11th March 2026

Explanation - It is a long-range collaborative attack swarm drone, with autonomous systems capable of deep strikes and saturation attacks. It is being developed by NewSpace Research and Technologies (NRT), a Bengaluru-based aerospace startup focusing on AI-driven unmanned systems and swarm robotics. Features — It can carry 25-40 kg payload which is sufficient to damage infrastructure, military vehicles or personnel. What sets it apart is its AI-powered swarm tech — multiple drones can team up autonomously to evade defences and hit targets together. It has an operational range of over 1,000 km. It can stay airborne for over five hours, enabling it to loiter over target areas before executing an attack. It is equipped with real-time surveillance, autonomous target identification, and strike capabilities. It has the ability to operate in GPS denied environments using visual navigation systems. This ensures that the drone can still reach targets even if satellite navigation signals are jammed during warfare.

Explanation - Sinhagad, earlier known as 'Kondhana', is a fortress located near Pune, Maharashtra. According to history, the fort was built 2,000 years ago and it is said that the name Kondana was derived from sage Kaundinya. Early inscriptions and carvings suggest it served as a spiritual retreat and strategic outpost for ancient dynasties. Mohammed bin Tughalak captured the fort from the Koli tribal chieftain, Nag Naik in 1340 CE. In 1496 CE, Malik Ahmad, the founder of the Nizam Shahi dynasty took control of the fort. Nearly 200 years later, the Maratha leader Shahaji Bhonsale captured the fort. In 1647 CE, Shivaji held the stronghold. In 1665 CE, as per the Treaty of Purandar, Shivaji handed over Sinhagad to the Mughals and again captured it in 1670 CE, under the direction of Tanaji Malusare who was Shivaji's favorite general. It has witnessed epic battles, including the legendary Battle of Sinhagad in 1670, where valor, sacrifice, and strategy led to an unforgettable victory for the Marathas over the Mughal Army. While recouping the fort during Battle of Sinhagad, Malusare lost his life for which Shivaji Maharaj honoured the fort with the name Sinhagad Fort or Lion's Fort. Aurangzeb laid siege to Sinhagad in 1701-03 CE, but could not hold it for long. Finally the British seized the fort from the Marathas in 1818 AD. The fort was later used as a retreat for many European residents of Pune. Architecture — It is a marvel of Maratha architecture and engineering. The fort features two main entrances — the Pune Darwaza, facing Pune, and the Kalyan Darwaza, opening towards the Konkan region — both showcasing intricate stonework and strategic placement for enhanced security. It has an advanced water storage system, which includes ancient rainwater harvesting techniques and natural reservoirs that ensure a continuous water supply. The fort has several bastions, ramparts, walls, and gates that enclose its premises. The fort also houses a temple dedicated to Goddess Kali, a brewery, some military sheds and the tombs of Rajaram Chhatrapati (Shivaji's youngest son) and Tanaji Malusare.

Explanation - Sinhagad, earlier known as 'Kondhana', is a fortress located near Pune, Maharashtra. According to history, the fort was built 2,000 years ago and it is said that the name Kondana was derived from sage Kaundinya. Early inscriptions and carvings suggest it served as a spiritual retreat and strategic outpost for ancient dynasties. Mohammed bin Tughalak captured the fort from the Koli tribal chieftain, Nag Naik in 1340 CE. In 1496 CE, Malik Ahmad, the founder of the Nizam Shahi dynasty took control of the fort. Nearly 200 years later, the Maratha leader Shahaji Bhonsale captured the fort. In 1647 CE, Shivaji held the stronghold. In 1665 CE, as per the Treaty of Purandar, Shivaji handed over Sinhagad to the Mughals and again captured it in 1670 CE, under the direction of Tanaji Malusare who was Shivaji's favorite general. It has witnessed epic battles, including the legendary Battle of Sinhagad in 1670, where valor, sacrifice, and strategy led to an unforgettable victory for the Marathas over the Mughal Army. While recouping the fort during Battle of Sinhagad, Malusare lost his life for which Shivaji Maharaj honoured the fort with the name Sinhagad Fort or Lion's Fort. Aurangzeb laid siege to Sinhagad in 1701-03 CE, but could not hold it for long. Finally the British seized the fort from the Marathas in 1818 AD. The fort was later used as a retreat for many European residents of Pune. Architecture — It is a marvel of Maratha architecture and engineering. The fort features two main entrances — the Pune Darwaza, facing Pune, and the Kalyan Darwaza, opening towards the Konkan region — both showcasing intricate stonework and strategic placement for enhanced security. It has an advanced water storage system, which includes ancient rainwater harvesting techniques and natural reservoirs that ensure a continuous water supply. The fort has several bastions, ramparts, walls, and gates that enclose its premises. The fort also houses a temple dedicated to Goddess Kali, a brewery, some military sheds and the tombs of Rajaram Chhatrapati (Shivaji's youngest son) and Tanaji Malusare.

Explanation - Comet: A body of ice, rock and dust that can be several miles in diameter and orbits the sun. Debris from comets is the source of many meteoroids. Meteoroid: A small rocky or metal object, usually between the size of a grain of sand or a boulder, that orbits the sun. It originates from a comet or asteroid. Meteor: A meteoroid that enters the earth's atmosphere and vaporises. Also called a "shooting star." Meteorite: A meteor that hits Earth without burning up in the atmosphere i.e. it reaches the Earth's surface. Meteor shower: A collection of meteors visible when Earth passes through a trail of debris left by a comet. Asteroid: An object larger than a meteoroid that orbits the sun and is made of rock or metal. Historically, objects larger than 10 meters across have been called asteroids.

Explanation - On November 24th, 2021, NASA had launched the agency's first planetary defence test mission named the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART). The main aim of the mission is to test the newly developed technology that would allow a spacecraft to crash into an asteroid and change its course. The spacecraft will be launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The target of the spacecraft is a small moonlet called Dimorphos (Greek for "two forms"). It is about 160-metre in diameter and the spacecraft is expected to collide when it is 11 million kilometres away from Earth. Dimorphos orbits a larger asteroid named Didymos (Greek for "twin") which has a diameter of 780 metres. The asteroid and the moonlet do not pose any threat to Earth and the mission is to test the new technology to be prepared in case an asteroid heads towards Earth in the future. NASA states that DART is a low-cost spacecraft, weighing around 610 kg at launch and 550 kg during impact. The main structure is a box (1.2 × 1.3 × 1.3 metres). It has two solar arrays and uses hydrazine propellant for manoeuvring the spacecraft. It also carries about 10 kg of xenon which will be used to demonstrate the agency's new thrusters called NASA Evolutionary Xenon Thruster–Commercial (NEXT-C) in space. NEXT has very high fuel efficiency and flexible operations making it ideal for many classes of science missions.