yard in the UK. The Court order also urged the CBI to file a policy for permanent recruitment of Cyber Forensic experts, financial audit experts and also send a detailed proposal seeking an increase in Divisions/Wings and strength of officers in the CBI. The Court has also stated deadlines, before which, the CBI and the government of India must respond and take action on these matters.

CBI should get autonomy at par with FBI, Scotland Yard : Madras High Court tells Indian Govt

Based on intelligence, Air Cargo Customs officials in the city intercepted an export consignment that was destined for Thailand. As per the shipping bill, the cargo was meant to contain 250kgs of live mud crab. However, officials at the Air Cargo export shed opened and examined all the boxes.

According to senior officials, 10 of the 15 packages contained live Indian star tortoises, an endangered species. A total of 2,247 tortoises were handed over to the Tamil Nadu Forest department for rehabilitation.&nbsp;

As per the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) Appendix 1, these tortoises are an endangered species and are covered under Schedule IV of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972.

Found in scrub jungles across many states in India, these tortoises end up in East Asian countries as exotic pets, delicacies in restaurants, are used for making traditional medicine, kept at homes as a lucky charm etc. While the local villagers catch them in India for a petty sum, they are smuggled out and sold at a hefty price abroad.

Based on intelligence, Air Cargo Customs officials in the city intercepted an export consignment that was destined for Thailand. As per the shipping bill, the cargo was meant to contain 250kgs of live mud crab.

Based on intelligence, Air Cargo Customs officials in the city intercepted an export consignment that was destined for Thailand. As per the shipping bill, the cargo was meant to contain 250kgs of live mud crab. However, officials at the Air Cargo export shed opened and examined all the boxes. According to senior officials, 10 of the 15 packages contained live Indian star tortoises, an endangered species. A total of 2,247 tortoises were handed over to the Tamil Nadu Forest department for rehabilitation. As per the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) Appendix 1, these tortoises are an endangered species and are covered under Schedule IV of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972. Found in scrub jungles across many states in India, these tortoises end up in East Asian countries as exotic pets, delicacies in restaurants, are used for making traditional medicine, kept at homes as a lucky charm etc. While the local villagers catch them in India for a petty sum, they are smuggled out and sold at a hefty price abroad.

Over 2200 live, endangered tortoises rescued from Thailand-bound cargo

One of the significant findings of India’s Chandrayaan-1 mission was to detect the presence of water on the moon’s surface. A probe onboard India’s Chandrayaan-2 orbiter (second lunar mission) has not only validated the breakthrough made by its predecessor but also paved the way for future lunar exploration.&nbsp;

According to ISRO scientists who were associated with both the Lunar projects, the data from Chandrayaan-2 would be used to build a lunar water map, which would further aid upcoming missions to the moon.&nbsp;

The initial evidence for surface water came from the NASA-provided Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) experiment carried on the Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft. While this payload from NASA also detected evidence of water at the lunar poles, its finding was under question, owing to the limited wavelength that M3 (an imaging spectrometer) covered. The basic function of a Spectrometer is to take in light (reflected from a surface) and provide a graph of the output. However, in the case of the M3, its wavelength of 0.7 to 3 microns was not sufficient to ascertain and affirm the detection of water on the moon.

"With M3, we had reached the tip of the iceberg, but we needed double and triple confirmation. In a breakthrough for us, the data from the old M3 sensor and the new Chandrayaan 2 sensor matched. The orbiter of Chandrayaan-2 has a 5 micron (wider) spectrometer, hence it unambiguously confirms the findings of Chandrayaan-1, "Dr Mylswamy Annadurai, Former Director of ISRO’s UR Rao Satellite Center, told WION.&nbsp;

He added that, with its nearly 7-year long mission life, the Chandrayaan 2 orbiter (in lunar orbit since Sept 2019) has the potential to create a moon terrain map that depicts the rocks, craters, ice deposits, water traces etc. Fondly known as India's ‘Moon Man ’, Dr Annadurai expressed hope that such a lunar map would help upcoming Indian lunar exploration missions and eventually the larger global scientific community.&nbsp;

"The spectrometer on Chandrayaan-2 can detect the presence of water (H2O) molecules and also measure the 
Oxygen-Hydrogen atoms are held together as Hydroxide (OH). In the new spectrometer images, the dips on the graph are visible, DR. A S Kiran Kumar, former Chairman of ISRO, told WION.&nbsp;

According to him, the separation of wavelengths in the 3.1 and 3.2-micron regions helped distinguish between water and hydrogen.&nbsp;

Water is detected as water molecules and hydroxides are found in minerals and hydrates. ISRO’s orbiter can map almost the entire moon (from its 100km altitude orbit) and more data can be collected from repeated observations, he adds. This offers good prospects for scientific analysis and studies, given that water (H2O) and hydroxide (OH) don’t exist in isolation on the lunar surface. Generally, water is found in the molecule form, whereas hydroxides are found as moisture in minerals and hydrates.

India’s second lunar mission, Chandrayaan-2 (launched in 2019), was only partially successful, as the lander ‘Vikram’ could not descend on the South Pole of the moon, as intended. Instead, the lander and the rover housed in it crashed landed, thus denying the opportunity to conduct a short-term, on-surface analysis. However, the orbiter, which circles the moon at an altitude of 100km and an approximate speed of 1km/s, continues to function and is expected to function for many more years. India’s first lunar probe, Chandrayaan-1, was launched in 2008 and it functioned for almost a year before communication was lost with the orbiter.&nbsp;

One of the significant findings of India’s Chandrayaan-1 mission was to detect the presence of water on the moon’s surface. A probe onboard India’s Chandrayaan-2 orbiter (second lunar mission) has not only validated the breakthrough made by its predecessor but also paved the way for future lunar exploration.

