Science and Technology
Nuclear-Capable Dhanush Missile Successfully Test Fired
India on 9 April successfully test-fired its nuclear-capable Dhanush ballistic missile with a strike range of 350 km from a naval ship off the Odisha coast. The surface-to-surface Dhanush, a naval variant of India’s indigenously-developed Prithvi missile, was test fired from a ship in the Bay of Bengal off Odisha coast by the Strategic Force Command (SFC) of the defence force. Dhanush missile is capable of carrying conventional as well as nuclear payload of 500 to 1000 kilogram and can hit both land and sea-based targets within 350 km range.
Nuclear Capable Agni-III Ballistic Missile Test Fired Successfully
The Surface-to-Surface Agni III ballistic missile was successfully test-fired on 16 April from the Wheelar Isalnd off the Odisha coast in the Bay of Bengal.Although the missile has a strike range of more than 3000 km, in the present test-fire, it was tested for a lesser range. The Agni-III missile is powered by a two-stage solid propellant system.
World’s First Self-Powered Camera Developed
Columbia University scientists have created the world’s first self-powered camera. The camera can indefinitely produce an image in each second of any well-lit indoor area. K. Nayar, a computer scientist of Indian origin, headed the research. He designed a pixel that apart from measuring incident light also converts it into electric power.
Navy’s Stealth Destroyer ‘INS Visakhapatnam ‘ Launched
Indian Navy’s new stealth destroyer named INS Visakhapatnam was launched on 20 April at the Mazgaon Docks Ltd (MDL) in Mumbai, Maharashtra.It was designed indigenously. It is a Kolkata class warship.It is also the first of P15-B stealth destroyers.The ship weighs 3000 tonnes and is 163 metres long.It is designed to achieve speed of more than 30 knots at displacement of around 7300 tonnes.INS Vishakapatnam will also be fitted with supersonic surface to surface missile system.
NASA develops First 3-D Printed Copper Rocket Engine Part
NASA engineers have developed the first full-scale three dimensional (3-D) printed copper rocket engine part. The part developed was a combustion chamber liner that operates at extreme temperatures and pressures using additive manufacturing technique.