Science & Technology

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INS Androth: Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Watercraft

Context: The Indian Navy has received an indigenously-built anti-submarine warfare ship that is expected to boost its maritime prowess against the backdrop of China's growing forays into the Indian Ocean.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Key facts about INS Androth; Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Watercraft. 

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INS Androth: 2nd Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Watercraft

  • INS Androth is the second of the 8 anti-submarine warfare-shallow watercraft (ASW-SWC).
    • INS Arnala (named after the historic Arnala coastal fort in Vasai, Maharashtra), the first ASW-SWC was commissioned in June 2025. 
  • Built by: Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Kolkata.
  • The name ‘Androth’ is derived from the Androth Island in the Lakshadweep archipelago.

Key Features of INS Androth: 

  • Measuring 77 meters in length, Arnala-class ship is the largest Indian Naval warship powered by a Diesel Engine-Waterjet combination.  
  • Advanced shallow water SONAR enables effective submarine detection and engagement in littoral zones. 
  • Equipped with state-of-the-art lightweight torpedoes and indigenous anti-submarine warfare rockets (ASW rockets). 

Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Watercraft: 

  • The ASW SWCs are part of a Rs 12,500 crore programme to build 16 shallow water anti-submarine warfare vessels under two contracts awarded in 2019.
    • GRSE is building 8 vessels, while Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) will build the other eight. 
    • The vessels from GRSE will form the Arnala-class. The CSL-built ships will be classified as Mahe-class. 
  • The ASW-SWC ships are being inducted into the Navy to strengthen its anti-submarine and coastal surveillance capabilities.

Significance

  • Strengthen India’s maritime defence: The vessels are designed to safeguard India’s coastline and shallow waters against any threats. E.g., Guard against increasing presence of submarines in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), including regular deployments by Chinese and Pakistani naval assets. 
  • Self-reliance in defence manufacturing: The ship has over 80% indigenous content and is a testament to growing domestic capabilities and reducing dependency on imports.

The naval ships mark a critical phase in India’s naval modernisation, bolstering Navy’s ability to counter existing and emerging underwater threats and strengthen its presence in strategically sensitive waters. 

INS Aravali Naval Base 

Context: The Indian Navy has commissioned its latest naval base- INS Aravali at Gurugram, Haryana designed to strengthen the Navy’s information and communication infrastructure.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Key Features of INS Aravali

Key Features of INS Aravali

  • INS Aravali is the Indian Navy’s new information and communication hub. It is designed to enhance Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) through global connectivity and AI driven threat detection.
  • The base is designed to link naval platforms and international partners “across oceans,” strengthening collaborative maritime operations.
  • A significant feature is its connectivity to a network of 43 multinational centers across 25 countries, including the U.S., France, and Japan, enabling live data sharing and collaboration with allies. 
  • The base is named after the Aravali mountain range. 

The motto of INS Aravali is “Maritime Security through Collaboration”, reflecting its role in integrating naval units, MDA centres, and allied stakeholders.

The base aligns with the Indian government's vision of MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth for All in the Region) and reinforces India's role as a trusted security partner in the Indian Ocean Region.

Aedes-borne Viral Diseases and their Control 

Context: Aedes-borne Viral Diseases (ABVD) that include Dengue, Zika, and Chikungunya hurt India’s productivity. Aedes aegypti mosquitoes bite during the day time. Mosquito control methods like outdoor fumigation are not that effective, which necessitates revised strategies against Aedes Mosquitoes. 

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Key facts about Aedes-borne Viral Diseases; Wolbachia Method. 

Aedes-borne Viral Diseases

1. Dengue: 

  • Viral illness caused by the dengue virus, an RNA virus.
  • Transmission: 
    • Bites of infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.
    • There is no evidence that dengue can be transmitted directly from person to person through casual contact, coughing/sneezing, or sexual contact.
    • Rare cases of vertical transmission (from mother to child during pregnancy or childbirth) have been reported, but this is not a common mode of spread.
  • Symptoms: Flu-like symptoms, including high fever, severe headache, joint and muscle pain, and rash. In severe cases, it can lead to life-threatening dengue haemorrhagic fever. 

