TNPSC Current Affairs June 18, 2020

www.tnpsc.academy – TNPSC Current Affairs June 18, 2020 (18/06/2020)

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Topic: Science and Technology, Latest Diary of Events

NASA’s Gateway Lunar Orbit outpost

NASA recently finalised the contract for the initial crew module of the agency’s Gateway lunar orbiting outpost.

The contract, which is worth $187 million has been awarded to Orbital Science Corporation of Dulles, Virginia, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Northrop Grumman Space.

What is the contract for?

NASA has issued this contract to design the habitation and logistics (HALO) support for the Gateway, which is a part of NASA’s Artemis program that aims to send the first woman and the next man to the Moon by 2024.

The HALO refers to the pressurised living quarters where astronauts will spend their time while visiting the Gateway.

These quarters will be about the size of a small apartment and will provide augmented life support in tandem with NASA’s Orion spacecraft.

What is NASA’s Gateway Lunar Orbit outpost?

The Gateway is a small spaceship that will orbit the Moon, meant for astronaut missions to the Moon and later, for expeditions to Mars.

It will act as a temporary office and living quarters for astronauts, distanced at about 250,000 miles from Earth.

The spaceship will have living quarters, laboratories for science and research and docking ports for visiting spacecraft. Compared to the ISS, the Gateway is much smaller.

How long will it take to build the Gateway?

As of now, NASA has targeted the completion of the Gateway for 2026, while work on the spaceship is already underway.

By 2022, NASA plans to ready the power and propulsion for the spaceship, which will be launched on a partner-provided commercial rocket.

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Topic: Latest Diary of Events

World Crocodile Day – June 17

Observed on June 17th every year. It is a global awareness campaign to highlight the plight of endangered crocodiles and alligators around the world.

India is home to three crocodilian species:

The mugger or marsh crocodile (Crocodylus palustris)

The estuarine or saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus)

The gharial (Gavialis gangeticus)

Crocodile conservation programmes in India:

The Gharial and Saltwater crocodile conservation programme was first implemented in Odisha in early 1975 and subsequently the Mugger conservation programme was initiated, since Odisha is having distinction for existence of all the three species of Indian crocodilians. The funds and technical support for the project came from UNDP/ FAO through the Government of India.

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Topic: Environment and Ecology, International Events

Pangolin

China has accorded the pangolin the highest level of protection and removed the scales of the endangered mammal from its list of approved traditional medicines.

Key facts:

Pangolin is only scaly mammal on the planet. According to CITES, it is also the most illegally traded vertebrate within its class (Mammalia).

Of the eight species of pangolin worldwide, two are found in India. They are Chinese pangolin, mostly found in northeast India and Indian pangolin.

Protection Status:

Chinese pangolin has been listed as “critically endangered”. Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) has been listed as “endangered”. It is also a Schedule I category protected animal, under the Wildlife Protection Act (1972).