Read Current Affairs
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- Why in News?
- The NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite was successfully launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, marking a key milestone in India-US space cooperation.
- Key Provisions:-
- NISAR is the world’s first radar imaging satellite operating on dual frequencies—L-band (NASA) and S-band (ISRO). Weighing 2,392 kg, it was launched aboard ISRO’s GSLV-F16, which for the first time placed a satellite in a Sun Synchronous Polar Orbit—a departure from its usual Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit missions.
- NISAR will observe Earth's land, ice-covered regions, and select ocean areas every 12 days, offering high-resolution data through the SweepSAR technique. Built on ISRO’s I-3K platform, its advanced radar processes signals from multiple angles to generate a synthetic aperture, enhancing imaging capability.
- With a mission life of at least five years, NISAR adopts an open-data policy, aiming to support global climate, agriculture, and disaster research, especially benefiting developing nations.
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- Why in News?
- The Central Government has launched a Single Window System to streamline the appointment of Directors General of Police (DGPs) in states.
- Key Provisions:-
- This reform aligns with the Supreme Court’s directives in the Prakash Singh vs. Union of India (2006) case and follows the appointment guidelines issued by the UPSC in 2009.
- Under the new process, state governments must send a list of eligible officers to the Union Public Service Commission at least six months before the current DGP is due to retire. To qualify, officers must have completed at least 30 years of service or hold the rank of police chief (or the next lower rank approved for that state). Officers nearing retirement—with less than six months of service left—are not considered.
- The UPSC then shortlists a panel of three candidates (or two for smaller states) based on merit. The final selection of DGP is made by the respective state government from this panel.
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