2. Zika: 

  • Caused by Zika virus, an RNA virus. 
  • Transmission: Bites of infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Can be transmitted from mother to foetus during pregnancy; through sexual contact, blood transfusion; organ transplantation.
  • Zika infection during pregnancy causes microcephaly (underdeveloped brain) and other congenital malformations. 

3.  Chikungunya:

  • Caused by the chikungunya virus (CHIKV), an RNA virus.
  • Transmission: Bites of infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. An infected person cannot spread the infection directly to other persons (i.e. it is not a contagious disease).
  • Symptoms: Fever, chills, headache, nausea, vomiting, joint pain, and rash. Severe joint pain (arthritis) which is the most common feature of the disease. 
  • Chikungunya is diagnosed by blood test (ELISA). 

Wolbachia Method for Mosquito Control

  • Wolbachia is a form of biological control method to reduce mosquito population. 
  • In this method, naturally occurring Wolbachia bacteria is introduced into male population by infecting insects in a laboratory, and then releasing them into the wild.
  • These Wolbachia-infected male mosquitoes mate with female mosquitoes (not infected with the same strain of Wolbachia). 
  • These bacteria are passed on to their offspring through the normal reproductive process, and their offspring are less likely to survive or reproduce. 
  • The method does not suppress mosquito populations or involve genetic modification, so it is safe for humans, animals and the environment. 
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Challenges in controlling Mosquito population: 

  • Limitations of conventional methods: Aedes mosquito feeds indoors during the day, and at night under artificial light. Methods like outdoor fumigation, vaporisers, and bed nets are thus ineffective against it. Additionally, the mosquitoes have evolved to gain tolerance to these chemicals. 
  • Lack of Vaccines: Dengue vaccine trials are underway, but these offer no protection against Zika or chikungunya.
  • Expensive: High costs and weak institutional support limit the adoption of advanced mosquito control methods like Wolbachia. 
  • Increased plastic pollution: Plastic pollution is directly linked to the risk of ABVD transmission. Discarded plastics can collect water and act as mosquito breeding sites). 

Way Forward

  • Application of safe non-insecticides (topical repellents) on the skin. By releasing volatile compounds, these repellants impair the mosquito’s sense of smell, thus making human hosts essentially invisible to them.
    • E.g., Para-menthane-diol (PMD), derived from the essential oil of the lemon eucalyptus plant; Picaridin (derived from pepper plant)
  • Using materials coated with delayed-release transfluthrin. These spatial emanators, like jute sheets, provide 15-days of continued protection in living spaces. 
  • Local community actions to remove larval breeding sites of Aedes mosquitoes. Regular trash collection/flood management protects against ABVD.

Public Health Campaign in Delhi: 10 Weeks, 10 AM, 10 Minutes

  • Called the rule of 10, “10 Weeks, 10 AM, 10 Minutes,” it reinforces larval source reduction as the primary strategy. 
  • It encourages every residential welfare association to mobilise each household to set aside 10 minutes at 10 AM every Sunday for 10 weeks from September to November. 
  • The goal is to find and eliminate sources of stagnant water during this high-risk season.

Also Read: Malaria Elimination: Efforts & Challenges 

AdFalciVax: Recombinant Multistage Malaria Vaccine

Context: The Union government has granted licence to five firms for manufacturing and commercialisation of AdFalciVax, India’s first indigenous recombinant multistage malaria vaccine, developed by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and its partners.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Key facts about Malaria & Malaria vaccines. 

Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by plasmodium parasites transmitted through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. 

