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Glossary Terms
| Term (EN) | Definition | Exam Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| ISRO | Indian Space Research Organisation; est. 1969, Bengaluru | Space institution |
| PSLV | Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle; 4-stage solid-liquid; ISRO's workhorse | Launch vehicles |
| LVM3 | Launch Vehicle Mark 3 (ex-GSLV-Mk III); 4t to GTO; Chandrayaan-3 vehicle | Launch vehicles |
| Chandrayaan-3 | India's Moon mission; first landing at lunar south pole (Aug 23, 2023) | Space missions |
| Vikram lander | Chandrayaan-3's landing module; soft-landed at 69.37° S | Chandrayaan-3 |
| Pragyan rover | 6-wheeled rover from Chandrayaan-3; detected sulphur at south pole | Chandrayaan-3 |
| Mangalyaan (MOM) | India's Mars Orbiter Mission; launched 2013; arrived Sept 24, 2014 | Mars mission |
| Aditya-L1 | India's solar observatory at L1 point; launched Sept 2, 2023 | Solar mission |
| Lagrange Point L1 | Gravitationally stable point 1.5 million km from Earth toward Sun | Aditya-L1 |
| Gaganyaan | India's first human spaceflight programme; 3-day, 400 km orbit; 2025 target | Human spaceflight |
| NavIC | Navigation with Indian Constellation; 7 satellites; <20 m accuracy | Navigation |
| Remote sensing | Collecting Earth data without physical contact using satellite sensors | Remote sensing |
| CARTOSAT-3 | India's sharpest optical satellite (0.25 m resolution); 2019 | Remote sensing |
| RISAT | Radar Imaging Satellite; all-weather, day-night SAR imaging | Remote sensing/defence |
| IGMDP | Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme; 1983; APJ Kalam | Missile programme |
| BrahMos | India-Russia supersonic cruise missile; Mach 2.8; exported to Philippines 2022 | Missiles 5-mark |
| Agni-V | India's ICBM-range ballistic missile; 5,000–8,000 km; MIRV tested 2024 | Strategic deterrent |
| MIRV | Multiple Independently targetable Reentry Vehicles; one missile, multiple warheads | Agni-V 2024 |
| CWC | Chemical Weapons Convention (1993); OPCW enforces; India ratified 1996 | Chemical weapons |
| OPCW | Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons; Nobel 2013 | CWC institution |
| BWC | Biological Weapons Convention (1972); India ratified 1974; no verification | Biological weapons |
| Nerve agent | Chemical weapon (sarin, VX) inhibiting acetylcholinesterase | Chemical weapons |
| Nagastra-1 | India's first loitering munition; inducted Army 2024; range 15–30 km | Drone tech |
| IN-SPACe | Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (2020) | Space policy |
| SSLV | Small Satellite Launch Vehicle; 3-stage solid; 500 kg to LEO; $3–4 million | New launch vehicles |
Sources: ISRO Annual Reports and mission fact sheets; OPCW official records; DRDO publications; Chandrayaan-3 mission documentation (ISRO, August 2023); Aditya-L1 mission documentation (ISRO, January 2024); Gaganyaan programme updates; RPSC Mains PYQ 2013–2024; RPSC 2026 Official Syllabus; Ministry of Civil Aviation Drone Policy 2021; CWC/OPCW website; Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) data.