Tech, Space & Innovation Current

Introduction

Technology, space exploration, and innovation form a dynamic and high-yield segment of the UPSC Current Affairs syllabus. Over the past six years (2018–2025), this subtopic has appeared in multiple forms—factual recall, statement verification, matching, and inference-based analysis. The six previous year questions (PYQs) available for this chapter cover satellite navigation systems, cyber threats, microgravity research, and India’s augmentation systems. Together, they reveal a clear testing pattern: UPSC expects aspirants to know not just the names of missions and technologies, but also their functional principles, global context, and India’s position in the landscape.

Why does this matter? Because questions are rarely superficial. A question about “WannaCry, Petya and EternalBlue” (UPSC 2018) demands understanding of how ransomware spreads and what makes it different from other cyber attacks. A question about which country has its own satellite navigation system (UPSC 2023) tests awareness of regional versus global systems, not just a one-line fact. A question on GAGAN (UPSC 2025) requires distinguishing a Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS) from a standalone navigation constellation. These are not random trivia—they reflect the exam’s push toward applied knowledge.

This chapter will build your conceptual foundation from the ground up. You will learn what satellite navigation systems are, how microgravity research platforms work, the anatomy of a modern cyber attack, and how India’s GAGAN fits into the global SBAS framework. Every key term is defined in a blockquote. Comparison tables help you contrast systems (e.g., GPS vs. NavIC vs. QZSS). Worked examples walk through each of the six PYQs step by step. By the end, you will be able to not only answer any question from this subtopic, but also predict how UPSC might ask newer angles.

Let’s begin.

Core Concepts & Foundations

Before diving into specific missions and events, we must establish a common conceptual vocabulary. The ideas below are the building blocks of every question in this subtopic.

Satellite Navigation System: A constellation of satellites that transmit timing and location signals to receivers on the ground, enabling the receiver to compute its precise position (latitude, longitude, altitude). The most well-known is the US Global Positioning System (GPS). A system is called “global” if it provides coverage worldwide (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou) and “regional” if it covers only a specific geographical area (NavIC, QZSS).

Microgravity: A condition in which the forces of gravity are greatly reduced—typically on the order of one-millionth of Earth’s surface gravity. It is often called “zero-gravity,” but microgravity is more accurate. This environment allows unique experiments in fluid physics, combustion, biology, and materials science.

Cyber Attack: Any deliberate action to disrupt, damage, or gain unauthorized access to a computer system or network. Cyber attacks can be classified by their method (malware, phishing, denial of service) or objective (data theft, ransom, espionage). Ransomware is a subtype that encrypts a victim’s files and demands payment for decryption.

Ransomware: A form of malware that encrypts files on a victim’s computer, then demands a ransom (usually in cryptocurrency) to provide the decryption key. WannaCry (2017) and Petya (2017) are infamous examples that caused billions of dollars in damages worldwide.

Exploit Kit: A toolkit of software vulnerabilities that attackers use to gain entry into a system. EternalBlue is an exploit developed by the US National Security Agency (NSA) that targets a flaw in Microsoft’s SMB protocol. It was leaked in 2017 and later used in WannaCry and other attacks.

Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS): A system that improves the accuracy, integrity, and availability of a primary satellite navigation system (usually GPS) by broadcasting correction signals from geostationary satellites. The corrections account for ionospheric delays, satellite clock errors, and orbital inaccuracies. Examples: WAAS (US), EGNOS (Europe), MSAS (Japan), and GAGAN (India).

GAGAN (GPS Aided Geo Augmented Navigation): India’s SBAS, jointly developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Airports Authority of India (AAI). GAGAN provides augmentation to GPS signals over the Indian Flight Information Region (FIR). It enhances positional accuracy from tens of metres to better than 3 metres.

NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation): India’s independent regional satellite navigation system, previously called IRNSS. It consists of seven satellites (three geostationary, four geosynchronous) and provides Standard Positioning Service (SPS) and Restricted Service (RS) over the Indian Ocean region. Unlike GAGAN, NavIC is a standalone system – it does not depend on GPS.

QZSS (Quasi-Zenith Satellite System): Japan’s regional satellite navigation system, designed to complement GPS in the Asia-Oceania region. It uses three (later four) satellites in highly elliptical orbits that appear nearly overhead (zenith) for long periods, improving signal availability in urban canyons and mountainous areas.

Microgravity Research Platform: Any facility – space station, satellite, sounding rocket, or drop tower – that provides a microgravity environment for conducting experiments. The International Space Station (ISS) is the most well-known, but China’s Tiangong space station and India’s planned Bharatiya Antariksh Station also serve this purpose.

Semi-Cryogenic Engine: A rocket engine that uses a combination of refined kerosene (RP-1) as fuel and liquid oxygen (LOX) as oxidiser, with both stored at cryogenic temperatures. It offers higher thrust and better efficiency than hypergolic engines. ISRO’s semi-cryogenic engine is a critical step for future heavy-lift launch vehicles.

Gaganyaan: India’s human spaceflight programme, aiming to send a crew of three to low earth orbit (400 km) for three days. The mission uses the GSLV Mk III (LVM3) rocket, which has been human-rated. Gaganyaan is expected to launch by 2025–2026.

With these definitions in place, we can now examine each PYQ topic in depth.