One of the significant findings of India’s Chandrayaan-1 mission was to detect the presence of water on the moon’s surface. A probe onboard India’s Chandrayaan-2 orbiter (second lunar mission) has not only validated the breakthrough made by its predecessor but also paved the way for future lunar exploration. According to ISRO scientists who were associated with both the Lunar projects, the data from Chandrayaan-2 would be used to build a lunar water map, which would further aid upcoming missions to the moon. The initial evidence for surface water came from the NASA-provided Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) experiment carried on the Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft. While this payload from NASA also detected evidence of water at the lunar poles, its finding was under question, owing to the limited wavelength that M3 (an imaging spectrometer) covered. The basic function of a Spectrometer is to take in light (reflected from a surface) and provide a graph of the output. However, in the case of the M3, its wavelength of 0.7 to 3 microns was not sufficient to ascertain and affirm the detection of water on the moon. "With M3, we had reached the tip of the iceberg, but we needed double and triple confirmation. In a breakthrough for us, the data from the old M3 sensor and the new Chandrayaan 2 sensor matched. The orbiter of Chandrayaan-2 has a 5 micron (wider) spectrometer, hence it unambiguously confirms the findings of Chandrayaan-1, "Dr Mylswamy Annadurai, Former Director of ISRO’s UR Rao Satellite Center, told WION. He added that, with its nearly 7-year long mission life, the Chandrayaan 2 orbiter (in lunar orbit since Sept 2019) has the potential to create a moon terrain map that depicts the rocks, craters, ice deposits, water traces etc. Fondly known as India's ‘Moon Man ’, Dr Annadurai expressed hope that such a lunar map would help upcoming Indian lunar exploration missions and eventually the larger global scientific community. "The spectrometer on Chandrayaan-2 can detect the presence of water (H2O) molecules and also measure the Oxygen-Hydrogen atoms are held together as Hydroxide (OH). In the new spectrometer images, the dips on the graph are visible, DR. A S Kiran Kumar, former Chairman of ISRO, told WION. According to him, the separation of wavelengths in the 3.1 and 3.2-micron regions helped distinguish between water and hydrogen. Water is detected as water molecules and hydroxides are found in minerals and hydrates. ISRO’s orbiter can map almost the entire moon (from its 100km altitude orbit) and more data can be collected from repeated observations, he adds. This offers good prospects for scientific analysis and studies, given that water (H2O) and hydroxide (OH) don’t exist in isolation on the lunar surface. Generally, water is found in the molecule form, whereas hydroxides are found as moisture in minerals and hydrates. India’s second lunar mission, Chandrayaan-2 (launched in 2019), was only partially successful, as the lander ‘Vikram’ could not descend on the South Pole of the moon, as intended. Instead, the lander and the rover housed in it crashed landed, thus denying the opportunity to conduct a short-term, on-surface analysis. However, the orbiter, which circles the moon at an altitude of 100km and an approximate speed of 1km/s, continues to function and is expected to function for many more years. India’s first lunar probe, Chandrayaan-1, was launched in 2008 and it functioned for almost a year before communication was lost with the orbiter.

Chandrayaan-2: India’s orbiter validates earlier finding of water on the lunar surface

In a relay race, all runners contribute equally, but the last runner has to be the best and the most reliable. Rocketry is also quite similar. A rocket consists of multiple stages(sets of engines) that are stacked vertically.&nbsp;

Each engine has a different level of performance and contributes to getting the payload to space. Once the respective engine completes its task, it detaches itself from the rocket and lets the next one continue the journey.&nbsp;

Towards the end, the final engine takes the satellite to its determined orbit and accomplishes the mission. The latest failure of India’s GSLV rocket’s Cryogenic engine(third and final stage) brings the crucial Cryogenic engine reliability issue to light.&nbsp;

The development of a cryogenic engine has unique design challenges, as it is fueled by liquid Hydrogen stored at&nbsp;

-253 deg C and liquid Oxygen stored at -195 deg C in its tanks. To store these cryogenic fluids, special multi-layer insulation is provided for the tanks and other structures.

Looking at the history of the GSLV rocket(without considering the 4-ton lifter GSLV Mk3), this is a launch vehicle that has had a considerable failure rate, when compared to ISRO’s excellent track record. This variant (GSLV or GSLV Mk2) has had 4 failures in 14 flights. While this number might seem minuscule when compared to International standards and the track record of foreign agencies, it slightly upsets ISRO’s stellar success rate.&nbsp;

In comparison, ISRO most reliable workhorse rocket, the PSLV(which doesn’t have a Cryogenic engine) has had only 2 failures in its history of 53 flights. Of course, Cryogenics has always been a tough technology to master and the GSLV is the first Indian rocket with a Cryogenic Engine. It was in 2001 that the GSLV had its first flight. &nbsp;For context, India’s heaviest rocket GSLV Mk3(capability to lift 4 tons) has delivered total success in all of its four flights to date. While the credit for the PSLV and GSLV Mk3 missions belong entirely to the Indian Space Agency, it is important to introspect on the GSLV vehicle that has been posing a technological challenge.&nbsp;

