GSAT–7, India's First Defence Satellite, Successfully Placed in the Geosynchronous Orbit

India’s advanced multi-band communication satellite GSAT-7, launched from Kourou, French Guiana on 30 August 2013, was successfully placed in the Geosynchronous Orbit with an altitude of about 36000 km above Earth’s surface on 3 September 2013. French Guiana is an overseas region of France on the North Atlantic coast of South America.

GSAT-7 was placed in the Geosynchronous Orbit after successfully completing the last of the three orbit-raising manoeuvres commanded from ISRO’s Master Control Facility (MCF) at Hassan. Later, on the same day, the communication antennae of GSAT-7, including the UHF Helix antenna, were deployed successfully. Thereafter, the GSAT-7 was put in its final orbital configuration, stabilised on its three-axis by the momentum wheels.


The GSAT-7 Satellite would reach its assigned orbital slot of 74 degree East longitude in the Geostationary Orbit within the next 10 days. It is planned that on 14 September 2013, the communication transponders in UHF, S, C and Ku bands will be switched on.

The GSLV Vehicle assembly and checkout would be completed at the Vehicle Assembly Building by the first week of December 2013 and the launch would take place by December 2013.

About GSAT–7

• It is an advanced communication satellite that will help by providing low bit rate voice to high bit rate data communication.
• Payload of the GSAT–7 is designed to provide communication capabilities to users in distant oceanic regions.
• Its solar arrays generate 2900 W of electrical power.

What is Geosynchronous Orbit?

Geosynchronous Orbit is also abbreviated as GSO. It is the orbit around Earth which has the orbital period of one sidereal day or around 23 hours 56 minutes and 4 seconds. This sidereal day matches the Earth's sidereal rotation period.

Do real-life friends make you happier than online friends?

Tired of keeping up relationships with all your real-life friends? Wondering if Facebook friends could substitute? Unfortunately, science has some bad news for you. Based on a survey of 5,000 Canadians, these researchers have concluded that having more real-life friends is positively correlated with reported happiness (also known as “subjective well-being”), even after controlling for things like income. In contrast, the number of online friends (i.e., friends on Facebook who you never interact with in real life) is totally uncorrelated with happiness. Married? You might be happier with fewer friends than those who are single. But perhaps the most surprising finding was this one: doubling the number of real-life friends had the same effect on happiness as a 50% pay increase! 

Comparing the Happiness Effects of Real and On-Line Friends

“A recent large Canadian survey permits us to compare face-to-face (‘real-life’) and on-line social networks as sources of subjective well-being. The sample of 5,000 is drawn randomly from an on-line pool of respondents, a group well placed to have and value on-line friendships. We find three key results. First, the number of real-life friends is positively correlated with subjective well-being (SWB) even after controlling for income, demographic variables and personality differences. Doubling the number of friends in real life has an equivalent effect on well-being as a 50% increase in income. Second, the size of online networks is largely uncorrelated with subjective well-being. Third, we find that real-life friends are much more important for people who are single, divorced, separated or widowed than they are for people who are married or living with a partner. Findings from large international surveys (the European Social Surveys 2002–2008) are used to confirm the importance of real-life social networks to SWB; they also indicate a significantly smaller value of social networks to married or partnered couples.”

Tour Highest Peak with Mount Everest 3D App

How would you like to take a tour of Mount Everest without having to leave the comfort of your own house? Okay, this may not be something passionate mountain hikers would be pleased about, but it sure sounds appealing to the rest of us.
A new iOS app called Mount Everest 3D lets users take a close look at the world’s tallest mountain in eye-popping 3D, from any possible angle. And you won’t risk freezing to death either.

