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@Noon: 🚀 ☄️ 'Smashing' Success In Earth's First Test Of Planetary Defence
1. ☄️ A spacecraft crashed into a faraway asteroid... on purpose
A vending machine-sized spacecraft has successfully collided with an asteroid called Dimorphos, which is the size of a football stadium.
Context: This is part of NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), the world’s first demonstration of planetary defence technology.
This is the agency's first attempt to move an asteroid in space.
The asteroid was only picked as a test and poses no threat to Earth.
It is part of NASA’s overall planetary defence strategy for a situation where Earth has to be protected from an asteroid or comet headed straight towards it.
DART launched last year. The spacecraft lifted off for the skies on 24 November 2021 at 6:21 UTC (11:51 IST).
It was launched on board a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the US' Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
The journey was set for about 10 months, with the collision expected in late September 2022 — this is how it turned out.
The asteroid in question: Say hello to Dimorphos.
It's a small body just 530 ft (160 m) in diameter.
It orbits a larger, 2,560-ft (780-m) asteroid called Didymos.
Neither asteroid poses a threat to Earth.
The asteroid pair is within 11 million km of Earth.
What to expect next: Researchers get to work to determine possible deflection.
Ground-based telescopes will be used to confirm that DART’s impact altered the asteroid’s orbit around Didymos.
The expectation is that Dimorphos’ orbit will have shortened by about 1 per cent, or roughly 10 minutes.
Images from the high-resolution imager DRACO, obtained seconds before impact, reveal the surface of Dimorphos in close-up detail.
The impact is over, but the research continues.
Quote. "At its core, DART represents an unprecedented success for planetary defense, but it is also a mission of unity with a real benefit for all humanity,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.
Looking ahead: Roughly four years from now, the European Space Agency’s Hera project will conduct detailed surveys of both Dimorphos and Didymos, with a particular focus on the crater left by DART’s collision and a precise measurement of Dimorphos’ mass.
Bottom line: This is very good prep for the future in case a potentially hazardous asteroid makes a run for the blue planet.
2. 🚀 Indian prez inaugurated a new HAL facility in Bengaluru
The state-of-the-art Integrated Cryogenic Engine Manufacturing Facility was launched in Bengaluru today.
Context: The facility is set up over an area of 4,500 sq m, housing over 70 advanced equipment and testing facilities for manufacturing cryogenic (CE20) and semi-cryogenic (SE2000) engines for Indian launch vehicles.
The new facility will cater to all rocket engine manufacturing under one roof for ISRO, HAL said.
It will boost self-reliance in manufacturing of high-thrust rocket engines.
In her address, President Murmu called it a "historic moment... for the whole country to have a state-of-the-art facility to manufacture cryogenic and semi-cryogenic engines."
Journey here: An agreement for such a facility was signed between HAL and ISRO in 2013.
The plan initially was for a facility to manufacture cryogenic engine modules at HAL's Aerospace Division.
The MOU was subsequently amended in 2016 so that the Integrated Cryogenic Engine Manufacturing Facility could be set up.
It was allotted an investment amount of Rs 208 crore.
Cryogenic engines. These are the engines of choice for launch vehicles.
In January 2014, India successfully flew GSLV-D5 with a cryogenic engine made by ISRO through private industry.
In doing so, India became the sixth country to develop cryogenic engines.
Cryogenic technology is essential for future space exploration.
A major step up: HAL's Aerospace Division manufactures liquid propellant tanks and launch vehicle structures for the PSLV, GSLV MK-II, GSLV Mk-III, and also stage integration for GSLV Mk-II.
Its entry into cryogenic engine manufacturing is a major step in technology upgradation and modernisation, HAL said in a statement.
HAL will start realising the engine modules by March 2023.
3. 🗾 Modi in Tokyo for Abe's state funeral
The Indian Prime Minister is in Tokyo, Japan, to participate in the state funeral of former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe.
Context: Modi has joined many global leaders to pay tributes to Abe.
The funeral is attended by representatives from around hundred countries, including more than 20 heads of state.
Abe was shot dead while making a campaign speech on 8 July in the southern Japanese city of Nara.
India observed national mourning the next day as a mark of respect for Abe.
Shinzo Abe. Japan's longest-serving prime minister held office in 2006 for a year and then again from 2012 to 2020 before stepping down citing health reasons.
In a tweet yesterday, PM referred to the late Abe as "a dear friend and a great champion of India-Japan friendship."
India had conferred on Abe the Padma Vibhushan award in 2021.
"We will continue working to further strengthen India-Japan relations as envisioned by Abe San," Modi said in his tweet.
While there... Modi held a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida.
The Indian PM noted Abe's contribution to strengthening India-Japan ties and conceptualising the vision of a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region, a statement said.
They renewed their commitment towards further strengthening the India-Japan special partnership, and for working together in the region and in various international groupings and institutions.
4. 🌍 🦠 Ebola outbreak in Uganda
Ebola infections have risen across Uganda and claimed 23 lives (reported and suspected) so far.
Context: Uganda health authorities declared an outbreak of Ebola disease, caused by Sudan virus, on 20 September.
This was after a case was confirmed in a village of Madudu sub-county in Mubende district, central Uganda.
Preliminary investigations identified a number of community deaths from an unknown illness in Mubende district reported in early September.
These deaths are now considered to be probable cases of Ebola caused by SUDV, WHO said in a statement.
This is the first Ebola disease outbreak caused by Sudan virus in Uganda since 2012.
Sudan virus disease is a severe, often fatal illness affecting humans.
Sudan virus was first reported in southern Sudan in June 1976.
Ever since, seven outbreaks caused by SUDV have been reported, four in Uganda and three in Sudan.
Virus spread: The virus is introduced into the human population through close contact with the blood, secretions, organs, or other bodily fluids of infected animals, WHO says.
Animals include fruit bats, chimpanzees, gorillas, monkeys, forest antelope, or porcupines found ill or dead or in the rainforest.
Then human-to-human transmission follows.
Where it stands: Twenty-three deaths have been recorded.
Among confirmed and suspected cases, 62 per cent are female and 38 per cent are male.
The median age of the cases is 26 years (range 1 year to 60 years).
5. 💪 India biggest home for Afghan Sikhs
India is now home to 20,000 Afghan Sikhs while only 43 remain in their native country, Afghanistan.
Context: A fresh batch of Afghan Sikhs returned to India on 25 September by a special flight arranged by the Indian government.
It was 55 people in all — 38 adults, 14 children, and three infants.
The latest evacuation was arranged by the Indian government in coordination with the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee and the social organisation Indian World Forum.
Protecting the sacred. Sikhs consider the religious text as a living guru and worship it like a deity.
The 43 Afghan Sikhs who remain in Afghanistan are reportedly protecting copies of the Sikh holy text Guru Granth Sahib.
The Taliban has refused to allow religious texts or sculptures to be taken away from the country, calling them national heritage.
In December 2021, Sikhs were allowed to carry their religious texts during evacuation.
They were stopped by the Islamic leaders of Taliban in September this year.
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