According to Former ISRO Chairman Dr G. Madhavan Nair, the GSLV that faced a Cryogenic engine ignition issue had a long developmental history. “This GSLV variant was conceived in the 1970s when we didn’t have large rocket boosters. While some of the technology in this rocket is similar to that of the highly reliable PSLV, the Cryogenic engine is based on a highly complex Russian design. The five initial flights of this rocket used an off-the-shelf purchase Russian Cryogenic engine. But later, we developed a Cryogenic engine based on the complex Russian design” he told Zee Media.&nbsp;

He elaborated by recalling that the disintegration of the erstwhile USSR had impacted India’s engine deal with the Soviets. Instead of providing the engines and related technology transfer(as agreed upon), Russia had provided only the five engines. This meant that Indian scientists had to learn, experiment and develop modern control systems for the complex Russian Engine, that was developed in the late 1960s. Notably, this Russian engine was also more technologically complicated than its American and European counterparts. Dr Nair also added that having five liquid-fuel boosters and one solid-fuel motor in the first stage on the GSLV increased the complexity of that rocket as a whole.&nbsp;

While the Cryogenic engine modelled after the Russian technology was very complex, India also eventually developed its Cryogenic engine called C25. It is the C25 that has flown as the third and final stage of the GSLV Mk3. To ISRO’s credit, the Mk3 rocket has delivered successes in all four flights. Some of the technology on the Mk3 rocket are scaled-up versions of the highly reliable PSLV rocket. When Zee Media asked if the reliable Indian Cryogenic engine on GSLV Mk3 could be scaled down for GSLV Mk2, Dr Nair replied in the affirmative. However, he stated that it would be a cost-intensive and time-consuming process that could take at least six years for the process of development, qualification and testing.&nbsp;

Given India’s limited choice of launch vehicles - PSLV, GSLV and GSLV Mk3 and the upcoming SSLV, ISRO must rectify the troubles on the GSLV rocket and its Cryogenic engine. This is necessary given that an important NASA-ISRO mission called NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) launch is planned on this very vehicle. Chairman ISRO, Dr K. Sivan had earlier told Zee Media that this NISAR mission would fly by late 2022 or early 2023 on a GSLV Mk2 rocket from Sriharikota. Given that the GSLV fills the gap between the PSLV and the GSLV Mk3, it is a significant vehicle in India’s stable, with prospects for commercial use. So far, ISRO only flies the PSLV to carry commercial satellites that weigh less than 1.5 tons. Perfecting the GSLV Cryogenic engine would only increase India’s gains from commercial launches, by carrying foreign satellites weighing up to 2.5 tons to a higher orbit.&nbsp;

According to a launch vehicle expert who spoke to Zee Media, the Cryogenic engine(topmost stage) must have one notch higher reliability than the second stage, just like the second stage must have higher reliability than the first. The expert, who wished to be unnamed, adds that failures could also happen due to minor errors like a loose bolt or a missing pin or even non-conformances at the manufacturing level. Thus, it was emphasized that ISRO work on establishing stricter quality controls, review protocols and double-checks to avoid such errors. It was added that the rectification needed to be done at respective levels, depending on what exactly led to the Cryogenic failure on Thursday(August 12th).&nbsp; 
 
Like a successful relay team gets the combination of four runners right, ISRO must master the technology of each of its rocket engines, have a stable of highly-reliable rockets that have varied payload carrying capacities - SSLV(500kg), GSLV MK2 (2.5ton) and GSLV Mk3(4ton and beyond).

In a relay race, all runners contribute equally, but the last runner has to be the best and the most reliable. Rocketry is also quite similar. A rocket consists of multiple stages(sets of engines) that are stacked vertically.

