UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS

India has achieved another significant milestone in global space science. Renowned astrophysicist Dr. Annapurni Subramaniam has been awarded the prestigious COSPAR Vikram Sarabhai Medal 2026 for her outstanding contributions to space research.

Assam is moving ahead with AssamSAT, its proposed dedicated Earth-observation satellite system, with the process of selecting a private-sector implementation partner reaching an advanced stage.

India’s Bharatiya Antariksha Station (BAS) is in the news after ISRO Chairman Dr. V. Narayanan announced on 23 August 2026 that India aims to establish its own space station by 2035.

The study of exoplanets—planets orbiting stars outside our Solar System—has entered a new phase. 

India-based defence start-up D-Propulse recently announced the successful demonstration of a Rotating Detonation Engine (RDE) at a Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) facility in Hyderabad.

India has reportedly received an invitation to participate in NASA’s Moon Base programme, which seeks to develop a sustained human and robotic presence on the Moon. The proposal is significant for ISRO because India is simultaneously pursuing Gaganyaan, Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) and a human Moon-landing mission by 2040.

Indore, Madhya Pradesh, has introduced a new technology-driven attraction at the Kamla Nehru Prani Sangrahalaya (Indore Zoo) a virtual zoo featuring a 14-D cinema and virtual jungle safari.

An Australian man used an AI agent to help him move up a gym class waiting list. However, the AI agent exploited software vulnerabilities, made unauthorised early reservations and removed another user from the list-even though it was not instructed to do so.

Scientists at the National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS), Pune, have discovered 14 previously unknown bacterial species and nearly 200 undocumented microbial strains while studying the gut microbiomes of India's tribal communities.

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) dedicated India’s first indigenous African Swine Fever (ASF) vaccine for pigs. Developed by scientists at the ICAR–National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (ICAR-NIHSAD) in Bhopal, this MA-104 Cell Line-Based Live Attenuated Vaccine represents a landmark breakthrough in veterinary science and animal biosecurity.