AdFalciVax: Indigenous Malaria Vaccine 

  • India’s first indigenous recombinant multistage malaria vaccine. 
  • Developed by: Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC), Bhubaneswar under the ICMR.
  • The vaccine is designed to prevent Plasmodium falciparum infection in humans and also reduce community transmission of the parasite.
    • Plasmodium falciparum is the deadliest malaria parasite (responsible for the most lethal form of malaria) and difficult to control. 
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AdFalciVax: Recombinant Multistage Malaria Vaccine

1. Recombinant Malaria Vaccine: 

  • AdFalciVax is a recombinant malaria vaccine (made using genetic engineering). The vaccine uses Lactococcus lactis (a genetically engineered food-grade bacterial host).
    • Pieces of DNA from the malaria parasite (Plasmodium) are inserted into Lactococcus lactis (a safe bacterium often used in dairy fermentation). 
    • This genetically engineered bacterium acts as a bio-factory to produce the malaria antigens.

2. Multistage Malaria Vaccine: 

  • Existing Malaria vaccines like RTS, S/AS01 and R21/Matrix-M are single-stage vaccines i.e., they target the pre-erythrocytic/sporozoite stage.
    • Sporozoite stage is the stage when an infected female mosquito injects sporozoites (infectious cells of Plasmodium parasites) in the skin of a mammalian host.
  • AdFalciVax is amultistage vaccine i.e., it targets the two key stages of the Pasmodium parasite’s life cycle:
    • pre-erythrocytic/sporozoite stage
    • erythrocytic / blood stage: when the parasite infects red blood cells. (Only a few sporozoites leave the skin and travel through the bloodstream to reach the liver).

AdFalciVax targets the parasite before it enters the bloodstream, thus stopping the infection at the transmission stage. Hence, AdFalciVax vaccine not only protects the vaccinated human from developing Malaria but also reduces community transmission. 

Advantages of AdFalciVax

Preclinical data suggest that AdFalciVax have advantages over existing single-stage vaccines.

  • Broader protection by targeting two vulnerable parasite stages. 
  • Affordable, stable, and scalable solution. 
  • Thermal stability: Vaccine remains effective for over 9 months at room temperature.
  • Lower risk of immune evasion and potential for better long-term immunity. 

Pre-clinical validation of the vaccine

  • The pre-clinical validation of the vaccine has been conducted in collaboration with ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research and National Institute of Immunology (NII).

Need for the Vaccine

  • Reduce Malaria burden: Malaria remains one of the major public health problems in India. India carries 1.4% of the global malaria case burden, and accounted for 66% of cases in the Southeast Asia region.
  • Meet India’s target under National Health Mission: Annual Malaria Incidence to be less than 1 in 1000 individuals. 

The government aims to facilitate the commercialisation of the vaccine to prevent and minimise malaria transmission. 

Also Read: Malaria Elimination: Efforts & Challenges   

Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave 

Context: The Department of Science and Technology (DST) is set to organise the first-ever Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC) in November 2025. ESTIC may ‘replace’ the Indian Science Congress (the oldest congregation of scientists in India). 

Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave

  • Emerging Science, Technology, and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC) is India's premier STI platform bringing together ministries, innovators, and global visionaries.
  • Inaugural ESTIC will be held at the Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi in November.  
  • ESTIC will showcase cutting-edge research, deep-tech breakthroughs, and thought-provoking discussions. There will be 11 thematic technical sessions and 75 exhibition stalls by ‘deep tech’ startups at the event. 
  • It would involve all the science-related Ministries and Departments (including that of Atomic energy, Space, Biotechnology, Earth Sciences and Information Technology etc.)
  • It is expected to host various dignitaries like Nobel Laureate Andre Geim (2010, Physics), Jean-Yves Le Gall (former President of the French Space Agency) etc.
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Indian Science Congress

  • ISC is the oldest congregation of scientists in India. It is organised annually in the first week of January. The 108th (the last edition of ISC) was held in 2023.
  • Organised by: Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA), Kolkata
  • Funded by: Department of Science and Technology  

What is spyware Graphite?

Context: The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency has signed a contract with an Israeli spyware company to access a powerful hacking software known as Graphite. 

