THE INDIAN POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1.LOK SABHA PASSES CENTRAL UNIVERSITIES (AMENDMENT), BILL 2022

THE CONTEXT: Lok Sabha passed Central Universities (Amendment), Bill 2022 for conversion of the National Rail and Transportation Institute (NRTI), a Deemed to be University into Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya (GSV), a Central University.

THE EXPLANATION:

BILL HIGHLIGHTS:

The Bill amends the Central Universities Act, 2009, which provides for establishing central universities in various states.  Key features of the Bill include:

• Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya: The Bill seeks to convert the National Rail and Transportation Institute, Vadodara (a deemed university) to the Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya, which will be a central university.  The National Rail and Transportation Institute was declared a deemed university under the University Grants Commission Act, 1956.  The Vishwavidyalaya will be sponsored and funded by the central government through the Ministry of Railways.
• Scope of education: The Bill provides that Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya will take measures to provide quality teaching, research, and skill development in disciplines related to transportation, technology, and management. If required, the University may also establish centres in India and abroad.  According to the Statement of Objects and Reasons, establishment of the Vishwavidyalaya will address the need of trained talent in the transportation sector.
• Appointment of a new Vice-Chancellor (VC): The existing VC of the National Rail and Transportation Institute will hold office for: (i) six months from when the Act is notified, or (ii) until a new VC for the Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya is appointed, whichever is earlier.

What is PM Gati Shakti Master Plan?

• Prime Minister launched PM Gati Shakti – National Master Plan for Multimodal Connectivity in October 2021. This is a digital platform that aims to bring 16 Ministries including Education, Railways and Roadways together for integrated planning and coordinated implementation of infrastructure connectivity projects.
• It is learned that integrated and seamless connectivity for the movement of people, goods, and services from one mode of transport to another will be offered by this multi-modal connectivity. Also, last-mile connectivity of infrastructure will be facilitated to reduce travel time for people. Minister Sitharaman said in her Budget speech, “One product one railway station will be popularised, 400 new Vande Bharat trains to be introduced”.

THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

2.EXPLAINED: COULD CHINA INVADE TAIWAN?

THE CONTEXT: After China announced military exercises in six sea zones close to Taiwan, the island’s defence ministry said it had no doubt what message Beijing wanted to send: “that they seek a cross-strait resolution by force instead of peaceful means.”

THE EXPLANATION:

Where is Taiwan?

• Taiwan is an island that is roughly 100 miles from the Coast of South East China. Taiwan sits in the so-called ‘first island chain’, which includes a list of US-friendly territories that are also crucial to US Foreign Policy.
• If China was to take over Taiwan, some western experts have suggested that it could be freer to project power in the Western Pacific Region and could possibly even threaten US military bases as far away as Guam and Hawaii. However, China has insisted that its intentions are purely peaceful.

What is the origin of Taiwan-China Tussle?

• Taiwan, earlier known as Formosa, a tiny island off the east coast of China.
• The island is located in the East China Sea, to the northeast of Hong Kong, north of the Philippines and south of South Korea, and southwest of Japan.
• Taiwan is the unfinished business of China’s liberation under the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in 1949.
• The Guomindang (KMT) forces under Chiang Kai-shek lost the 1945-49 civil war to the Communist forces under Mao Zedong.
• Chiang Kai-shek retreated to the island of Taiwan and set up a regime that claimed authority over the whole of China and pledged to recover the mainland eventually.
• The Communists in turn pledged to reclaim what it regarded as a “renegade” province and achieve the final reunification of China.
• Taiwan (known as Republic of China – ROC) could not be occupied militarily by the newly established People’s Republic of China (Communist’s mainland China) as it became a military ally of the United States during the Korean War of 1950-53.

Why US-China are at loggerheads over Taiwan?

• The United States has been engaging in a delicate balancing act between Taiwan and China. Washington follows ‘One-China’ Policy, which recognizes Beijing but allows informal relations and defense ties with Taipei.
• US provides arms to Taiwan- it is by far the largest arms dealer for Taiwan- and follows a strategic ambiguity policy about how far it will be willing to go to defend Taiwan in the face of Chinese invasion.
• In recent times, tensions seem to have escalated between the US and China. In May, China made the second largest incursion into Taiwan’s air defence zone in 2022 with Taipei reporting 30 jets entering the area, including more than 20 fighters.
• The president of the US Joe Biden raised eyebrows at China’s actions and said that the US would intervene militarily if Taiwan were attacked.

