Science And Technology : Current Affairs – December 2018

Science & Technology

Shimmering planet discovered in constellation Cassiopeia:

Researchers from the Universities of Zurich and Cambridge have discovered a new planet outside our solar system in the constellation Cassiopeia. This planet, named HD219134 b, has a mass almost five times that of Earth and therefore, is called ‘Super Earth’. However, unlike our Earth, this planet most likely does not have a massive core of iron, but one which is rich in calcium, aluminium, magnesium and silicon. The planet shimmers in red and blue hues like rubies and sapphires.

For more details, visit https://www.news.uzh.ch

Musk’s SpaceX successfully deploys US GPS satellite into orbit:

Billionaire Elon Musk-owned SpaceX successfully launched and deployed a GPS III space vehicle into orbit on 23 December 2018. This powerful next generation navigation satellite is the company’s first-ever US government-sanctioned national security space mission. The satellite would provide data which can be used  by devices ranging from smartphones to automobiles, and in commercial aircrafts and by virtually all sectors of the transportation industry.

For more details, visit  https://images.financialexpress.com

ISRO’s GSAT-7A mission successful:

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched a military communication satellite GSAT-7A on 19 December 2018 at 4:10 pm (IST) from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. This geostationary satellite is aimed at enhancing the communication capabilities of the Indian Air Force (IAF).

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China launches first satellite for broadband communication:

China launched its first satellite as part of the Hongyun Project on 22 December 2018,. This low-Earth-orbit satellite took off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre, situated in northwest China, and is primarily aimed at providing broadband internet services worldwide.

For more details, visit https://upload.wikimedia.org