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Key facts about Spyware Graphite. 

Spyware Graphite

Graphite is a powerful hacking software which can hack mobile phones and encrypted messaging applications.

  • The spyware is designed to gain remote access to a mobile phone and essentially take control of it. 
  • The user of the spyware can not only access the mobile user’s photos, read their messages, and track their whereabouts, but also monitor encrypted messages sent on platforms such as WhatsApp and Signal.
  • The spyware also enables the phone to be used as a listening device by manipulating its recorder.

Utility:

  • Can be used to crackdown on undocumented immigrants. 

Concerns:

  • Can be used to facilitate the surveillance of activists and journalists. Can pose a profound threat to free speech and privacy.
  • Can be used to violate people’s due process rights.

However, the firm claims that it sells its products to only governments and law enforcement agencies for the purposes of fighting serious crime. It has a zero-tolerance policy for governments that use the technology to target members of civil society.

CEREBO: Portable Device for Brain Injury Detection

Context: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and partner institutes have developed CEREBO, a hand-held, non-invasive indigenous diagnostic device for rapid detection of Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs). 

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: About CEREBO. 

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Key Features of CEREBO

  • CEREBO is a novel hand-held, portable, non-invasive diagnostic device designed for the detection of Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs). 
  • It utilises advanced near-infrared spectroscopy combined with machine learning to detect intracranial bleeding and brain swelling within one minute.

Benefits of CEREBO: 

  • Can be used by paramedic staff as well as unskilled personnel. 
  • Provides colour-coded, radiation-free results, making it safe for infants and pregnant women.
  • Cost-effective (reduces imaging costs) as compared to conventional imaging tools. 
  • Offers an emergency diagnostic option when advanced tools like CT or MRI scans are inaccessible or delayed. Can be deployed in ambulances, rural clinics, military healthcare systems and disaster response units.
  • Enhances early detection of TBI and improves patient outcomes.
  • Reduces dependence on expensive, imported diagnostic tools. 

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

  • TBI is a condition caused by sudden trauma or injury to the head, which disrupts normal brain function. The injury may range from mild (concussion) to severe, often leading to long-term physical, cognitive, emotional, and behavioural impairments.
  • Nearly 1.5-2 million persons are injured every year and one million die annually in India due to TBIs. Road traffic injuries (60%) are the leading cause, followed by falls and violence. 

APK Scam: How Fake Apps are used for Financial Fraud

Context: APK scam is one of the fastest-growing cybercrime threats in India. The sophisticated social engineering scam is driven by malicious Android Package Kit (APK) files that stay undetected and exploit public trust in digital systems. 

Relevance of the Topic:Prelims: Key facts about Android Package Kit (APK) Scam. Mains: Cybercrimes: Types, Challenges and Regulations. 

What is Android Package Kit (APK) Scam?

  • APK scams involve malicious files which are used to install apps on Android devices outside of the official App store. The App often has hidden malware that can steal personal data, passwords, banking information, or install spyware.
  • Rising cases: There has been a 900% jump in cyber crimes between 2021 and 2025. The National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal has logged over 12 lakh different types of APK Scams in India since the beginning of 2025 (till date). 

How does the APK Scam work?

  • APK files on Android devices are much like .exe files on Windows computers; both are used to install Apps. These files can be exploited by fraudsters to spread malware.
  • Fraudsters build or source these Apps to mimic the appearance and language of official portals (E.g., government subsidy schemes like PM-Kisan, tax refund platforms, electricity boards, or banks asking for KYC updates). 
  • These fake Apps are often circulated through social media platforms and accompany convincing messages that urge users to act immediately. Once downloaded, the App seeks multiple permissions including access to contacts, messages, call logs, location, microphone, and notifications.
  • The App harvests data in real-time, and transmits it in encrypted bits to external servers operated by fraudsters. These bits are decoded to extract valuable information, including banking credentials, OTPs, contacts, and location coordinates etc. 
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Challenges: 

  • Google or any other intermediary does not scrutinise every application that is being hosted on their server. Fraudsters use mule accounts and shell identities to pay for hosting and publishing on search engines. 
  • Strong encryption techniques hide malicious code from detection tools. By remaining dormant during installation certain APKs can bypass antivirus softwares. 
  • Even after earlier versions are blacklisted, the same APK file is reused with minor modifications in the interface (name, logo and URL or web address of the file) thus, allowing it to bypass detection. 