Why Taiwan is important for the rest of the world?

• Taiwan’s economy is hugely important. Much of the world’s everyday electronic equipment-from laptops, watches, and game consoles- is powered by computer chips that are made in Taiwan.
• By one measure, a single Taiwanese company- the Taiwan semiconductor manufacturing company or TSMC- has over half the world’s market. TSMC is a so-called ‘foundry’- a company that makes chips designed by consumers and military consumers. It is a vast industry that was worth almost $100 billion in 2021.
• A Chinese takeover in Taiwan can give Beijing some control over one of the world’s most important industries.

THE ENVIRONMENT, ECOLOGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

3.INDIA ADDS 10 MORE WETLANDS DESIGNATED AS RAMSAR SITES TO MAKE TOTAL 64 SITES

THE CONTEXT: India adds 10 more wetlands designated as Ramsar sites to make total 64 sites covering an area of 12,50,361 ha in the country.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The 10 new sites include: Six (6) sites in Tamil Nadu and One (1) each in Goa, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha. Designation of these sites would help in conservation and management of wetlands and wise use of their resources.
• India is one of the Contracting Parties to Ramsar Convention, signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971. India signed it on 1st Feb 1982. So far 64 wetlands covering an area of 12,50,361 ha have been designated as Ramsar Sites of International Importance from India, till date.
• The sites are Koothankulam Bird Sanctuary, Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve,Vembannur Wetland Complex, Vellode Bird Sanctuary, Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary and Udhayamarthandapuram Bird Sanctuary, all in Tamil Nadu, Satkosia Gorge in Odisha,Nanda Lake in Goa, Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary in Karnataka, and Sirpur Wetland in Madhya Pradesh.
• Until 2012, India had 26 Ramsar sites, with the last decade witnessing a meteoric rise. Ramsar wetlands now comprise around 10% of the total wetland area in the country.
• Being designated one, however, doesn’t necessarily invite extra international funds but that States —and the Centre — must ensure that these tracts of land are conserved and spared from man-made encroachment. Acquiring this label also helps with a locale’s tourism potential and its international visibility.

Criteria for declaring the wetlands

• “Ramsar Sites are designated because they meet the criteria for identifying wetlands of international importance. The first criterion refers to sites containing representative, rare or unique wetland types, and the other eight cover sites of international importance for conserving biological diversity. These criteria emphasize the importance the convention places on sustaining biodiversity,” the convention’s website states.
• The Pichavaram mangrove, for instance, which got the Ramsar tag on April 8, 2022 is one of the largest mangrove ecosystems in India with littoral and swamp forest habitats, located between the estuaries of the Vellar and Kollidam rivers. Trees here are permanently rooted under a few feets of water.

THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

4.INDIA’S TRADE DEFICIT SURGES TO OVER $31 BN – WHAT IS TRADE DEFICIT

THE CONTEXT: India’s trade deficit has widened to a record $31.02 billion in July 2022 to contracting merchandise exports and a rise in imports. This is a three-times increase from the $10.63 billion trade deficit reported in July last year (2021).

THE EXPLANATION:

What is trade deficit?

• Trade deficit or negative balance of trade (BOT) is the gap between exports and imports. When money spent on imports exceeds that spent on exports in a country, trade deficit occurs.
• It can be calculated for different goods and services and also for international transactions. The opposite of trade deficit is trade surplus.

What causes it?

There are multiple factors that can be responsible. One of them is some goods not being produced domestically. In that case, they have to be imported. This leads to an imbalance in their trade. A weak currency can also be a cause as it makes trade expensive.

Is it bad for a country’s economy?

• If trade deficit increases, a country’s GDP decreases. A higher trade deficit can decrease the local currency’s value.
• More imports than exports, according to economists, impact the jobs market and lead to an increase in unemployment. If more mobiles are imported and less produced locally, then there will be less local jobs in that sector.

Reasons of Surge in TD & CAD

• The surge in oil prices, amid a pickup in domestic demand, will significantly enhance India’s import bill.
• Aided by the broader rise in commodities and fertilizers.
• Anticipation that gold imports will remain high as investors look to hedge against market volatility and inflation.
• The situation is especially aggravated by the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.

