INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
News – 4 astronauts take off for International Space Station
- About – The ISS is a habitable artificial satellite. It serves as a home for astronauts and a unique laboratory for scientific research.
- Location – Low Earth orbit, at 400 km above Earth.
- Launched in – 1998
- ISS completes an orbit around Earth every – 90 min.
- Collaboration of 5 space agencies-
- NASA (USA)
- Roscosmos (Russia)
- ESA (Europe)
- JAXA (Japan)
- CSA (Canada)
STARLINK
News – What is Elon Musk’s Starlink all about
- About – Starlink is a satellite internet constellation to provide high-speed, low-latency internet globally
- Developed by – SpaceX
- Working –
- Operates through thousands of small satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
- Uses ground stations and user terminals to deliver internet connectivity.
- Key Features-
- Speeds of up to 100 Mbps
- Portable options for users on the move.
- Can bridge the digital divide in remote areas.
NEW ZEALAND
News – India, New Zealand resume trade deal talks after decade
- also known as – Aotearoa – “Land of the Long White Cloud.”
- Location – An island nation in the southwestern Pacific Ocean.
- It consists of two main islands—the North Island and the South Island
- Capital – Wellington
- Culture – Māori culture,
- Political System – unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy
- New Zealand was the first country in the world to grant women the right to vote in 1893.
FIVE EYES ALLIANCE
News – Global intelligence chiefs converge in Delhi meet
- About – It is an intelligence-sharing network comprising five English-speaking countries:
- Australia
- Canada
- New Zealand
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Obj – Facilitates sharing of signals intelligence (SIGINT) among member nations.
- History – Originated during World War II
- It acted as a collaboration between the US and UK to counter Axis powers.
LINGUISTIC SECULARISM
News – In a 2014 judgment, Supreme Court had favoured ‘linguistic secularism’
- Meaning – Linguistic Secularism is the principle of respecting and accommodating the linguistic diversity of a nation without imposing any single language on its citizens.
- Constitutional Provisions –
- Articles 29 and 30 protect the rights of linguistic minorities.
- The Indian Constitution recognizes 22 scheduled languages under the Eighth Schedule.
- Article 343 – allows use of both Hindi and English for official purposes.
- Related Judgement – U.P. Hindi Sahittya Sammelan vs State of U.P
BORDERS OF INDIA
News – India plans to fence its entire border with Myanmar in 10 years
MCQs
1. Who is NOT a member of ISS?
A. Canada
B. Japan
C. China
D. USA
2. Starlink satellites are launched into which orbit?
A. Lower Earth Orbit
B. Middle Earth Orbit
C. Polar Earth Orbit
D. Geo Stationary Orbit
3. Capital of New Zealand is?
A. Paris
B. Canberra
C. Budapest
D. Wellington
4. Who is NOT a member of 5 Eyes Security Alliance?
A. Australia
B. Canada
C. USA
D. Russia
5. India shares longest border with which country?
A. Afghanistan
B. Bangladesh
C. Nepal
D. Bhutan