Also Read: How is Cyberbullying tackled under the Law in India? 

AI in India’s Healthcare System 

Context: India has a doctor-patient ratio of 1:1,457 (below WHO’s norm of 1:1,000) and nearly 65% of the population in rural areas lack specialist access. In this scenario, Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the healthcare sector can emerge as a game-changer. 

Relevance of the Topic: Mains: Use of AI in Healthcare and Associated Challenges.

From early disease detection to optimising health records, AI is rapidly transforming how India delivers healthcare.

Opportunities of AI in Healthcare: 

  • Early Disease Detection and Diagnostics: 
    • AI applications are already being used in rural Odisha to detect TB through cough recordings and to identify breast cancer cases via smartphone-based mammogram apps.
    • Google’s DeepMind has achieved 99% accuracy in detecting breast cancer surpassing even expert radiologists.
    • AI is also being applied in detecting eye diseases, skin cancers, and neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s, enabling timely intervention and reducing the burden on doctors.
  • Personalised and Precision Medicine: AI models can predict how an individual patient will respond to drugs, reducing side effects and improving treatment outcomes. E.g., 
    • In oncology, AI helps in identifying targeted therapies, thereby improving survival rates for cancer patients.
    • AI-enabled wearables monitor blood sugar in real time, alerting doctors and preventing emergencies.
  • Drug Discovery and Vaccine Development: AI can reduce the decade-long process of drug discovery by predicting effective compounds quickly and at lower cost. Pharmaceutical companies are using AI to fast-track vaccine development. E.g.,  In 2020, AI identified a new antibiotic against drug-resistant bacteria, a discovery that would have taken years otherwise.
  • Efficiency in Healthcare Delivery: AI chatbots are handling routine patient queries, reducing paperwork and administrative bottlenecks, thereby reducing waiting times and freeing up doctors for complex cases.
  • Public Health and Early Warning Systems: AI is being used to track disease outbreaks, analyse wastewater, and model at-risk populations, enabling governments to deploy resources effectively and prevent crises from escalating. During Covid-19, AI models flagged the outbreak weeks before official alerts, proving their utility in crisis prediction. 
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Challenges and Ethical Concerns: 

  • Data Localisation and Suitability: Most AI systems are  trained on Western data, often mis-fitting Indian contexts. E.g., A skin cancer AI tuned on light skin tones may misdiagnose darker ones.
  • Accountability and Transparency: AI algorithms often work as “black boxes”, producing results without clear reasoning. Incorrect or biased diagnoses could harm patients if left unchecked. 
  • Equity and Accessibility: While AI can democratise access to healthcare, it risks widening inequalities if available only to wealthy urban populations.
  • Balancing Innovation and Regulation: Excessive regulations, as seen in parts of Europe, may stifle innovation and delay adoption of AI in healthcare.

Way Forward

  • India must train AI models on diverse datasets that reflect India’s genetic, environmental, and socio-economic realities.
  • Regulations must enforce transparency in AI decision-making, independent audits, and strict ethical guidelines to ensure accountability.
  • The government must ensure AI-enabled tools and treatments reach rural populations and marginalised groups. Access should not be skewed by geography, income, or literacy.
  • India must strike a balance by fostering innovation while ensuring ethical safeguards and equitable access.

AI offers India an unprecedented opportunity to transform India’s healthcare system. However, challenges related to data localisation, accountability, ethical use, and equitable access must be addressed.