5.CENTRE INCREASES FAIR AND REMUNERATIVE PRICE ON SUGARCANE

THE CONTEXT: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, at its meeting chaired by Prime Minister, has approved Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of sugarcane for sugar season 2022-23 (October – September) at ₹305 per quintal. The amount is for sugarcane with a basic sugar recovery rate of 10.25%.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The Centre has also announced a premium of ₹3.05 per quintal for each 0.1% increase in recovery of sugar over and above 10.25% and reduction in FRP by ₹3.05 per quintal for every 0.1% decrease in recovery.
• The FRP for last season was ₹290 per quintal with a basic recovery rate of 10%. While the Centre claimed the increase will protect the interest of sugarcane farmers, the farmers’ organisations said the FRP is too low when compared to the increase in input cost and the increase of 0.25% in recovery rate is a blow to them. The Centre has also decided that there shall not be any deduction in case of sugar mills where recovery is below 9.5%. “Such farmers will get ₹282.125 per quintal for sugarcane in ensuing sugar season 2022-23 in place of ₹275.50 per quintal in current sugar season 2021-22”.
• It added that the A2 + FL (actual paid out cost plus imputed value of family labour) cost of production of sugarcane for season 2022-23 is ₹162 per quintal. “This FRP of ₹305 per quintal at a recovery rate of 10.25% is higher by 88.3% over cost of production, thereby ensuring the promise of giving the farmers a return of more than 50% over their cost. The FRP for sugar season 2022-23 is 2.6% higher than current sugar season 2021-22. The decision is based on a recommendation by the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).

VALUE ADDITION:

Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP)

• CACP is an expert body that recommends minimum support prices (MSPs) to the Government (CCEA) by taking into account the cost of production, trends in domestic and international prices.
• It is a statutory panel under the Ministry of Agriculture, established in January 1965.
• It makes recommendations for MSPs for 23 Kharif and rabi crops
• However, its suggestions are not binding on the government.

THE PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

6.PLACES IN NEWS:WITWATERSRAND BASIN: ARTISANAL GOLD MINING IN SOUTH AFRICA IS OUT OF CONTROL

THE CONTEXT: The Illegal and unregulated artisanal gold mining on the Witwatersrand Basin, located south of South Africa’s Gauteng province, is an increasing threat to community, industrial and state security. Reports on turf wars between rival gangs, or shootouts between illegal miners and security officers are commonplace.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The recent incidents point to a spike in the scale of illegal activity, conflict and criminality.
• In October 2021, approximately 300 illegal miners, known as “zama zamas”, attacked and shot at police and security officers when the officers tried to prevent them from delivering food parcels to underground miners. In June 2022, about 150 illegal miners stormed gold miner Sibanye-Still water’s mothballed Cooke shaft near Randfontein in an attempt to gain control. And since last week, South Africans have been reeling at the horrific robbery and gang rape of a film crew at a mine dump close to West Village, a multi-racial suburb of Krugersdorp on the West Rand.

What is meant by artisanal mining?

Artisanal and small-scale mining, or ASM, is a largely informal economic sector that includes workers around the world who use basic tools to extract from the earth everything from gold and gemstones to vital metals such as cobalt, tin, tungsten and tantalum.

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTIONS OF THE DAY

Q.Consider the following pairs:

RAMSAR SITES                                               STATE

1. Koothankulam Bird Sanctuary –         Tamil Nadu
2. Nanda Lake                                     –       Telangana
3. Vembannur Wetland Complex –          Kerala

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

a) 1 only

b) 2 only

c) 1 and 3 only

d) 3 only

ANSWER FOR THE PRACTICE QUESTION

ANSWER: A

EXPLANATION:

India adds 10 more wetlands designated as Ramsar sites to make total 64 sites covering an area of 12,50,361 ha in the country.

• The 10 new sites include: Six (6) sites in Tamil Nadu and One (1) each in Goa, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha. Designation of these sites would help in conservation and management of wetlands and wise use of their resources.
• India is one of the Contracting Parties to Ramsar Convention, signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971. India signed it on 1st Feb 1982. So far 64 wetlands covering an area of 12,50,361 ha have been designated as Ramsar Sites of International Importance from India, till date.
• The sites are Koothankulam Bird Sanctuary, Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve,Vembannur Wetland Complex, Vellode Bird Sanctuary, Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary and Udhayamarthandapuram Bird Sanctuary, all in Tamil Nadu, Satkosia Gorge in Odisha,Nanda Lake in Goa, Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary in Karnataka, and Sirpur Wetland in Madhya Pradesh.
• The 10 new sites include: Six (6) sites in Tamil Nadu and One (1) each in Goa, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha. Designation of these sites would help in conservation and management of wetlands and wise use of their resources.

