Space – Medium Level – GK Questions

Answer: True

Unlike Jupiter and Saturn (gas giants dominated by hydrogen/helium), Uranus and Neptune contain higher proportions of 'ices' (water, ammonia, methane), hence termed ice giants.

Answer: Buzz Aldrin

Edwin 'Buzz' Aldrin followed Neil Armstrong onto the lunar surface approximately 19 minutes after Armstrong during Apollo 11's EVA on July 20, 1969.

Answer: Oceansat

Oceansat satellites carry ocean color monitors and scatterometers for studying sea surface temperature, chlorophyll, wind vectors, and marine resources.

Answer: Bhopal

MCF has facilities in Hassan (Karnataka) and Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) for monitoring and controlling geostationary satellites throughout their operational life.

Answer: True

The CMB is remarkably isotropic (uniform) at 2.725 K, with minute anisotropies (~1 part in 100,000) that seeded the formation of cosmic structures.

Answer: Ballistic capture

ISRO used a ballistic capture trajectory, arriving at Mars with minimal relative velocity, reducing fuel needed for orbit insertion compared to traditional methods.

Answer: ESA

Vega is a small-lift launch vehicle developed by ESA (primarily Italy and France) for launching small scientific and Earth observation satellites.

Answer: AstroSat

Note: AstroSat is already operational (launched 2015). If referring to future missions, XPoSat (X-ray Polarimeter Satellite) was launched in Jan 2024. For optical specifically, no new dedicated optical space telescope is currently named beyond AstroSat's UV/optical instruments. Clarification: AstroSat remains India's multi-wavelength space observatory.

Answer: True

Eris, discovered in 2005, is slightly more massive than Pluto, prompting the IAU to redefine 'planet' and create the 'dwarf planet' category.

Answer: 1 billion tons

Neutron stars have densities of ~10^17 kg/m³. A cubic centimeter (teaspoon-sized) would weigh roughly a billion metric tons due to degenerate neutron matter.

Answer: Bengaluru

NSIL, incorporated in 2019 under the Department of Space, handles commercialization of ISRO technologies and launch services, based in Bengaluru.

Answer: True

After 15 years in orbit, Mir was deliberately deorbited in March 2001, with debris falling into the South Pacific Ocean.

Answer: Earth Observation

Sun-synchronous orbits maintain constant illumination angles, ideal for consistent imaging conditions required by remote sensing and earth observation satellites.

Answer: Triangulum Galaxy

The Local Group contains three large spiral galaxies: Milky Way, Andromeda (M31), and Triangulum (M33), plus dozens of dwarf galaxies.

Answer: South

Vikram landed at approximately 69°S latitude near the lunar south pole, a region of significant scientific interest due to permanently shadowed craters potentially containing water ice.

Answer: False

SSLV is designed for small satellites (up to 500 kg to LEO), whereas PSLV can carry up to ~1,750 kg to Sun-Synchronous Orbit or ~1,400 kg to LEO. SSLV complements PSLV for smaller payloads.

Answer: Mars

Valles Marineris stretches over 4,000 km across Mars' equator, making it the largest canyon system in the solar system, dwarfing Earth's Grand Canyon.

Answer: China

BeiDou is China's global satellite navigation system, operational since 2020, providing positioning, navigation, and timing services worldwide.

Answer: Tata Play

GSAT-24 was built by ISRO and transferred to NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), which leased full capacity to Tata Play for direct-to-home broadcasting.

Answer: False

The Orion Nebula (M42) is a diffuse emission nebula and active star-forming region. Planetary nebulae are shells of gas ejected by dying low-mass stars.