In a relay race, all runners contribute equally, but the last runner has to be the best and the most reliable. Rocketry is also quite similar. A rocket consists of multiple stages(sets of engines) that are stacked vertically. Each engine has a different level of performance and contributes to getting the payload to space. Once the respective engine completes its task, it detaches itself from the rocket and lets the next one continue the journey. Towards the end, the final engine takes the satellite to its determined orbit and accomplishes the mission. The latest failure of India’s GSLV rocket’s Cryogenic engine(third and final stage) brings the crucial Cryogenic engine reliability issue to light. The development of a cryogenic engine has unique design challenges, as it is fueled by liquid Hydrogen stored at -253 deg C and liquid Oxygen stored at -195 deg C in its tanks. To store these cryogenic fluids, special multi-layer insulation is provided for the tanks and other structures. Looking at the history of the GSLV rocket(without considering the 4-ton lifter GSLV Mk3), this is a launch vehicle that has had a considerable failure rate, when compared to ISRO’s excellent track record. This variant (GSLV or GSLV Mk2) has had 4 failures in 14 flights. While this number might seem minuscule when compared to International standards and the track record of foreign agencies, it slightly upsets ISRO’s stellar success rate. In comparison, ISRO most reliable workhorse rocket, the PSLV(which doesn’t have a Cryogenic engine) has had only 2 failures in its history of 53 flights. Of course, Cryogenics has always been a tough technology to master and the GSLV is the first Indian rocket with a Cryogenic Engine. It was in 2001 that the GSLV had its first flight. For context, India’s heaviest rocket GSLV Mk3(capability to lift 4 tons) has delivered total success in all of its four flights to date. While the credit for the PSLV and GSLV Mk3 missions belong entirely to the Indian Space Agency, it is important to introspect on the GSLV vehicle that has been posing a technological challenge. According to Former ISRO Chairman Dr G. Madhavan Nair, the GSLV that faced a Cryogenic engine ignition issue had a long developmental history. “This GSLV variant was conceived in the 1970s when we didn’t have large rocket boosters. While some of the technology in this rocket is similar to that of the highly reliable PSLV, the Cryogenic engine is based on a highly complex Russian design. The five initial flights of this rocket used an off-the-shelf purchase Russian Cryogenic engine. But later, we developed a Cryogenic engine based on the complex Russian design” he told Zee Media. He elaborated by recalling that the disintegration of the erstwhile USSR had impacted India’s engine deal with the Soviets. Instead of providing the engines and related technology transfer(as agreed upon), Russia had provided only the five engines. This meant that Indian scientists had to learn, experiment and develop modern control systems for the complex Russian Engine, that was developed in the late 1960s. Notably, this Russian engine was also more technologically complicated than its American and European counterparts. Dr Nair also added that having five liquid-fuel boosters and one solid-fuel motor in the first stage on the GSLV increased the complexity of that rocket as a whole. While the Cryogenic engine modelled after the Russian technology was very complex, India also eventually developed its Cryogenic engine called C25. It is the C25 that has flown as the third and final stage of the GSLV Mk3. To ISRO’s credit, the Mk3 rocket has delivered successes in all four flights. Some of the technology on the Mk3 rocket are scaled-up versions of the highly reliable PSLV rocket. When Zee Media asked if the reliable Indian Cryogenic engine on GSLV Mk3 could be scaled down for GSLV Mk2, Dr Nair replied in the affirmative. However, he stated that it would be a cost-intensive and time-consuming process that could take at least six years for the process of development, qualification and testing. Given India’s limited choice of launch vehicles - PSLV, GSLV and GSLV Mk3 and the upcoming SSLV, ISRO must rectify the troubles on the GSLV rocket and its Cryogenic engine. This is necessary given that an important NASA-ISRO mission called NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) launch is planned on this very vehicle. Chairman ISRO, Dr K. Sivan had earlier told Zee Media that this NISAR mission would fly by late 2022 or early 2023 on a GSLV Mk2 rocket from Sriharikota. Given that the GSLV fills the gap between the PSLV and the GSLV Mk3, it is a significant vehicle in India’s stable, with prospects for commercial use. So far, ISRO only flies the PSLV to carry commercial satellites that weigh less than 1.5 tons. Perfecting the GSLV Cryogenic engine would only increase India’s gains from commercial launches, by carrying foreign satellites weighing up to 2.5 tons to a higher orbit. According to a launch vehicle expert who spoke to Zee Media, the Cryogenic engine(topmost stage) must have one notch higher reliability than the second stage, just like the second stage must have higher reliability than the first. The expert, who wished to be unnamed, adds that failures could also happen due to minor errors like a loose bolt or a missing pin or even non-conformances at the manufacturing level. Thus, it was emphasized that ISRO work on establishing stricter quality controls, review protocols and double-checks to avoid such errors. It was added that the rectification needed to be done at respective levels, depending on what exactly led to the Cryogenic failure on Thursday(August 12th). Like a successful relay team gets the combination of four runners right, ISRO must master the technology of each of its rocket engines, have a stable of highly-reliable rockets that have varied payload carrying capacities - SSLV(500kg), GSLV MK2 (2.5ton) and GSLV Mk3(4ton and beyond).

ISRO mission failure shows the need for higher reliability in India’s GSLV Cryogenic Engine

As seen on the official broadcast, ISRO’s highly-anticipated launch of Earth observation satellite -3 or GISAT-1 failed after the rocket entered the lower reaches of space (an altitude of 139kms).

After a flight of nearly 350seconds (5 minutes 40 seconds), the rocket went off course while in space.

As per the official ISRO-Doordarshan broadcast, the first two stages of the rocket (that give initial thrust for lift-off and later carry the 52-meter tall vehicle to space) performed as expected.

However, shortly after the rocket switched over to its final stage - the Cryogenic engine (that burns liquid hydrogen and oxygen), there was a marked deviation in its planned flight path.

A typical rocket consists of two or more stages, each of which would have its own engines(either single or grouped in a cluster).

Simply put, a rocket is a combination of multiple engines(stages) that are vertically stacked.&nbsp;

The rocket blasted off from the second launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 5:43am, as scheduled.

The flight of the rocket was also visible (amid cloudy skies) from the Southern Indian metropolis of Chennai, that is south of Sriharikota.&nbsp;

As per what was shown on the live broadcast, it was after roughly 350 seconds of flight, when the payload fairing (the nose cone or protective shield that houses the satellite) and the rocket had switched over to its Cryogenic engine, that the rocket’s path deviated from the planned one.&nbsp;

Several minutes of anxiety and stunned silence followed at ISRO’s Mission Control in Sriharikota and the Live&nbsp;&nbsp;commentary on the National broadcaster Doordarshan’s telecast had been stopped.

Top ISRO officials and scientists at the mission control were also seen discussing urgently, while several others had already gotten off their seats, something that is done usually after mission is accomplished successfully.&nbsp;

While this indicated something was amiss, Dr Sivan, Chairman, ISRO, later confirmed the news at the end of the Doordarshan broadcast.