1. Guru can show you the straight path to happiness READ MORE
2. To confront or adjust READ MORE
3. Testing boundaries of national tolerance READ MORE

1. Explained: As India strengthens its climate targets, a look at the progress so far, what’s new READ MORE
2. Tonga volcano spews enough water to fill 58,000 pools into stratosphere, likely to add to global warming READ MORE

1. Reaping the demographic dividend: India needs to invest in quality school and higher education as well as healthcare READ MORE
2. Stop women from quitting workforce READ MORE

1. Why the President of India is also Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces READ MORE
2. Sober liquor policy: Delhi shows why all states need smart alcohol regulation and 100% private retail trade READ MORE
3. A draconian Act READ MORE
4. Fortify the justice system to ensure bail is the norm READ MORE

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. Centre increases Fair and Remunerative Price on sugarcane READ MORE
2. India to host UNSC members for special meeting on counter-terrorism in Oct READ MORE
3. Services sector growth slipped to four-month low in July: S&P Global PMI READ MORE
4. Supreme Court calls for a panel to look into freebies issue READ MORE
5. Govt gives nod to stronger climate targets for 2030 READ MORE
6. SC collegium decides: Freeze on new postings until next CJI takes over READ MORE
7. Artisanal gold mining in South Africa is out of control. Mistakes that got it here READ MORE
8. PM to inaugurate projects under Shrimad Rajchandra Mission READ MORE

Main Exam

GS Paper- 1

1. Colonialism infected religion too READ MORE
2. The paradox of secularism READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Why the President of India is also Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces READ MORE
2. Sober liquor policy: Delhi shows why all states need smart alcohol regulation and 100% private retail trade READ MORE
3. A draconian Act READ MORE
4. Fortify the justice system to ensure bail is the norm READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Reaping the demographic dividend: India needs to invest in quality school and higher education as well as healthcare READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. Bring back the dhow route: Revitalising regional trade networks will help maintain peace and stability in the Indian Ocean READ MORE
2. Why US-China tensions may lead to strategic instability READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Trade worries: The burgeoning trade deficit is set to swell the current account deficit READ MORE
2. Stop women from quitting workforce READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Explained: As India strengthens its climate targets, a look at the progress so far, what’s new READ MORE
2. Tonga volcano spews enough water to fill 58,000 pools into stratosphere, likely to add to global warming READ MORE

SECURITY

1. No compromise on security READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Guru can show you the straight path to happiness READ MORE
2. To confront or adjust READ MORE
3. Testing boundaries of national tolerance READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. How far do you agree with this view that the provisions of PMLA are against the concept of natural justice? Analyse your view.
2. ‘While designing the Constitution, the framers were both following certain British traditions while simultaneously trying to break with them’. Examine.
3. ‘Making a new law much like a Bail Act is desirable, but there is an immediate need for effective regulation on fixing accountability’. Analyse the statement in the light of the recent debate on the new bail law.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• While designing the Constitution, the framers were both following certain British traditions while simultaneously trying to break with them.
• India needs to invest in quality school, higher education, and healthcare.
• India must seize the moment and not be incremental in its approach. Given the will it can initiate and see through a transformation that will stun the world, even more than China’s has so far.
• Revitalising regional trade networks will be for the advantage of not only the port city economies in distress but also to maintain peace and stability in the Indian Ocean.
• Manufacturers and retailers need a stable and transparent policy like any other industry, which will have a positive spin-off on agriculture, a key raw material supplier. We need a sober regulatory system and 100% private retail for alcohol.
• Labour force participation of Indian women is dropping precariously and urgent policy actions are needed to address this.
• Making a new law much like a Bail Act is desirable, but there is an immediate need for effective regulation on fixing accountability. No new law for bail will be effective if our system has little inclination to fix accountability.

ESSAY TOPIC

• A change of heart changes everything.

