Navigating the Present: A Guide to Current Affairs
 

Aditya-L1 Mission

Context:

• The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has accomplished the launch of Aditya-L1, its inaugural Solar Mission.

• The launch was conducted using the PSLV-C57 rocket. The PSLV's fourth stage was fired twice, a first in ISRO's history, to precisely insert the spacecraft into its elliptical orbit.

About:

• Aditya-L1 is the first space-based observatory class Indian solar mission to study the Sun from a substantial distance of 1.5 million kilometers. It will take approximately 125 days to reach the L1 point.

• Aditya-L1 is also ISRO's second astronomy observatory-class mission after AstroSat (2015).

• The mission's journey is notably shorter than India's previous Mars orbiter mission, Mangalyaan.

• The spacecraft is planned to be placed in a halo orbit around the Lagrangian point 1 (L1) of the Sun-Earth system.

Objective:

• The mission aims to provide valuable insights into the solar corona, photosphere, chromosphere, and solar wind.

• The primary objective of Aditya-L1 is to gain a deeper understanding of the Sun's behavior, including its radiation, heat, particle flow, and magnetic fields, and how they impact Earth.

Lagrange Points

About:

• Lagrange points are special positions in space where the gravitational forces of two large orbiting bodies, such as the Sun and the Earth, balance each other out.

• This means that a small object, such as a spacecraft, can stay at these points without using much fuel to maintain its orbit.

• There are five Lagrange Points, each with distinct characteristics. These points enable a small mass to orbit in a stable pattern amid two larger masses.

• Lagrange Points in the Sun-Earth System: L1: L1 is considered the most significant of the

• Lagrange points for solar observations. A satellite placed in the halo orbit around the L1

• has the major advantage of continuously viewing the Sun without any occultation/?

• eclipses.

• It is currently home to the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory Satellite (SOHO).

• L2: Positioned directly 'behind' Earth as viewed from the Sun, L2 is excellent for observing

• the larger Universe without Earth's shadow interference. The James Webb Space Telescope orbits the Sun near L2.

• L3: Positioned behind the Sun, opposite Earth, and just beyond Earth's orbit, it offers potential observations of the far side of the Sun.

• L4 and L5: Objects at L4 and L5 maintain stable positions, forming an equilateral triangle with the two larger bodies.

• They are often used for space observatories, such as those studying asteroids.

• Significance of Exploring the Sun

• Understanding Our Solar System:

• The Sun is the center of our solar system, and its characteristics greatly influence the behavior of all other celestial bodies. Studying the Sun enhances our understanding of the dynamics of our solar neighborhood.

• Advancing Solar Physics: Exploring the Sun's

• complex behavior, including its magnetic fields, heating mechanisms, and plasma dynamics, contributes to advances in fundamental physics and astrophysics.

• Enhancing Energy Research: The Sun is a natural

• fusion reactor. Insights gained from studying its core and nuclear reactions can inform our pursuit of clean and sustainable fusion energy on Earth.

• Space Weather Prediction:

• Solar activities, such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections, can impact Earth's space environment.

• Understanding these phenomena is crucial for predicting and mitigating potential disruptions to communication systems, navigation, and power grids.

• Improving Satellite Operations: Solar radiation and solar wind affect the functioning of satellites and spacecraft. Understanding these solar interactions allows for better spacecraft design and operation.

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

• UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights, and building a better future for people forced to flee their homes because of conflict and persecution.

• It was established by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1950 in the aftermath of the Second World War to help the millions of people who had lost their homes.

• Currently, UNHCR is governed by the UNGA and the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

• It is guided by and acts as the guardian of the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol.

• India is not a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol.

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

About:

• It is a regional grouping that promotes economic, political, and security cooperation.

• It was established in August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the founding members of ASEAN, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.

• Its chairmanship rotates annually, based on the alphabetical order of the English names of Member States.

• ASEAN countries have an estimated 666.19 million people and a combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of USD 3.2 Trillion.

• Commodity trade between India and the ASEAN region has reached 98.39 billion in the period April 2021- February 2022. India's main trading ties are with Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand.

Areas of Cooperation Between India and ASEAN

Economic Cooperation:

• ASEAN is India's 4th largest trading partner. India signed an FTA (Free Trade Agreement) in goods in 2009 and an FTA in services and investments in 2014 with ASEAN.

• ASEAN and India have also adopted a joint statement announcing the elevation of the existing Strategic Partnership to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Members:

• ASEAN brings together ten Southeast Asian states - Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam - into one organization.

Peace and Security:

• The two sides reaffirmed the importance of maintaining and promoting peace, stability, maritime safety, and overflight freedom in the Indo-Pacific.

Financial Assistance:

• India provides financial assistance to the ASEAN nations through various mechanisms like ASEAN- the ASEAN-India Cooperation Fund and the ASEAN-India Green Fund.

Connectivity:

• India has been undertaking several connectivity projects including the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral (IMT) Highway and the Kaladan Multimodal Project.

• India and ASEAN countries recently gave new vigor to their ties by establishing a comprehensive strategic partnership at the 19th ASEAN-India Summit in Cambodia.

Challenges Related to ASEAN

Territorial Disputes:

• ASEAN member states have been enmeshed in territorial disputes with interested powers for a long time. For example, China's claim to territories in the South China Sea overlaps with competing claims by Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

Indo-Pacific Rivalry:

• For a long time, the assumption of China as the primary economic partner and the US as the primary security guarantor has been at the heart of the ASEAN balance.

• Today, that balance is falling apart and the Russia-Ukraine war has further aggravated this tension. This sharpening of major power rivalry in the Indo-Pacific region is threatening the underlying stability on which rested the regional growth and prosperity. 

Way Forward

• Maritime Security in Indo-Pacific: The maritime security of the Indo-Pacific region is crucial for the protection of India's interests as well as those of ASEAN.

• Both sides need to work towards ensuring maximum utilization of resources without harming the marine environment. They need to adopt strong and responsible initiatives to harness the potential of the ocean sustainably.

• Also, ASEAN should emphasize the principles of the UN Convention for the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to solve the disputes in the South China Sea region.

• Regional Tourism: India and ASEAN should also enhance regional tourism and people-to-people connectivity as they already have civilizational and cultural influences on each other.

• Unfolding Act-East Policy: Reciprocity and mutual understanding of common concerns will help both ASEAN and India to overcome some of the challenges.

• Through coordination in the fields of Digitalization, Pharmaceuticals, Agriculture Education, and Green Growth, the potential of India's Act East Policy.