“Mission could not be accomplished fully because there was a technical anomaly observed in the cryogenic stage”.&nbsp;

As per ISRO’s plan, the cryogenic engine- the stage that faced an anomaly-&nbsp; was supposed to perform from 4 minutes and 56seconds until 18minutes and 29seconds (entire duration in space).

Had this sequence of engine performance been successful, the EOS-3 satellite would have been ejected into space at 18 minutes and 39 seconds after its launch from earth. But that process was hit by a glitch sometime around 5 minutes and 40 seconds.

At 7 am, nearly an hour after the failed launch, ISRO’s official Twitter handle said “Performance of first and second stages was normal. However, Cryogenic Upper Stage Ignition did not happen due to technical anomaly. The mission could not be accomplished as intended.”&nbsp;

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GSLV-F10 launch took place today at 0543 Hrs IST as scheduled. Performance of first and second stages was normal. However, Cryogenic Upper Stage ignition did not happen due to technical anomaly. The mission couldn't be accomplished as intended.
— ISRO (@isro) <a href="https://twitter.com/isro/status/1425631254913843202?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2021</a></blockquote>
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This is the fourth failure of the GSLV Mk2 variant of ISRO, which can lift about 2.5 tonnes to space.

The earlier failures were in July 2006, April 2010 and December 2010. 
 
This was the second launch for ISRO in calendar year 2021, the earlier one being a PSLV launch in late February.

ISRO’s missions and crucial work had been affected during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic that struck the country between March and June.

However, it is also notable that this was the third launch attempt of this satellite - the first two attempts in March 2020 and March 2021 were called off.&nbsp;

According to ISRO, GISAT-1 or EOS-3 was meant to provide near-real-time imaging of large region of interest at frequent intervals, quick monitoring of natural disasters, episodic events, and also obtain spectral signatures for agriculture, forestry, mineralogy, disaster warning, cloud properties, snow&amp; glaciers, and oceanography.&nbsp;

EOS-3, an agile earth observation satellite was meant to be placed in Geostationary orbit, 36,000kms from earth’s equator.

This orbit is typically meant for communication satellites that have to cover a large swathe of land. A satellite in geostationary orbit would be in sync with the rotation cycle of the earth (24 hours) and it would appear to be stationary when seen from the earth, thus giving it the name.

It is said that three aptly positioned Geostationary satellites can cover pretty much all of Earth’s surface.

Conventionally, such earth-observation satellites are placed in low-earth orbit (between 500 and 2000 km, to ensure high-resolution imagery, better capabilities.

However, it is pertinent to note that ISRO’s latest agile earth-observation satellite is to be placed 36,000kms away from the earth’s surface. Being placed in the 36,000km circular orbit would also mean that the 2268kg GISAT-1 is beyond the range of Anti-satellite missiles.&nbsp;

This failure is a setback for the Indian Space Research Organisation, which faced serious disruption inactivity owing to the COVID-19 pandemic and a subsequent delay of prestigious missions.

It is important to note that Cryogenic engines are a crucial part of advanced spaceflight missions that require heavy loads to be carried to space. India is also working on Gaganyaan, an ambitious human spaceflight mission involving Indian astronauts.

The failure of the EOS-3 mission would imply that ISRO has to further study and analyze its cryogenic engines, for reliable performance. Amid the uncertainty looming over the third wave of the pandemic, ISRO would also have to allocate time, manpower, and financial resources to build another GSLV Mk2 rocket and a replacement for the lost EOS-3 satellite.

As seen on the official broadcast, ISRO’s highly-anticipated launch of Earth observation satellite -3 or GISAT-1 failed after the rocket entered the lower reaches of space (an altitude of 139kms).