50 WORD TALK

• The pointer to future economic prosperity is ‘Make in India’. The Indian armed forces are a prominent stakeholder in its success. The numbers related to equipment and wherewithal of the services are huge. The making of military equipment gives a push to the industry. It also builds up a dual-use ecosystem of many smaller items, which in turn, boosts entrepreneurship and generates employment.

Things to Remember:

• For prelims-related news, try to understand the context of the news and relate with its concepts so that it will be easier for you to answer (or eliminate) from given options.
• Whenever any international place will be in news, you should do map work (marking those areas in maps and exploring other geographical locations nearby, including mountains, rivers, etc. same applies to the national places.)
• For economy-related news (banking, agriculture, etc.) you should focus on terms and how these are related to various economic aspects; for example, if inflation has been mentioned, try to relate with prevailing price rises, shortage of essential supplies, banking rates, etc.
• For main exam-related topics, you should focus on the various dimensions of the given topic, the most important topics which occur frequently and are important from the mains point of view will be covered in ED.
• Try to use the given content in your answer. Regular use of this content will bring more enrichment to your writing.

[WpProQuiz 303]

THE CONTEXT: Recently, in an article published in the journal, Earth’s Future, researchers from several universities found that the soot emissions from rocket launches are far more effective at warming the atmosphere compared to other sources.

In this article, we analyse the scope of Space tourism, its impact on climate and the ozone layer, and where India stands along with private players.

WHAT IS SPACE TOURISM

• Space tourism is the concept of tourists flying into space primarily for sheer enjoyment. In other words, space tourism can be defined as: “A vision of having an affordable space transportation system for as many people as possible going to space as space tourists”. A “space tourist” is a person who travels to and experiences space for adventure and recreation.

THE SPACE TOURISM INDUSTRY: PRESENT SCENARIO

• In the 20th century, the Soviet Union and the United States were engaged in an intense competition to attain complete domination of spaceflight technologies. Today, it is private companies that are taking part in their very own commercial space race, initiated with Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson’s journeys to space in July 2021.
• It is another niche segment of the aviation industry that seeks to give tourists the ability to become astronauts and experience space travel for recreational, leisure, or business purposes. The aim is to make space more accessible to those people who are not astronauts and want to travel to space for non-scientific reasons.
• Less than a year after Bezos and Branson’s escapades, The New York Times reports that global space tourism has been thriving, with various companies offering bookings for zero-pressure balloon trips for short flights, astronaut boot camps and simulated zero-gravity flights.
• Entrepreneurs are hungry to seize unrealized profits, and a new space race, sometimes referred to as the “Private Space Race”, because it takes place primarily amongst private sector organizations and initiatives, has commenced. More highly publicized efforts to bravely pursue the space tourism industry include undertakings by well-known entrepreneurs such as Virgin Atlantic, Jeff Bezos-Blue Origin (CEO, Amazon), and Elon Musk (Space X).

WHAT IS THE NEW STUDY?

• Researchers from University College London (UCL), the University of Cambridge and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in their new study claim that the burgeoning space tourism industry can have a far bigger cost on the environment.
• From $350 million in 2019, the industry is forecasted to grow to more than $1 trillion by 2040. With companies like Virgin Galactic, SpaceX and Blue Origin launching commercial space flights, space tourism has become, at least theoretically, a possibility for enthusiasts. Tickets remain tremendously expensive, however, with tickets for Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic beginning from a whopping $450,000. These were then incorporated into a 3D model to examine the possible impact on the climate and the protective stratospheric ozone layer.
• They calculated their findings by compiling an inventory of the chemicals from all the 109 rocket launches and re-entries into the Earth’s atmosphere in 2019.
• The number of rocket flights today is rather small when compared to the sheer size of the aircraft industry.
• While in 2020, there were only 114 orbital launches in the world, more than 100,000 flights travel each day, as reported by The Guardian.

WHAT CONSTITUTES THE ROCKET FUEL?

