Context: 

Recently, India’s GSAT-20 (N2) communication satellite was successfully launched into space by Space X’s Falcon-9 Rocket. 

More on the News

• This is the first time New  Space India Limited (NSIL), the commercial arm of ISRO has partnered with SpaceX for satellite deployment.    

GSAT-20 (GSAT-N2) 

It is a Ka-band (frequencies in the range 27 GHz to 40 GHz) high-throughput communication satellite of New Space India Limited (NSIL) (a commercial arm of ISRO). 

• The Ka-band is mainly used for communications with satellites.

It is set to enhance broadband services and in-flight connectivity (IFC) across the Indian region.

• This satellite also features multiple spot beams and wideband Ka x Ka transponders.
• It aims to support a large subscriber base with small user terminals, significantly boosting system throughput through its multi-beam architecture which allows frequency reuse.

• GSAT-N2 has a mass of 4700 kg and also a mission life of 14 years.
• The satellite is equipped with 32 user beams, comprising 8 narrow spot beams over the Northeast region and 24 wide spot beams over the rest of India. These 32 beams will be supported by hub stations located within mainland India.
• The Ka-Band HTS communication payload provides a throughput of approximately 48 Gbps across 32 beams which ensures broadband coverage (extends to Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands).
• The payload consists of three parabolic 2.5-meter deployable reflectors with multiple feeds generating 32 spot beams over the Indian region using a single feed per beam configuration.
• The satellite is intended to add data transmission capacity to the communication infrastructure required by the Smart Cities Mission of India.

56th Tiger Reserve of India

Context: 

Recently, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) notified the Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve (Chhattisgarh) as the 56th Tiger Reserve of the country.

About Guru Ghasidas - Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve

• Location: It is located in the northern part of Chhattisgarh, bordering Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand.

• It is connected to the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh to the west and the Palamau Tiger Reserve in Jharkhand to the east. 
• The reserve is nestled in the Chota Nagpur Plateau and partly extends into the Baghelkhand Plateau. It is also contiguous with the Sanjay Dubri Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh.

Rivers: This reserve is the origin of significant rivers such as the Hasdeo, Gopad, and Baranga, and it serves as a catchment area for rivers such as the Neur, Bijadhur, Banas, Rehand, and several smaller streams and rivulets.

This tiger reserve is the third largest in India, following the Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve (Andhra Pradesh) and the Manas Tiger Reserve (Assam).

Terrain: The region boasts diverse terrains, dense forests, and numerous streams and rivers, creating a favourable environment for rich faunal diversity. It serves as a critical habitat for tigers.

Fauna: According to the Zoological Survey of India, the reserve is home to 753 documented species, including 365 invertebrates and 388 vertebrates.

Other Tiger Reserves in Chhattisgarh: Udanti-Sitanadi, Achanakmar, and Indravati Tiger Reserves.

Sustainable Trade Index (STI) 2024

Context: 

India was ranked 23rd in the third edition of the Sustainable Trade Index (STI) 2024.

Sustainable Trade Index (STI) 

• It was created in 2022 by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD)- World Competitiveness Center and the Hinrich Foundation. 
• The Sustainable Trade Index (STI) measures 30 global economies’ capacity to participate in the international trading system.
• In 2024, New Zealand  ranked first  followed by the United Kingdom and Australia in second and third position respectively. 

It uses 72 economic, societal, and environmental indicators to measure sustainable trade:

• The economic pillar: It measures an economy’s ability to ensure and promote economic growth through international trade.
• The societal pillar: It measures social factors that matter in an economy’s capacity to trade internationally over the long term.
• The environmental pillar: It measures the extent to which an economy’s trade supports sustainable resources.

India’s position on the Index

• India was ranked 23rd  globally in the Sustainable Trade Index 2024 an improvement of one rank from the previous year 2023. 
• India’s overall score is 24, with 62.3 for economic factors, 13.3 for societal aspects, and 43.1 for environmental considerations.