As seen on the official broadcast, ISRO’s highly-anticipated launch of Earth observation satellite -3 or GISAT-1 failed after the rocket entered the lower reaches of space (an altitude of 139kms). After a flight of nearly 350seconds (5 minutes 40 seconds), the rocket went off course while in space. As per the official ISRO-Doordarshan broadcast, the first two stages of the rocket (that give initial thrust for lift-off and later carry the 52-meter tall vehicle to space) performed as expected. However, shortly after the rocket switched over to its final stage - the Cryogenic engine (that burns liquid hydrogen and oxygen), there was a marked deviation in its planned flight path. A typical rocket consists of two or more stages, each of which would have its own engines(either single or grouped in a cluster). Simply put, a rocket is a combination of multiple engines(stages) that are vertically stacked. The rocket blasted off from the second launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 5:43am, as scheduled. The flight of the rocket was also visible (amid cloudy skies) from the Southern Indian metropolis of Chennai, that is south of Sriharikota. As per what was shown on the live broadcast, it was after roughly 350 seconds of flight, when the payload fairing (the nose cone or protective shield that houses the satellite) and the rocket had switched over to its Cryogenic engine, that the rocket’s path deviated from the planned one. Several minutes of anxiety and stunned silence followed at ISRO’s Mission Control in Sriharikota and the Live commentary on the National broadcaster Doordarshan’s telecast had been stopped. Top ISRO officials and scientists at the mission control were also seen discussing urgently, while several others had already gotten off their seats, something that is done usually after mission is accomplished successfully. While this indicated something was amiss, Dr Sivan, Chairman, ISRO, later confirmed the news at the end of the Doordarshan broadcast. “Mission could not be accomplished fully because there was a technical anomaly observed in the cryogenic stage”. As per ISRO’s plan, the cryogenic engine- the stage that faced an anomaly- was supposed to perform from 4 minutes and 56seconds until 18minutes and 29seconds (entire duration in space). Had this sequence of engine performance been successful, the EOS-3 satellite would have been ejected into space at 18 minutes and 39 seconds after its launch from earth. But that process was hit by a glitch sometime around 5 minutes and 40 seconds. At 7 am, nearly an hour after the failed launch, ISRO’s official Twitter handle said “Performance of first and second stages was normal. However, Cryogenic Upper Stage Ignition did not happen due to technical anomaly. The mission could not be accomplished as intended.” GSLV-F10 launch took place today at 0543 Hrs IST as scheduled. Performance of first and second stages was normal. However, Cryogenic Upper Stage ignition did not happen due to technical anomaly. The mission couldn't be accomplished as intended. — ISRO (@isro) August 12, 2021 × This is the fourth failure of the GSLV Mk2 variant of ISRO, which can lift about 2.5 tonnes to space. The earlier failures were in July 2006, April 2010 and December 2010. This was the second launch for ISRO in calendar year 2021, the earlier one being a PSLV launch in late February. ISRO’s missions and crucial work had been affected during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic that struck the country between March and June. However, it is also notable that this was the third launch attempt of this satellite - the first two attempts in March 2020 and March 2021 were called off. According to ISRO, GISAT-1 or EOS-3 was meant to provide near-real-time imaging of large region of interest at frequent intervals, quick monitoring of natural disasters, episodic events, and also obtain spectral signatures for agriculture, forestry, mineralogy, disaster warning, cloud properties, snow& glaciers, and oceanography. EOS-3, an agile earth observation satellite was meant to be placed in Geostationary orbit, 36,000kms from earth’s equator. This orbit is typically meant for communication satellites that have to cover a large swathe of land. A satellite in geostationary orbit would be in sync with the rotation cycle of the earth (24 hours) and it would appear to be stationary when seen from the earth, thus giving it the name. It is said that three aptly positioned Geostationary satellites can cover pretty much all of Earth’s surface. Conventionally, such earth-observation satellites are placed in low-earth orbit (between 500 and 2000 km, to ensure high-resolution imagery, better capabilities. However, it is pertinent to note that ISRO’s latest agile earth-observation satellite is to be placed 36,000kms away from the earth’s surface. Being placed in the 36,000km circular orbit would also mean that the 2268kg GISAT-1 is beyond the range of Anti-satellite missiles. This failure is a setback for the Indian Space Research Organisation, which faced serious disruption inactivity owing to the COVID-19 pandemic and a subsequent delay of prestigious missions. It is important to note that Cryogenic engines are a crucial part of advanced spaceflight missions that require heavy loads to be carried to space. India is also working on Gaganyaan, an ambitious human spaceflight mission involving Indian astronauts. The failure of the EOS-3 mission would imply that ISRO has to further study and analyze its cryogenic engines, for reliable performance. Amid the uncertainty looming over the third wave of the pandemic, ISRO would also have to allocate time, manpower, and financial resources to build another GSLV Mk2 rocket and a replacement for the lost EOS-3 satellite.

ISRO’s EOS-3 satellite launch on GSLV Mk2 rocket fails 350 seconds after launch

Amid the pandemic, we’ve read harrowing accounts of heroic doctors and frontline workers who toiled to save the lives of COVID-19 patients, but what if your patients aren’t obedient homo&nbsp;sapiens? In this case, the patients are Alpha Predators, the kings of the jungle-Majestic Asiatic Lions.

On the occasion of World Lion Day (August 10th), veterinarians and officials from the Arignar Anna Zoological Park, commonly known as Vandalur Zoo (Chennai), recalled their experience of dealing with 15 lions that were affected by the Delta COVID-19 variant.&nbsp;

For the Zoo vets, a team of eight members, it was a case of ‘reverse spillover’ when they noticed a few lions showing COVID-19 symptoms. It meant that the SARS CoV-2 virus (that causes COVID-19), which is said to have originated from bats (in Wuhan, China) and affected humans, had now spread back to members of the animal kingdom. It was not new. Lions at the Bronx Zoo in New York, and at Indian Zoos in Etawah, Jaipur, and Hyderabad too had tested COVID-19 positive, but now trouble had hit home and hit hard.&nbsp; 
 
<img alt="Asiatic Lions" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5a8246ae-a43e-48e2-8fa9-db8994178b95" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/COVId-19%20treatment%20lions5.png" />

On&nbsp;May 25, five lions in the Safari area of the zoo started showing classic symptoms-coughing, wheezing and a loss of appetite. While their test results were awaited from various labs across India, a female lion (apart from the five that showed symptoms) succumbed to the virus on June 3. The test results that arrived painted a bleak picture-10 of the 15 lions at the Zoo were positive and five were negative. Interestingly, of the 10 positive lions, eight were in the Safari area and two were in the exhibit area, apart by almost 2 kms. Zoo officials suspect that the source of infection was different from each set of lions, as no other big cats or animals nearby had tested positive.&nbsp; 
 
<img alt="Asiatic Lions" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2710071c-5d23-427d-bcf1-cea41e67bf93" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/COVId-19%20treatment%20lions4.png" />

However, four lions were in critical condition and faced breathing issues and refused to feed(on meat) for 5-7 days. 
 
