DRDO Celebrates 63rd Foundation Day; Chairman Reddy Calls To Focus On Cyber Security, Space, AI

New Delhi: The Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) observed the 63rd Foundation Day of its establishment on Friday, 1st January 2021. G. Satheesh Reddy, Secretary DDR&D & Chairman DRDO met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and presented him with a model of the Akash Missile System, which was recently cleared for export. On the occasion, the Chairman of DRDO along with DGs and Directors of DRDO HQ paid floral tributes to former President APJ Abdul Kalam at DRDO Bhawan, according to a press statement from the Ministry of Defence. The Ministry stated that DRDO was established in 1958 with just 10 laboratories to enhance the research work in the Defence sector and was tasked with designing and developing cutting-edge defence technologies for the Indian Armed Forces. The Defence Ministry stated that today, the DRDO is working in multiple cutting-edge military technology areas, which include aeronautics, armaments, combat vehicles, electronics, instrumentation, engineering systems, missiles, materials, naval systems, advanced computing, simulation, cyber, life sciences, and other technologies for defence. Addressing the DRDO fraternity, the DRDO Chairman Reddy extended warm wishes to DRDO employees and their families. He stated that an eventful year has passed and a new one is about to begin, and asked scientists to innovate and create for the nation. He said that efforts of DRDO have given a quantum jump to India’s self reliance in defence, contributing towards Atmanirbhar Bharat. He declared ‘Export’ as the theme of DRDO for 2021 and mentioned that many products based on DRDO technologies have already been exported by DPSUs and industry. He said that in 2020, the DRDO achieved many milestones such as the maiden landing of LCA Navy onboard INS Vikramaditya, demonstration of Hypersonic Technology Demonstration Vehicle (HSTDV), Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) & QRNG developments in the area of Quantum Technology, Laser Guided Anti Tank Guided Missile (ATGM), Supersonic Missile Assisted Release of Torpedo (SMART), Anti Radiation Missile (NGARM), enhanced version of PINAKA Rocket System, Quick Reaction Surface to Air Missile (QRSAM), Maiden launch of MRSAM, 5.56 x 30 mm Joint Venture Protective Carbine (JVPC), and many other milestones. He highlighted the contributions of DRDO during the Covid-19 pandemic and said that nearly 40 DRDO laboratories developed more than 50 technologies and over 100 products on a war footing for combating the Novel Coronavirus pandemic in India. These included PPE kits, sanitizers, masks, UV-based disinfection systems, Germi Klean, and critical parts of ventilators leading to ventilator manufacturing in the country in a very short span of time. He further said that DRDO has established three dedicated Covid hospitals at Delhi, Patna, and Muzaffarpur in a record time for strengthening the medical infrastructure. In addition, Mobile Virology Research and Diagnostics Laboratory (MVRDL) were developed to speed-up the Covid-19 screening and R&D activities at various locations for strengthening the Covid testing capabilities. The DRDO Chairman mentioned that new policies and procedures were launched for increasing the efficiency and ease of engagement with various stakeholders in the development, saying DRDO has also taken major steps for further strengthening its base for taking up technological challenges for the defence systems development and will continue to strive for the best in defence technology and ensure the system development in the shortest time. While congratulating DRDO scientists and all other personnel who worked in close coordination with the armed forces for user trials, he set many targets for them. He talked about the flagship programmes of DRDO such as Hypersonic Cruise Missile, Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), New Generation MBT, Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle, Enhanced AEW&CS, LCA MK II, and many other systems. In his speech, Chairman Reddy called upon DRDO scientists to focus on next generation needs including cyber security, space and, artificial intelligence. The immense potential available in DRDO has been a catalyst for the development of industries in defence manufacturing sector, he said, as per the Defence Ministry statement. The Chairman highlighted that the academic institutes, R&D organisations and industry need to work together on the advanced and futuristic technologies to make India self-reliant in defence sector. He mentioned that a number of SMEs and MSMEs are supplying small components to subsystems for all DRDO projects and have been nurtured by DRDO. Now they have become partners in all new developments. He stated that DRDO conducted a competition called ‘Dare to Dream’ for startups and very enthusiastic response have been received. He further added that at least 30 startups should be supported every year to develop innovative products for the armed forces. He said that DRDO should make efforts towards strengthening long term ties with academia and aim to leverage the academic expertise available in the country and increase the synergy with them, remarking that DRDO should concentrate on applied research and translational research and then make prototypes from the applied research. He further said that the industry should be in a position to adopt these technologies and have necessary infrastructure, and scale these up to market with sustained quality. He underlined the need to focus on documentation and production for faster induction, and said that many new initiatives towards enabling the industry and empowering youth for Defence R&D will be taken by DRDO.DRDO Chairman Reddy also launched an Online Industry Partner Registration Module to simplify the process of vendor registration. He released the DRDO Monograph on ‘Issues on Development of Communication Technology using Orbiting Satellites’ and also the Environmental Safety Manual and Guidelines for Disposal of Life Expired Chemicals and Gases at DRDO Laboratories. Source: https://indusdictum.com/: 

Read More........→August 09, 2022

Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins dies at 90

American astronaut Michael Collins, who flew the Apollo 11 command module while his crewmates became the first people to land on the Moon in 1969, died on Wednesday after battling cancer, his family said.

“Mike always faced the challenges of life with grace and humility, and faced this, his final challenge, in the same way,” Collins’ family tweeted on his official Twitter account.