Scientists discover rare Quadruple Star System in Milky Way

Context: Scientists have discovered an extremely rare quadruple star system in the Milky Way. The system known as UPM J1040-3551 AabBab consists of a pair of cold brown dwarfs orbiting a pair of young red dwarf stars.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Key facts about Dwarf stars. 

What are Brown Dwarfs?

  • Brown dwarfs are substellar objects that have more mass than the biggest gas giant planets, but less than the least massive main-sequence stars. 
  • They form like stars from collapsing clouds of gas and dust. Their atmospheres can consist of clouds and molecules like H2O. Their mass is approximately 13 to 80 times that of Jupiter. 
  • They are not massive enough to sustain nuclear fusion of Hydrogen into Helium in their cores (unlike the main-sequence stars). So, they are often known as “failed stars”. However, they emit some light and heat from the fusion of deuterium (2H). 
image 35

Why are Brown Dwarfs difficult to detect?

  • Brown dwarfs can be difficult to detect as they are cold and faint. As a result, astronomers typically search for brown dwarfs orbiting companion stars, which often burn brighter. Measuring the brighter stars can be useful for estimating the properties of the fainter brown dwarfs, like their age, temperature and composition. 

Brown dwarfs are usually single, and hence the current findings are exciting because the chances of a low-mass brown dwarf having a companion are less than 5%.

Why do scientists study Brown Dwarfs?

  • Brown dwarfs can help astronomers better understand the conditions that are necessary for the formation of stars and planets.
  • Determining the abundance and distribution of brown dwarfs gives key information on the distribution of mass in the universe to astronomers (much of the universe’s mass has thus far been undetectable and is known as dark matter).

The findings would help in better understanding brown dwarfs which are difficult to detect and examine.

Flesh-eating New World Screwworm 

Context: Recently, the US reported its first human case of New World screwworm infestation, a flesh-eating parasite once eradicated in 1966 through the Sterile Insect Technique. 

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Key facts about New World Screwworm.

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What is the New World Screwworm?

  • The New World screwworm is a type of blue-grey blowfly, scientifically called Cochliomyia hominivorax. The parasite’s Latin name (hominivorax) literally means man-eater, reflecting its destructive nature.
  • It is mainly found in South America and the Caribbean though outbreaks have occurred in other regions.
  • Female screwworms are attracted to open wounds or natural entry points like the nasal cavity of warm-blooded animals and rarely humans.
  • A single female can lay up to 300 eggs at once, and nearly 3000 eggs during her lifespan of 10-30 days. These eggs hatch into larvae (maggots) that burrow into living flesh in a screw-like manner, feeding on tissue.
  • After feeding, the larvae fall to the ground, burrow into the soil, and later emerge as adult flies.

Deadly threat of New World Screwworm Infestations: 

  • New World screwworm infestations can be extremely painful, especially in humans, with a high mortality rate if left untreated.
  • Once an infestation starts, it often attracts more flies that lay more eggs and depending on where the wound is, the maggots can make their way into vulnerable tissue like the brain, or enlarge the wound to the point of causing severe infection and sepsis.

Symptoms of Infestation include: 

  • Wounds or sores that do not heal
  • Bleeding from open sores
  • Feeling larvae movement within a skin wound or sore
  • A foul-smelling odour from the site of the infestation.

Reasons for the recent spread of New World screwworms: 

  • The US eradicated screwworms in 1966 using the sterile insect technique, where billions of sterile males were released to prevent reproduction.
  • This method was later used to eliminate screwworms in Mexico (1970s), Central America (early 2000s), and to contain a Florida outbreak in 2017. Despite eradication efforts, new cases have recently been reported in Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Honduras.
  • Experts suggest movement of infested cattle across borders as possible reasons for the recent spread of New World screwworms.

ISRO holds Air Drop Test for Gaganyaan Mission

Context: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully carried out its first Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT-1) at Sriharikota, a critical milestone in preparations for Gaganyaan Mission- the country’s maiden human spaceflight programme. 

