** Skyroot successfully test fires space launch vehicle ‘Vikram-1’ rocket stage

Named ‘Kalam-100’ after the renowned Indian rocket scientist A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.

Skyroot Aerospace, the national-award winning startup building India’s first privately built space launch vehicles has announced the successful completion of a full duration test-firing of its ‘Vikram-1’ rocket stage, representing a major milestone for the company on Thursday.

Named ‘Kalam-100’ after former President and the renowned Indian rocket scientist A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, the third stage of ‘Vikram-1’ produces a peak vacuum thrust of 100 kN (or ~10Tons) and has a burn time of 108 sec, said the city based firm’s founders, in an official release.

The rocket stage has been built with high-strength carbon fiber structure, solid fuel, novel thermal protection system, and carbon ablative nozzle. “It’s a highly reliable stage with no moving parts and high level of automation in manufacturing. This testing will help us in development of orbital vehicle Vikram-1 and gives great confidence for our other rocket stages planned to be tested soon,” said Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and co-founder Pawan Kumar Chandana.


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Delhi Airport replaces Dubai as the world’s second busiest airport in March: Report

The Delhi Airport was in 23rd place in March 2019 before the pandemic.

Delhi Airport was the world’s second busiest airport in March 2022 in terms of domestic and international flights handled, said Official Airline Guide (OAG), a global travel data provider, in its recent report.

Whilst Atlanta retains its position as largest, Dubai is knocked out of second place this month (March) by Delhi which moves up from third place last month (February),” the OAG’s report mentioned.

The Delhi Airport was in 23rd place in March 2019 before the pandemic, it added. In March this year, airports in Atlanta in the US, Delhi in India and Dubai in the UAE handled 4.42 million, 3.61 million and 3.55 million seats, it mentioned.

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** EV maker Omega Seiki Mobility to foray into trucks, tractors and drones

Company planning to raise capacity from 12,000 units to 20,000: chairman Narang

Electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer Omega Seiki Mobility Pvt. Ltd. said it would get into manufacturing of e-trucks in 1.5, 3.5 and 6.5-tonne capacities, e-drones and e-tractors to broaden its product offerings. The company is also working on a high-speed scooter range and e- rickshaws, founder and chairman Uday Narang said.

Currently the company manufactures seven EV models, including five three-wheeler models and two two-wheelers.

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** Five KSRTC staff honoured

The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has honored five staff who have done exemplary work bettering the reputation of the Corporation at a function held in Thiruvananthapuram.

Thomas K.T., driver of Erumeli depot, who was instrumental in rescuing a three-member Gujarati family trapped in a landslide at Pullupara on October 16, 2021, conductor Jayson Joseph, who moved eight buses to a safer location when the Ranni unit was flooded even as his house was also flooded on August 15, 2018, Mahesh P.G., a mechanic at the Ranni unit, who worked with the fire force to save six lives, Aneesh T.P., a driver of the Ernakulam unit who printed and distributed notices in Tamil and English at his own expense to increase the number of passengers after COVID, and Ponnus K. C. the driver of the Erumely unit who tried to rescue the youth who were involved in a road accident on April 21, 2021 during the Erumeli-Palakkad service, were honoured at the function.

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** Indian-American Navy veteran appointed Kamala Harris’s defence advisor

In her new role, Ms. Sethi coordinates National Security Advisor documentation across the Office of the Vice President.

Shanti Sethi, a trailblazing Indian-American Navy veteran, has joined US Vice President Kamala Harris’s office as her executive secretary and defence advisor, according to a media report.

Ms. Sethi, the first Indian-American commander of a major US Navy combat ship, recently joined Vice President Harris’ office, Politico news website quoted vice president’s senior advisor Herbie Ziskend as saying.

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** e-DAR portal to speed up accident compensation claims

Integrated data and instant information on road accidents will bring relief to victims’ families, check fake claims

A web portal designed by the government in consultation with insurance companies will provide instant information on road accidents with a few clicks and help accelerate accident compensation claims, bringing relief to victims’ families.

The Ministry of Roads, Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has developed the portal named ‘e-DAR’ (e-Detailed Accident Report). Digitalised Detailed Accident Reports (DAR) will be uploaded on the portal for easy access.

The web portal will be linked to the Integrated Road Accident Database (iRAD). From iRAD, applications to more than 90% of the datasets would be pushed directly to the e-DAR.

Stakeholders like the police, road authorities, hospitals, etc., are required to enter very minimal information for the e-DAR forms. Thus, e-DAR would be an extension and e-version of iRAD.

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** Alliance Air shifts to own passenger service system; to sell tickets with ‘9I’ code

Regional carrier Alliance Air was not part of the deal when the central government sold off Air India to the Tata Group

Centre-run Alliance Air said it will sell tickets with “9I” code and has shifted to its own cloud-based passenger service system (PSS) from Friday onwards.

Even though parent airline Air India’s control was shifted to the Tata Group on January 27, Alliance Air till date was using the full-service carrier’s PSS and its “AI” code to sell tickets.

A PSS is used for various functions such as ticket reservation and flight scheduling.

Regional carrier Alliance Air was not part of the deal when the central government sold off Air India to the Tata Group on October 8 last year.

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** IAF chopper makes new record, flies non-stop from Chandigarh to Jorhat

“The 1910 kilometre route was completed in 7 hours 30 minutes and made possible by the capabilities of Chinook along with operational planning and execution of the IAF,” a spokesperson for Western Air Command of IAF said.

An Indian Air Force (IAF) Chinook heavy-lift chopper has created a flying record by completing a non-stop helicopter sortie in India, flying from Chandigarh to Jorhat (Assam).

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** HAL-Israel sign MoU for conversion civil aircraft into Multi Mission Tanker Transport Aircraft

In a move aimed at bolstering the ‘Make in India’ campaign, HAL has entered into a MoU with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to convert Civil (Passenger) aircraft to Multi Mission Tanker Transport (MMTT) aircraft in India.

The move will provide India’s defence ecosystem with new capabilities and cost effective solutions in the market. The MoU will facilitate HAL and IAI’s decades’ long expertise in developing, manufacturing and producing leading defence platforms.

The scope of MoU also covers “passenger to freighter aircraft” conversion along with MMTT conversions.

A formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in Delhi by D Maiti, CEO (MiG Complex), HAL and Yaacov Berkovitz, Vice President and General Manager, Aviation Group, IAI in the presence of Chandraker Bharati, JS (Aero), Ministry of Defence, Goveernment of India.

“We are glad to join hands with our long standing partner IAI in this venture of MMTT conversion business which is one of the strategic diversification avenues identified by HAL”, said R Madhavan, CMD, HAL.

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** IIT Guwahati develops technology to standardise Electric Vehicles in India

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati has developed a technology that rates the motors and batteries of electric vehicles and suggests the best drivetrain components for the Indian scenario to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs).

According to IIT Guwahati, this is a unique method of its kind which standardises the electronic vehicles based on Indian drive-cycles.

T. G. Sitharam, director, IIT Guwahati, said, “The development in the field of next-generation energy-efficient EV technology is one of the most important breakthroughs required for the sustainable development of the country and to reduce the carbon footprint. IIT Guwahati is earnestly working in this direction. This development will augment this process and maximize the outcomes.”

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