Space
First human spaceflight in a polar orbit
Recently, SpaceX successfully launched a private astronaut crew on a historic polar-orbiting mission aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.
First human spaceflight in a polar orbit: Unlike traditional missions that follow an equatorial orbit, this mission will orbit Earth from pole to pole.
This trajectory allows full observation of Earth’s surface over time, making it crucial for climate studies, global surveillance, and research.
Polar Orbit (PO) – A Polar Orbit (PO) is a type of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) that ranges between 200 km to 1,000 km in altitude.
✓ Unlike equatorial orbits, satellites in a polar orbit travel from one pole to the other rather than from west to east.
✓ Polar orbits allow satellites to cover the entire Earth’s surface over time as the planet rotates below them.
Latest Inventions on Science & Technology
National Gene Bank
The Government of India has announced the creation of a Second National Gene Bank to conserve 10 lakh crop germplasm. This initiative aligns with the “Investing in Innovations” theme of the Union Budget 2025-26.
India’s First National Gene Bank
It was established in 1996 by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research – National Bureau of Plant
Genetic Resources (ICAR-NBPGR) in New Delhi.
It is the second-largest Gene Bank globally, following the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway.
It supplies plant genetic resources to both public and private entities engaged in crop improvement and genetic conservation.
About Gene Bank
A Gene Bank is a specialized storage facility designed to preserve seeds, pollen, and plant tissues to safeguard plant species from extinction and ensure their availability for future needs.
