TNPSC Current Affairs August 04, 2020

www.tnpsc.academy – TNPSC Current Affairs August 04, 2020 (04/08/2020)

Topic: International Events

Space X Capsule Returns Safely

Recently, two National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken have returned to earth in their SpaceX Dragon capsule named Endeavour, in less than a day after departing the International Space Station (ISS).

Their capsule (small container) parachuted into the Gulf of Mexico about 40 miles off the coast of Pensacola, Florida Panhandle (USA), which was one of the approximate locations.

Key Facts:

It was the first splashdown by the USA astronauts in 45 years, with the first commercially built and operated spacecraft to carry people to and from orbit.

The last time NASA astronauts returned from space to water was on 24th July 1975, in the Pacific to end a joint USA-Soviet mission known as the Apollo-Soyuz.

The Apollo-Soyuz Test Project was the first spaceflight to include two participating nations working together with their own national spacecraft.

The Americans sent up an Apollo command module, while the Soviet launched a Soyuz spacecraft.

Space X Crew Dragon:

It is a reusable spacecraft developed and manufactured by American aerospace manufacturer SpaceX.

SpaceX is a private company founded in 2002 by Elon Musk. Its headquarters is located in Hawthorne, California (USA).

Significance:

It clears the way for another SpaceX crew launch and possible tourist flights from 2021. SpaceX has now become the first private company to send humans to orbit who have spent more than two months on the space station.

The landmark mission marked the first time the USA space agency launched humans from American soil since its shuttle program retired in 2011. Since then, the USA has relied on Russia’s space program to launch its astronauts to the space station.

Topic: Profile of States, Latest Diary of Events

Time Capsules

The Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has denied reports about placing of a time capsule under the ground at Ram Temple construction site in Ayodhya.

The Time Capsule, also known as Kaal Patra, was supposed to contain the history of Ayodhya and Rama Janma Bhoomi Movement.

Key facts:

Time Capsule is a container of any size or shape, which accommodates documents, photos and artefacts typical of the current era and is buried underground, for future generations to unearth.

To ensure that the capsules do not decay they are built using special engineering techniques like steel or aluminium encasing, vacuuming, use of acid-free paper, etc.

The time capsules mostly have a scheduled time for reopening, and are supposed to be buried again after opening, with people of the future adding their own contributions to the time capsule.

Topic: Places in News

Galapagos archipelago

The Galapagos Islands, spread over almost 60,000 sq km, are a part of Ecuador, and are located in the Pacific Ocean around 1,000 km away from the South American continent.

The giant tortoises found here – ‘Galápagos’ in old Spanish– give the islands its name.

Ecuador made a part of the Galapagos a wildlife sanctuary in 1935, and the sanctuary became the Galapagos National Park in 1959. In 1978, the islands became UNESCO’s first World Heritage Site.

Charles Darwin described the islands as a “world in itself”.

Why in News?

Ecuador was on alert earlier this week as a fleet of Chinese fishing vessels– what some called a “floating city”– was sighted near the Galapagos archipelago.

Chinese ships frequent Ecuador’s waters this time of the year when the cold Humboldt Current brings in nutrients that lead to a high congregation of marine species.

Topic: Latest inventions on Science and Technology

Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network (eVIN)

This is being implemented under National Health Mission (NHM) by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

eVIN aims to provide real-time information on vaccine stocks and flows, and storage temperatures across all cold chain points in the country.

Topic: Profile of States

Renaming Chennai Metro stations

The Tamil Nadu government has passed an order to rename three metro stations in Chennai after three late Chief Ministers of the state.

According to a government order, the Alandur station will be called ‘Arignar Anna Alandur Metro’, the Central Metro as ‘Puratchi Thalaivar Dr M G Ramachandran Central Metro’ and the CMBT station as ‘Puratchi Thalaivi Dr J Jayalalithaa CMBT Metro.’

Chennai Metro is the third largest metro system in India after Delhi Metro and Hyderabad Metro