"We immediately started providing nebulization and high-flow oxygen, fluid therapy (intravenous fluids) and drugs. But the biggest challenge here is that their cooperation in getting treated is a very dicey affair, "the vet says half-jokingly.&nbsp; 
 
<img alt="Asiatic Lions" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3a902a0d-6d5e-4865-b89b-4de3e32125d4" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Screen%20Shot%202021-08-11%20at%205.54.40%20PM.png" />

The most common question is - how is all of this intrusive treatment done on a predator that can kill with one strike ?&nbsp;

The oxygen tubes were tied to the tail and the gathered (as used for human babies) was inserted. Sometimes, a caretaker had to sit near the cage to hold the tail in place for the treatment to proceed. Special gun darts were used for administering injections when animals refused to come close.&nbsp;

When the animals refused to eat, the caretakers experimented with a platter diet of chicken, beef, mutton, and rabbit meat and soups. While it took 2-3 weeks for the animals to slowly get back to normal, they still showed signs of sickness, such as recurring fever, cough etc. The lions had also gotten sick of being injected and monitored, which made them aggressive. Eventually, it took about 50 days for the predators to get back to their usual glory and feed as usual.&nbsp;

According to the Deputy Director of Arignar Anna Zoological Park (AAZP), all 13 lions tested negative for COVID-19 on July 23rd. The Zoo near the Southern Indian metropolis of Chennai had housed 15 Asiatic lions, of which ten had tested COVID-19 positive. Two lions (a lion and a lioness) had also succumbed to the virus earlier.&nbsp;

WION had earlier reported that four lion samples from this zoo had tested positive for the ‘Delta variant’ of COVID-19. This was based on the genome sequencing results shared by NIHSAD Bhopal. As per the World Health Organization (WHO), this variant showed higher transmissibility and reduced neutralization (by antibodies). This variant was first said to have been detected in India in late 2020. Variants of the SARS-CoV-2 (infection) have been emerging and circulating around the world throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

While the mystery over how the captive big cats got infected with the deadly virus remains unsolved, experts and vets advising the Zoo suspect human-animal (man to single lion) transmission followed by animal-animal (lion to multiple lions) transmission. Based on a discussion between experts, the transmission from man-animal seems to have happened, despite animal keepers and feeders having worn PPE suits and following precautions.

Amid the pandemic, we’ve read harrowing accounts of heroic doctors and frontline workers who toiled to save the lives of COVID-19 patients, but what if your patients aren’t obedient homo sapiens?

Amid the pandemic, we’ve read harrowing accounts of heroic doctors and frontline workers who toiled to save the lives of COVID-19 patients, but what if your patients aren’t obedient homo sapiens? In this case, the patients are Alpha Predators, the kings of the jungle-Majestic Asiatic Lions. On the occasion of World Lion Day (August 10th), veterinarians and officials from the Arignar Anna Zoological Park, commonly known as Vandalur Zoo (Chennai), recalled their experience of dealing with 15 lions that were affected by the Delta COVID-19 variant. For the Zoo vets, a team of eight members, it was a case of ‘reverse spillover’ when they noticed a few lions showing COVID-19 symptoms. It meant that the SARS CoV-2 virus (that causes COVID-19), which is said to have originated from bats (in Wuhan, China) and affected humans, had now spread back to members of the animal kingdom. It was not new. Lions at the Bronx Zoo in New York, and at Indian Zoos in Etawah, Jaipur, and Hyderabad too had tested COVID-19 positive, but now trouble had hit home and hit hard. On May 25, five lions in the Safari area of the zoo started showing classic symptoms-coughing, wheezing and a loss of appetite. While their test results were awaited from various labs across India, a female lion (apart from the five that showed symptoms) succumbed to the virus on June 3. The test results that arrived painted a bleak picture-10 of the 15 lions at the Zoo were positive and five were negative. Interestingly, of the 10 positive lions, eight were in the Safari area and two were in the exhibit area, apart by almost 2 kms. Zoo officials suspect that the source of infection was different from each set of lions, as no other big cats or animals nearby had tested positive. However, four lions were in critical condition and faced breathing issues and refused to feed(on meat) for 5-7 days. "We immediately started providing nebulization and high-flow oxygen, fluid therapy (intravenous fluids) and drugs. But the biggest challenge here is that their cooperation in getting treated is a very dicey affair, "the vet says half-jokingly. The most common question is - how is all of this intrusive treatment done on a predator that can kill with one strike ? The oxygen tubes were tied to the tail and the gathered (as used for human babies) was inserted. Sometimes, a caretaker had to sit near the cage to hold the tail in place for the treatment to proceed. Special gun darts were used for administering injections when animals refused to come close. When the animals refused to eat, the caretakers experimented with a platter diet of chicken, beef, mutton, and rabbit meat and soups. While it took 2-3 weeks for the animals to slowly get back to normal, they still showed signs of sickness, such as recurring fever, cough etc. The lions had also gotten sick of being injected and monitored, which made them aggressive. Eventually, it took about 50 days for the predators to get back to their usual glory and feed as usual. According to the Deputy Director of Arignar Anna Zoological Park (AAZP), all 13 lions tested negative for COVID-19 on July 23rd. The Zoo near the Southern Indian metropolis of Chennai had housed 15 Asiatic lions, of which ten had tested COVID-19 positive. Two lions (a lion and a lioness) had also succumbed to the virus earlier. WION had earlier reported that four lion samples from this zoo had tested positive for the ‘Delta variant’ of COVID-19. This was based on the genome sequencing results shared by NIHSAD Bhopal. As per the World Health Organization (WHO), this variant showed higher transmissibility and reduced neutralization (by antibodies). This variant was first said to have been detected in India in late 2020. Variants of the SARS-CoV-2 (infection) have been emerging and circulating around the world throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. While the mystery over how the captive big cats got infected with the deadly virus remains unsolved, experts and vets advising the Zoo suspect human-animal (man to single lion) transmission followed by animal-animal (lion to multiple lions) transmission. Based on a discussion between experts, the transmission from man-animal seems to have happened, despite animal keepers and feeders having worn PPE suits and following precautions.

