Chandrayaan-2 Mission’s initial data released by ISRO

• The Indian Space Research Organisation has released the first set of data from the country’s second moon mission Chandrayaan-2.
• Chandrayaan-2 was launched on July 22, 2019.
• The Orbiter which was injected into a lunar orbit carries eight experiments.
• Release data archived at the Indian Space Science Data Centre in Bylalu, Bengaluru.
• ISSDC is the nodal centre of planetary data archive for the planetary missions of ISRO
• It is required to be peer reviewed scientifically and technically before acceptance as PDS archives and declared ready for sharing with the global scientific community.
• This activity has been completed and hence the first set of data from the Chandrayaan-2 mission is now being released for the wider public use through the PRADAN portal hosted by ISSDC.
• The Chandrayaan-2 mission was India’s first attempt to land on the lunar surface.

India to beef up security at Pangong Tso, government fast-tracks procurement of patrol vessels

• With summers expected to heighten tensions in eastern Ladakh, the government has fast-tracked the construction of 12 indigenous fast patrol vessels with specialised capabilities to counter Chinese boats in the Pangong Tso.
• The Goa Shipyard will be asked to prioritise the construction of the new vessels for Pangong Tso, which is frozen during winter.

About the lake:

• The 135-km long Pangong Tso, a landlocked lake that is partly in the Ladakh region and partly in Tibet
• It has seen tensions between India and China.
• The lake’s northern bank juts forward like a palm, and the various protrusions are identified as “fingers” to demarcate territory.
• India asserts that the Line of Actual Control is at Finger 8, but China claims areas up to Finger 2 even though patrol by vehicles on land are only until Finger 4.
• It is in the waters of the lake, two-thirds of which is controlled by China, with just about 45 km on the Indian side, that the Chinese carry out aggressive manoeuvres

Indian and Vietnam Navies are to Undertake PASSEX exercisesin South China Sea

• In the South China Sea Indian and Vietnamese navies will undertake PASSEX or Passage Exercise.
• From India, INS Kiltan the Indian Navy Ship will take part in the exercises.
• Under Mission SAGAR-3 the Indian Ship reached the country with 10 tons of humanitarian assistance.
• It seeks to enhance maritime cooperation between the two navies and will further bolster the strong bonds of friendship between the two countries and contribute to security and stability in the region.
• The India-Vietnam virtual summit handed over first of the 12 High-Speed Guard Boat to the country.

Type 054 A/P Frigate for Pakistan Navy to Feature New Radar Configuration

• This is the first of four vessels on order by Pakistan from China. It is currently at fitting out stage at Hudong Zhonghua shipyard in China.
• Pakistan signed a first contract for the delivery two Type 054 A/P frigates in 2017 and later extended it for two more ships in June 2018.
• These will be delivered by 2021.

About the SR2410C radar:

• It is 3D multifunction ESA radar loosely equivalent to the famous Smart-S Mk2 by Thales.
• It has already been fitted aboard the Bangladesh Navy C13B corvette which were built in China.
• It has an air range of over 250 km and can track 150 surface and air targets simultaneously

France, Japan and US Conduct Exercise in Philippine Sea

• French Navy Rubis-class nuclear powered submarine (SSN) “Emeraude” continues its long duration deployment in the Pacific region: It recently trained with the JMSDF and U.S. Navy in the Philippine Sea.
•  U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet’s Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Asheville (SSN 758) trained French Navy in the region.
• This was for the first time ever that a French Navy (Marine Nationale) SSN trained with the JMSDF.
• France is present in the region via its overseas territories (Mayotte and La Reunion islands, Scattered Islands and French Southern and Antarctic Territories, New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna, French Polynesia and Clipperton) and 93% of its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) is located in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

QUICK REVIEW

1. The ISRO has released first set of data from the Chandrayaan-2 mission through which portal?
2. PRADAN
3. Seva Portal
4. Publisher
5. ISSDC Portal

ANSWER: A

• Recently, which country’s navy trained with the JMSDF and U.S. Navy in the Philippine Sea?
• Germany
• France
• India
• Vietnam

ANSWER: B

• In the South China Sea, PASSEX exercise was held between which two countries recently?
• India and Vietnam
• India and Japan
• India and Nepal
• Pakistan and China

     ANSWER: A