Mount Everest 3D was created by a German company called 3D RealityMaps. The application is based on high resolution WorldView satellite images and allows users to view various ascending routes, along with weather stations and base camps.
Using touch gestures on their iOS device, users will be able to navigate the mountain and view it in great detail from any perspective, in photorealistic quality, according to the official Mount Everest 3D website. The touch interface enables users to rotate and zoom the image and follow some of the most popular routes to the peak.
The application also offers detailed information about the weather on the mountain, along with a 2D view if you start feeling dizzy.
The Mount Everest 3D app was designed with the help of satellite imagery based on technology generally used for detailed space exploration. The interactive virtual tour it offers gives viewers access to highly accurate 3D images of the mountain, for a highly entertaining and realistic experience.
The application can be downloaded for free from the Apple App Store (in German), but it does contain some in-app purchases that allow users to download info and maps to use without Internet connection. Onboard maps are $5.99.
And if you don’t own an iOS device, do not despair! You can still view Mount Everest in high resolution 3D on the Everest 3d website. All you have to do is download the free 3D RealityMaps software, install it and then lie back and enjoy the breathtaking scenery.

SmartWallit: Keep Track of Your Wallet & Phone

We’ve all been through those moments of sheer panic when we pat our pockets or go frantically through our bag and can’t seem to be able to locate our wallet or phone. And the dread you experience when you realize you can’t remember where you left two of your most precious items. If you never want to feel like this again, the SmartWallit is the best solution for you!
The SmartWallit is a truly revolutionary gadget that connects your wallet and smarthphone via Bluetooth 4.0, helping you keep track of both. The accompanying application allows you to make the SmartWallit or the phone to ring if you cannot figure out their location. To make things even easier, the app will show you the distance between you and the item you are looking for.

You can also set the device to beep if you leave your phone or wallet behind. And if you just don’t want to worry about losing your wallet, the SmartWallit can be programmed to vibrate at regular intervals, to remind you that it’s still in your pocket.
The application will also keep a record of your payment history, logging all the dates when you opened your wallet, allowing you to revisit your payments when you can’t remember exactly what you purchased, where and when. The SmartWallit device can also be attached to other items such as your key ring and can act as a card holder if you just don’t want to take your wallet along.

 SmartWallit has a range of 100 feet (about 30 meters) and is powered by a rechargeable lithium-polymer battery. The device is under 0.2 inches (5mm) thick, weighs 0.9 oz (25 grams) and measures 2.4 x 1.4 x 0.2 in (60 x 36 x 4.9mm). It is available in three colors (black, white and brown) and is currently on Kickstarter, where you can order it for a $49 pledge.
The device was designed by SmartWallit Inc., a company founded in the United States and now based in China. Manufacturers plan to finish development in June and start shipping in July, with an expected retail price of $60. The SmartWallit app works on all iPhones and iPod Touch devices with iOS5 and will be available for Android users later this year.

GIGS.2.GO The Paper USB Flash Drive

How many times have you found yourself needing a flash drive really badly and not having one on you? Very soon, such worries may stay in the past, as the GIGS.2.GO new portable USB flash drive kit is coming to your aid!
The GIGS.2.GO basically consists of four USB flash drives arranged in a single package which is about the size of a credit card. Its small size allows the package to be carried around in the wallet, offering users easy access to a data storage medium when they need one.

Created by North Carolina product design studio BOLTgroup, this kit is made entirely of recycled paper pulp and is presented as a disposable USB data storage device. The material used is biodegradable, renewable, lightweight and cheap, making the end product quite affordable.
Each of the four drives is easily detachable thanks to the “tear and share” technology, making this an ideal product for large teams needing to share data or for emergency use in other situations. Whenever you need to share files some data, you can simply tear off a flash drive from the pack and save the data you need. Moreover, due to the fact they are made from paper, the sticks can be labeled with a pen or marker.

 Each of the four thumb drives offers 1 GB of storage, which is a rather surprising capability for what is intended to be a single-use product. Although made of recycled paper, the sticks however seem sturdy enough to withstand repeated uses, which is always desirable for a USB flash drive.
An ideal data storage solution for business meetings, sharing music or videos or any other large files, this paper USB flash drive kit is yet in development, with no news on when it may be available for general purchase. We can only hope it will happen soon!