Often described as the "forgotten" third astronaut on the historic mission, Collins remained alone for more than 21 hours until his two colleagues returned in the lunar module. He lost contact with mission control in Houston each time the spacecraft circled the dark side of the moon.

"Not since Adam has any human known such solitude as Mike Collins," the mission log said, referring to the biblical figure.

Collins wrote an account of his experiences in his 1974 autobiography, "Carrying the Fire," but largely shunned publicity."I know that I would be a liar or a fool if I said that I have the best of the three Apollo 11 seats, but I can say with truth and equanimity that I am perfectly satisfied with the one I have," Collins said in comments released by NASA in 2009. Source: https://www.daily-bangladesh.com/

Read More........→May 08, 2021

Inoculated individual may carry coronavirus, scientist says

An individual who was inoculated against the novel coronavirus infection may remain its carrier and therefore should observe preventive measures, acting director of the Smorodintsev Research Institute of Influenza of the Russian Healthcare Ministry Dmitry Lioznov said at a press conference on Thursday.

“An inoculated individual, he is protected, he does not develop the disease but the agent can get on the mucous lining, remain there for some time and emit to the external environment. A healthy individual can also be [a carrier] without developing the disease but he can be that temporary carrier.

This is precisely why we say that a vaccinated individual should observe certain anti-epidemic measures in order not to infect the others,” the scientist said.According to deputy director for research of the Smorodintsev Research Institute of Influenza Darya Danilenko, an individual is considered to be vaccinated if he received the full dose of a vaccine, that is, was inoculated twice when it’s necessary. “After the second administration, at least three weeks should elapse after which we consider that enough time has elapsed for a person to be considered vaccinated, that is, his immune system responded to the administration of a vaccine,” she explained. Until then, according to her, the probability that this individual may be a carrier is higher. Source: https://www.daily-bangladesh.com

Read More........→January 29, 2021

Russia reports ‘non-standard’ air leak on Space Station

Russia said Tuesday that astronauts had found an air leak in its section of the International Space Station, with a senior space official calling the air loss beyond expected levels.

The crew on the ISS — Russian cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner and NASA astronaut Christopher Cassidy — have been searching for the air leak since August, first checking the US segment.

Russia’s space agency, Roscosmos, said in a statement that after analysis and a search for the leak “it was established that the spot is located in the Zvezda (star) service module, which contains scientific equipment.”

It said a search was now underfoot to pinpoint the exact location, saying the situation “is not dangerous for the life and health of the ISS crew and does not prevent the ISS continuing manned flight.”

“It’s not critical in the near future,” said Sergei Krikalyov, the executive director of Russia’s manned space programs, in a televised comment.

He said the ISS always has slight air loss due to the air purifying system.

“These leaks are predictable. What’s happening now is more than the standard leakage and naturally if it lasts a long time, it will require supplies of extra air to the station,” he said.

He said the crew were now resting but hoped to find the precise spot and fix the leak on Wednesday.

“That’s not for sure,” he added, saying there was quite a large area to search.

“We have time. The leak exists of course. It’s not good that it’s there, but it’s not critical,” he said.

NASA said that the leak had appeared to grow in size overnight Monday to Tuesday and the crew were awakened by flight controllers to carry out a search.

It was later found that a temperature change had made the leak seem to grow, while the rate of air escaping was “unchanged,” the US space agency said.

Previously, astronauts had searched for the source of the leak in the US segment of the station using an ultrasound detector.

The incident comes after astronauts in 2018 found a hole in the wall of a Russian-made Soyuz space capsule docked onto the ISS.

The cause of the hole has not yet been made public.Three new crew members, Russians Sergei Ryzhikov and Sergei Kud-Sverchkov and NASA astronaut Kate Rubins, are set to arrive in a Russian Soyuz spacecraft due to launch October 14.  Source: https://www.daily-bangladesh.com/

Read More........→December 29, 2020

NASA to send a new toilet to Space Station

The US space agency NASA is set to test a new zero-gravity toilet to the International Space Station (ISS) before its probable use in a future mission to the Moon.

The $23m (195 crores BDT) toilet, which sucks waste from the body, will be sent to the ISS on a cargo ship.

According to NASA, the toilet's "vacuum system" was designed for the comfort of female astronauts, unlike previous models.

The toilet was supposed to be sent to the space station from Virginia by the rocket on Thursday afternoon. But three minutes before the launch, the mission was aborted due to a technical error. If the engineers can fix the errors, they will try again.

According to NASA, the Titanium Space Toilet will help in missions to more remote areas. The vacuum system is being used here to discharge body wastes in the zero gravity region.

The toilet uses a vacuum system to suck waste away from the body in a zero-gravity environment. For privacy, the toilet is located inside a cubicle - just like in a public bathroom on Earth.

It weighs 45kg (100lbs) and standing 28in (71cm) tall, the toilet is 65% smaller and 40% lighter than the one currently in use.

NASA project manager Melissa McKinley said the Universal Waste Management System (UWMS) toilet has been designed for a long time. The commode seat and urine funnel are more refined than before. Women astronauts will feel more comfortable.

In a video posted to Twitter, Nasa astronaut Jessica Meir described the toilet as a "vacuum system".

"So imagine you have a vacuum cleaner and you're sucking things down. You turn on a big fan, so that's pulling everything down inside the toilet," she said.She added that this toilet will process and recycle urine as drinking water for astronauts in a special way. Source:https://www.daily-bangladesh.com:

Read More........→December 29, 2020