• There are actually two kinds of fuel used in rockets. The fuel can be divided into liquid fuel and solid fuel.
• With solid fuel, there must be both fuel and an oxidizer to make a solid-fuel rocket go. An oxidizer is a chemical that is needed to make the fuel burn. Since space has no atmosphere, rockets have to carry both their own fuel and their own oxidizers. The most common fuel in solid fuel rockets is aluminium.In order to make the aluminium burn, these solid-fuel rockets use ammonium perchlorate as the oxidizer, or to make the aluminium burn. In order to work together, the aluminium and the ammonium perchlorate are held together by another compound called a binder. When mixed all together, the fuel has a slightly rubbery consistency. This rubbery substance is then packaged into a casing. As the fuel burns, the heat and energy cause the inside of the rocket to heat up. Water vapours and gasses then shoot out of the rocket, causing the rocket to be thrust, or pushed, upwards into the sky.
• The main engines are more likely to be propelled by liquid fuel. Liquid fuel engines are composed of liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen. The liquid hydrogen is the fuel and the liquid oxygen is the oxidizer. These, the oxidizer helps the fuel burn. The hydrogen needs to be in liquid form, not gas form, in order to have a smaller tank on the rocket. Gasses are lightweight, so it would take a larger tank to hold hydrogen gas than it would be to hold liquid hydrogen. The liquid hydrogen and oxygen are released into an engine where they begin to combine to make water. Just like solid fuel, water vapour creates energy and steam. The steam is released to make the rocket go upwards.
• To get a rocket from the ground into space, rockets need both solid fuel and liquid fuel.

 THE GREEN FACTOR:

• Unlike other sources of pollution, the study finds that environmental damage caused by rockets is far greater, as they emit gaseous and solid chemicals directly into the upper atmosphere.
• Space tourism’s current growth trends also indicate a potential for the depletion of the ozone layer above the Arctic. This is because the pollutants from rocket fuel and heating caused by spacecraft returning to Earth, along with the debris caused by the flights are especially harmful to the ozone layer.
• What is of great concern is the black carbon(BC) soot that is emitted by rockets directly into the atmosphere. These soot particles have a far larger impact on the climate than all other sources of soot combined, as BC particles are almost 500 times more efficient at retaining heat.
• The low figure of rocket launches, compared to the large-scale air pollutant emissions caused by the massive aircraft industry, is at times invoked to downplay the environmental damage caused by rockets.
• “Soot particles from rocket launches have a much larger climate effect than aircraft and other Earth-bound sources, so there doesn’t need to be as many rocket launches as international flights to have a similar impact. What we really need now is a discussion amongst experts on the best strategy for regulating this rapidly growing industry”.
• The team of researchers showed that within only 3 years of additional space tourism launches, the rate of warming due to the released soot would more than double.
• This is because of the use of kerosene by SpaceX launches and hybrid synthetic rubber fuels by Virgin Galactic.

Undermining Montreal Protocol

• While the loss of ozone from current rocket launches is “small”, the researchers argue that in the likelihood of weekly or daily space tourism rocket launches, the recovery of the ozone layer caused by the Montreal Protocol could be undermined.
• “The only part of the atmosphere showing strong ozone recovery post-Montreal Protocol is the upper stratosphere, and that is exactly where the impact of rocket emissions will hit hardest. We weren’t expecting to see ozone changes of this magnitude, threatening the progress of ozone recovery”.

THE PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE:

What is the Montreal Protocol?

• It is officially known as the Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer treaty.
• It was signed on Sept. 16, 1987, in Montreal by 25 nations; 197 nations are now parties to the accord.
• It sets a limit on the production of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), halons, and other related substances that release chlorine or bromine to the ozone layer of the atmosphere.
• The ozone-depleting potential, or ODP, of any substance, is measured concerning an equal mass of CCl3F, or CFC-11, which is assigned a value of 1.0. Most other CFCs have ODPs that range from about 0.5 to about 1.3.
• It is essential to know that hydrochlorofluorocarbons, which are being used as transitional replacements for CFCs in refrigeration, have ODPs that are generally less than 0.5. Also, hydrofluorocarbons, which are also replacing CFCs as refrigerants, have ODPs of zero. The concern is that they are greenhouse gases.
• India, a Party to the Montreal Protocol since June 1992, has been successfully implementing the Montreal Protocol

 ADVANTAGES OF SPACE TOURISM

• Boost the economy: Space tourism will increase commercial activity in the time of the poor state of the world economy.
• Generate Employment: Space tourism will give employment to thousands of people. Manufacturing new and better spacecraft will give employment to many skilled people.
• Draw Investors: It will renew interest in space exploration. This will draw more investors for more financial backing to support more innovations in the industry.
• Technological advancement: With more competition from private sector participation and technological advancement, there is a possibility in future that identify any potential hazards or threats that pose dangerous to our planet.
• New resources exploration: It also, helps to find new minerals and other precious materials in space and other planets.

