Context:
Recently, India’s GSAT-20 (N2) communication satellite was successfully launched into space by Space X’s Falcon-9 Rocket.
More on the News
- This is the first time New Space India Limited (NSIL), the commercial arm of ISRO has partnered with SpaceX for satellite deployment.
GSAT-20 (GSAT-N2)
It is a Ka-band (frequencies in the range 27 GHz to 40 GHz) high-throughput communication satellite of New Space India Limited (NSIL) (a commercial arm of ISRO).
- The Ka-band is mainly used for communications with satellites.
It is set to enhance broadband services and in-flight connectivity (IFC) across the Indian region.
- This satellite also features multiple spot beams and wideband Ka x Ka transponders.
- It aims to support a large subscriber base with small user terminals, significantly boosting system throughput through its multi-beam architecture which allows frequency reuse.
- GSAT-N2 has a mass of 4700 kg and also a mission life of 14 years.
- The satellite is equipped with 32 user beams, comprising 8 narrow spot beams over the Northeast region and 24 wide spot beams over the rest of India. These 32 beams will be supported by hub stations located within mainland India.
- The Ka-Band HTS communication payload provides a throughput of approximately 48 Gbps across 32 beams which ensures broadband coverage (extends to Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands).
- The payload consists of three parabolic 2.5-meter deployable reflectors with multiple feeds generating 32 spot beams over the Indian region using a single feed per beam configuration.
- The satellite is intended to add data transmission capacity to the communication infrastructure required by the Smart Cities Mission of India.
56th Tiger Reserve of India
Context:
Recently, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) notified the Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve (Chhattisgarh) as the 56th Tiger Reserve of the country.
About Guru Ghasidas – Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve
• Location: It is located in the northern part of Chhattisgarh, bordering Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand.
- It is connected to the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh to the west and the Palamau Tiger Reserve in Jharkhand to the east.
- The reserve is nestled in the Chota Nagpur Plateau and partly extends into the Baghelkhand Plateau. It is also contiguous with the Sanjay Dubri Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh.
Rivers: This reserve is the origin of significant rivers such as the Hasdeo, Gopad, and Baranga, and it serves as a catchment area for rivers such as the Neur, Bijadhur, Banas, Rehand, and several smaller streams and rivulets.
This tiger reserve is the third largest in India, following the Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve (Andhra Pradesh) and the Manas Tiger Reserve (Assam).
Terrain: The region boasts diverse terrains, dense forests, and numerous streams and rivers, creating a favourable environment for rich faunal diversity. It serves as a critical habitat for tigers.
Fauna: According to the Zoological Survey of India, the reserve is home to 753 documented species, including 365 invertebrates and 388 vertebrates.
Other Tiger Reserves in Chhattisgarh: Udanti-Sitanadi, Achanakmar, and Indravati Tiger Reserves.
Sustainable Trade Index (STI) 2024
Context:
India was ranked 23rd in the third edition of the Sustainable Trade Index (STI) 2024.
Sustainable Trade Index (STI)
- It was created in 2022 by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD)- World Competitiveness Center and the Hinrich Foundation.
- The Sustainable Trade Index (STI) measures 30 global economies’ capacity to participate in the international trading system.
- In 2024, New Zealand ranked first followed by the United Kingdom and Australia in second and third position respectively.
It uses 72 economic, societal, and environmental indicators to measure sustainable trade:
- The economic pillar: It measures an economy’s ability to ensure and promote economic growth through international trade.
- The societal pillar: It measures social factors that matter in an economy’s capacity to trade internationally over the long term.
- The environmental pillar: It measures the extent to which an economy’s trade supports sustainable resources.
India’s position on the Index
- India was ranked 23rd globally in the Sustainable Trade Index 2024 an improvement of one rank from the previous year 2023.
- India’s overall score is 24, with 62.3 for economic factors, 13.3 for societal aspects, and 43.1 for environmental considerations.