How this Indian Zoo saved its lions from the clutches of Delta COVID-19 variant 

After a rare and challenging surgical procedure, a chronic kidney disorder (kidney failure) patient, who also suffers from heart ailments, now has five kidneys - a pair that he was born with and three transplanted kidneys. The 41-year old patient, a Bangladeshi national, had undergone kidney transplants (one each) in 1994 and 2005, but both the kidneys ended up failing owing to uncontrolled hypertension. This left him dependent on dialysis.

While admitted at the Madras Medical Mission hospital in Chennai, the patient was also diagnosed with Coronary Artery Disease and underwent a triple bypass surgery(nearly 3 months ago) . It was on July 10th that Dr. S.Saravanan, Vascular and Transplant surgeon at MMM, performed the third transplant surgery on the patient.&nbsp;

According to Dr. Saravanan, the major challenges in the surgery were that the four existing kidneys (two natural and two transplanted) could not be removed owing to the risk of excessive bleeding. If the kidneys were being removed, the patient would have required a blood transfusion, which would have led to the production of anti-bodies and caused the rejection of the new kidney. Additionally, there was the issue of placing the kidney in a body cavity that was already housing four kidneys.&nbsp;

"In the case of kidney transplants, the old kidneys are left behind in the body, as they shrink over time. But here, since there were four kidneys in his system, there was no space to place a fifth. Usually the transplanted kidneys are placed behind the peritoneum, like the natural kidneys, but in this case we had to create space for the fifth kidney, " Dr. Saravanan explained to Zee Media.&nbsp;

He added that the kidney was placed high in the abdominal cavity, right next to the intestine, as opposed to the conventional approach (placement behind the peritoneum). "The transperitoneal approach (through the gut), a surgery rarely performed – even globally – was what saved the day for my patient," Dr. Saravanan says. He means to say that the peritoneum (a cavity that holds the intestine) had to be opened up, in a risky procedure for the kidney to be placed safely.&nbsp;

The doctor emphasized that there was always the possibility of performing a third or fourth transplant after the failure of two transplants and that patients did not have to lose hope. He added that following the procedure, the patient had been discharged, had gone through his first set of post operation check-ups and was continuing to recover well.

After a rare and challenging surgical procedure, a chronic kidney disorder (kidney failure) patient, who also suffers from heart ailments, now has five kidneys - a pair that he was born with and three transplanted kidneys.

After a rare and challenging surgical procedure, a chronic kidney disorder (kidney failure) patient, who also suffers from heart ailments, now has five kidneys - a pair that he was born with and three transplanted kidneys. The 41-year old patient, a Bangladeshi national, had undergone kidney transplants (one each) in 1994 and 2005, but both the kidneys ended up failing owing to uncontrolled hypertension. This left him dependent on dialysis. While admitted at the Madras Medical Mission hospital in Chennai, the patient was also diagnosed with Coronary Artery Disease and underwent a triple bypass surgery(nearly 3 months ago) . It was on July 10th that Dr. S.Saravanan, Vascular and Transplant surgeon at MMM, performed the third transplant surgery on the patient. According to Dr. Saravanan, the major challenges in the surgery were that the four existing kidneys (two natural and two transplanted) could not be removed owing to the risk of excessive bleeding. If the kidneys were being removed, the patient would have required a blood transfusion, which would have led to the production of anti-bodies and caused the rejection of the new kidney. Additionally, there was the issue of placing the kidney in a body cavity that was already housing four kidneys. "In the case of kidney transplants, the old kidneys are left behind in the body, as they shrink over time. But here, since there were four kidneys in his system, there was no space to place a fifth. Usually the transplanted kidneys are placed behind the peritoneum, like the natural kidneys, but in this case we had to create space for the fifth kidney, " Dr. Saravanan explained to Zee Media. He added that the kidney was placed high in the abdominal cavity, right next to the intestine, as opposed to the conventional approach (placement behind the peritoneum). "The transperitoneal approach (through the gut), a surgery rarely performed – even globally – was what saved the day for my patient," Dr. Saravanan says. He means to say that the peritoneum (a cavity that holds the intestine) had to be opened up, in a risky procedure for the kidney to be placed safely. The doctor emphasized that there was always the possibility of performing a third or fourth transplant after the failure of two transplants and that patients did not have to lose hope. He added that following the procedure, the patient had been discharged, had gone through his first set of post operation check-ups and was continuing to recover well.

Bangladeshi patient undergoes successful 3rd transplant in India; healthy with 5 kidneys

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Zee News Rajasthan

Editor

Sidharth MP

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