DISADVANTAGES OF SPACE TOURISM

• Exposure to Sun’s Radiation: Space travel technology at the nascent stage can make entering space a dangerous venture. Space travellers are likely to get exposed to harmful radiation from the sun.
• Health: Spending long hours in zero gravity conditions can be dangerous for the person’s cardiovascular and musculoskeletal system. If people accidentally get exposed to high-energy ionizing cosmic rays, it may lead to cancer.
• Exposure to harmful organisms: We may unwittingly introduce some harmful microorganisms from space into the atmosphere of Earth.
• Poor Regulation: Lack of proper regulation and inadequate safety protocols can make space travel extremely dangerous.
• Commercialization: Companies engaged in this form of travel may fail to stick to safety measures in a spree to gather more customers.
• Waste of Resources: Experimentation and unsuccessful ventures may cause an unnecessary waste of resources.

Developing space programs and spacecraft need a lot of money. That money can be utilized for the alleviation of poverty.

• Inequity: Space tourism is meant for the super-rich only. For example, a single 2 ½ hour flight ticket in Virgin Galactic’s upcoming spaceship costs $ 250,000.
• Not environment friendly: Several natural resources are wasted in flying the fuel-guzzling rockets. It pollutes the atmosphere as well. Thus, the space program is harmful to our environment.
• Not a panacea: It is great to imagine people walking on the surface of Mars. It would not be wise to consider that escape to space will help in escaping the problems of earth. There is nowhere in the solar system where we can find the environment as congenial as that available on earth.

 WHERE INDIA STANDS AT SPACE TOURISM?

• ISRO is centrally funded, and its annual budget is between Rs 14-15,000 crore and most of this is used in building rockets and satellites, these drops in the ocean. The size of the space economy in India is small.
• To increase the scale of the sector, it is imperative for private players to enter the market. There have always been private players in the sector, but this has been entirely in the manufacture of parts and sub-systems.
• This can in turn really boost defence systems and manufacturing. ISRO began the process and BHEL will form a consortium of various companies to manufacture a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV rocket) and ISRO will fund the first vehicle, which will be for training purposes.

 THE WAY FORWARD:

At this point in time, it is still too early to paint a comprehensive picture of the state of space tourism in India. In practice, any effort to put together a business plan for the conduct of space tourism in India will be faced with a variety of roadblocks

• Strong legislation for Space Tourism: For the purpose of initiating of space tourism in India, a law is required. The law would deal with several subjects’ viz. compulsory registration of spacecraft, nationality, marking, the fitness of spacecraft, airworthiness/space worthiness, medical standards, licensing of space crew and safety precaution for launching etc.
• Availability of Appropriate Space Vehicles: By definition, a vehicle that can be used in the conduct of space tourism is one that can safely transport passengers to an altitude higher than 100 km above the surface of the Earth. This is believed to be the altitude at which space begins, meaning that the passengers can experience weightlessness. Currently, the global space tourism industry is at the preliminary stage of developing different kinds of vehicles capable of transporting human passengers into sub-orbit.
• Estimating the Cost of Suborbital Flights and Financial Planning: The design, development, testing, evaluation and production of five spaceships and two mother ships is estimated to cost around USD 350 million (Coppinger Rob, 2009) Virgin Galactic has signed a production agreement with Mojave Aerospace Ventures to use the Mojave spaceport for twenty years at a total cost of USD 27.5 million (Space Future Consulting, 2008).

THE CONCLUSION: It has been seen that there is a presence of demand for space tourism all over the world. Once space tourism does become mainstream, it will also positively impact many socioeconomic factors on Earth: creating jobs, educating citizens about space and fostering a new solar-based energy infrastructure. The sweet escape to the stars can eventually awaken us to the awe-inspiring potential of space exploration while also giving us a better appreciation of home. As for as India is concerned, the need of the hour in connection to space tourism is to enact appropriate national space laws and regulations which encourage and assist this new industry. Particularly, to attract private investments into the sector, the government should provide tax benefits and subsidies for research and development at least during the initial stages.  The growth of space tourism would enable to generate employment and also enhance India‟s global credibility as a high-tech, fast-developing nation in the long run.

QUESTIONS TO PONDER

1. What do you mean by Space tourism?Is growing space tourism posing a risk to the climate?

1. Discuss the Environmental challenges involved in the rocket launches and space debris.