Today in History (September 25th, 1920)
On this day in 1920, Satish Dhawan, the man who shaped India’s space programme was born in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir. He is honoured as the ‘Father of experimental fluid dynamics research’ in India.
Summary of Today’s News
Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI)
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) is a statutory authority established by the Government of India under the Aadhaar Act 2016, operating under the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology. Its vision is to provide Indian residents with a unique identity and a digital authentication platform accessible anytime, anywhere. UIDAI’s primary purpose is to issue Unique Identification Numbers, also known as Aadhaar numbers, to all Indian residents. It is responsible for the entire Aadhaar life cycle, including enrolment and authentication, as outlined in the Aadhaar Act 2016. The composition of UIDAI includes a Chairperson, two part-time Members, and a Chief Executive Officer who also serves as the Member-Secretary of the Authority.
Aadhaar number
Aadhaar is a 12-digit individual identification number issued by the UIDAI (Unique Identification Authority of India) to Indian residents after a verification process. To obtain an Aadhaar number, individuals provide basic demographic and biometric information including name, date of birth, gender, address, mobile number, and optionally, an email ID. This process includes recording fingerprints, iris scans, and a facial photo. Aadhaar serves as both proof of identity and address for Indian residents and remains valid for life. It enables access to a range of services, including banking, mobile connections, and various government and non-government services.
OSIRIS-Rex
OSIRIS-Rex, Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, Regolith Explorer, is a NASA spacecraft mission aimed at studying the near-Earth asteroid Bennu. OSIRIS-REx was launched on September 8, 2016, and reached Bennu in 2018. It successfully returned with samples from the asteroid Bennu after a seven-year mission. The sample capsule was released from a distance of 100,000 kilometers and landed in Utah.
Key facts about Asteroid Bennu:
– Bennu is situated about 200 million miles away from Earth and was discovered in 1999 by a NASA-funded team.
– It is classified as a B-type asteroid, indicating a composition rich in carbon and various minerals.
– Approximately 20-40 percent of Bennu’s interior is empty space, and scientists estimate its age to be around 4.5 billion years, dating back to the early solar system.
– Bennu likely originated in the Main Asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter and has gradually moved closer to Earth due to gravitational interactions with other celestial objects and the slight push asteroids receive from absorbed sunlight.