Relevance of the Topic:Prelims: Key facts about Gaganyaan Mission.  

Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT)

  • The first Integrated Air Drop Test was conducted for an end-to-end demonstration of the parachute-based deceleration system for the Gaganyaan Mission. 
  • The IADT is a specialised trial to ensure the parachute system designed for the Gaganyaan crew module performs reliably in real-world conditions.
    • During the test, a dummy crew capsule weighing around 5 tonnes was lifted up through the air by a Chinook helicopter, and then dropped. 
    • As it descended through a few kms, its main parachutes had to open in a specific sequence to decelerate the capsule to a safe splashdown speed.
  • During an actual flight with astronauts, the main parachutes will have to deploy after the capsule has re-entered the atmosphere and has been slowed first by the heat shields and drogue parachutes. 
image 30

Significance: 

  • The ascent, descent, and post-splashdown phases of the Gaganyaan mission are expected to be the most risky for the astronauts. The successful conduction of the first Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT-01) is vital to ensure the safety of astronauts in the upcoming Gaganyaan Mission. 

Gaganyaan Mission

  • ISRO’s ambitious human spaceflight mission which will carry 3 astronauts (Vyomanauts) to Low Earth Orbit  (400 kilometres) for a 3-days mission, and bring them back safely to Earth by landing in Indian sea-waters.
  • Expected launch: Crewed launch is scheduled for the first quarter of 2027.
  • Launch Vehicle: Human Rated LVM3.
  • Human Space Flight Centre will coordinate the programme, and will be responsible for the implementation of the project. 
  • Once completed, India will become the world's fourth nation to conduct independent human spaceflight after Russia, United States and China.

Components of Gaganyaan Mission: 

  • Crew Module: A crew module and service module. The crew members have been shortlisted by the IAF and ISRO. The crew will perform micro-gravity and other scientific experiments.
  • Crew Module Atmospheric Re-entry Experiment (CARE): 
    • Gaganyaan would return back to Earth. While re-entering Earth’s atmosphere, the spacecraft needs to withstand very high temperatures created due to atmospheric friction. 
    • A prior critical experiment was carried out in 2014 along with LVM3, when the CARE capsule successfully demonstrated that it could survive atmospheric re-entry.
  • Crew Escape System- PAT: Crew Escape System is an emergency accident avoidance measure. In 2018, ISRO completed the first successful flight ‘pad abort test’ or Crew Escape System.
  • Environmental Control & Life Support System ECLSS: ECLSS will:
    • Maintain steady cabin pressure and air composition 
    • Remove carbon dioxide and other harmful gases
    • Control temperature and humidity
    • Manage parameters like fire detection and suppression
  • Vyom Mitra: ISRO’s female humanoid robot that will test-flight Gaganyaan.

Preparatory work for Gaganyaan Mission: 

The major preparatory work for Gaganyaan had already been completed. 

  • Propulsion systems for the crew module and service module have been developed and tested. 
  • Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) engineering model has been realised. 
  • Crew Escape System (CES): five types of motors developed and static tested.
  • Infrastructure had been established for the orbital module preparation facility, Gaganyaan Control Centre, Gaganyaan control facility, crew training facility, and second launch pad modifications. 
  • After successful execution of IADT-01, ISRO will conduct two critical trials before the actual Gaganyaan Mission carrying astronauts. It includes-
    • Second Test Vehicle Mission (TV-D2): will put to test the crew escape system (CES) under critical conditions.
    • Uncrewed Gaganyaan-1 (G1) flight: The unmanned spacecraft will be launched aboard a human-rated LVM3 rocket. The mission will also have on board Vyommitra, the humanoid robot developed by the ISRO. 

Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) plays major role: 

  • VSSC had a major role in IADT-01, being responsible for 90% of the activities alongside the Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC) and SDSC-SHAR.

IADT-01 successfully demonstrated the parachute-based crew module deceleration system for Gaganyaan Mission. 

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