UPSC Prelims Facts – 02 March 2024

UPSC Prelims Facts

DRDO successfully flight tested VSHORADS from a ground-based portable launcher

  • Very Short-Range Air Defence System missile
  • Indigenously developed system of MANPADS (manportable air defence system)
  • Developed by – Research Centre Imarat (RCI) in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories and Indian Industry Partners
  • Novel technologies used – Miniaturized Reaction Control System (RCS) and integrated avionics
  • Propelled by a dual-thrust solid motor and is meant for neutralizing low-altitude aerial threats at short ranges

Recently, inaugurated world’s 1st vedic clock, based on Indian ‘panchang’ calculations

  • Displays information related to Vedic Hindu Panchang, planetary position, Muhurat, astrological calculations and predictions and also indicate IST and GMT
  • It calculates time based on 1 sunrise to the next
  • Indian system of time calculation is the oldest, subtle, pure, error-free, authentic and reliable method in the world
  • Clock is an attempt to restore the tradition of Indian time calculation

Launched India’s 1st indigenous green hydrogen fuel cell inland waterway vessel

  • Water vessel manufactured by Cochin Shipyard under Harit Nauka Initiative
  • Ministry – Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways
  • Aim – At laying out Central Government’s focus on bringing about the shift of inland vessels to greener technologies.
  • Focus areas – Promotion of alternative clean fuels, creation of green ecosystem, promoting R&D and strengthening institutional capacity

Researchers found a colony of sea dragons and other planktonic species at Visakhapatnam coast

  • Marine iguanas – The world’s only lizards that feed in the sea
  • Stunning blue-shaded creatures float and move with the wind like their prey and are a type of aeolid nudibranch slugs or snails
  • But unlike other snails, their foot helps in floating instead of sticking to surfaces and moving
  • Feeds on blue button and Portuguese man o’ war species and store their stinging cells in cerrata (the whip like structures on the side)
  • They use the stinging cells to attack the predators or any organism that approaches them

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