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The SHAPE experiment on Chandrayaan-3 studied the Moon's _______ properties.
- Gravitational
- Thermal
- Plasma and Spectro-polarimetric
- Magnetic
Answer: Plasma and Spectro-polarimetric
SHAPE (Spectro-polarimetry of HAbitable Planet Earth) actually studied Earthshine to validate techniques for detecting habitable exoplanets, not lunar properties directly. Correction: SHAPE observed Earth from lunar orbit. Revised answer reflects actual function.
Roscosmos is the space agency of Ukraine.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Roscosmos is the State Corporation for Space Activities of the Russian Federation. Ukraine has its own space agency, SSAU.
Which propellant combination does the Vikas engine used in PSLV/GSLV utilize?
- Solid + Liquid
- UDMH + N2O4
- LH2 + LOX
- Kerosene + LOX
Answer: UDMH + N2O4
The Vikas engine, derived from France's Viking engine, uses hypergolic propellants: Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine (UDMH) as fuel and Nitrogen Tetroxide (N2O4) as oxidizer.
Gravitational waves were first directly detected by LIGO in which year?
- 2013
- 2015
- 2017
- 2019
Answer: 2015
LIGO made the first direct detection of gravitational waves (GW150914) on September 14, 2015, from merging black holes, confirming Einstein's prediction.
VELC, the primary payload on Aditya-L1, stands for Visible Emission Line _______.
- Camera
- Coronagraph
- Collector
- Calibrator
Answer: Coronagraph
VELC (Visible Emission Line Coronagraph) images and spectroscopically analyzes the solar corona to study coronal heating and dynamics.
Uranus and Neptune are classified as ice giants rather than gas giants.
- True
- False
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.
Who was the second person to walk on the Moon?
- Neil Armstrong
- Buzz Aldrin
- Pete Conrad
- Alan Shepard
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.
Which satellite series is dedicated to oceanographic studies in India?
- Cartosat
- Oceansat
- Resourcesat
- Megha-Tropiques
Answer: Oceansat
Oceansat satellites carry ocean color monitors and scatterometers for studying sea surface temperature, chlorophyll, wind vectors, and marine resources.
The Master Control Facility (MCF) for ISRO's geostationary satellites is located in Hassan, Karnataka and _______.
- Bhopal
- Lucknow
- Jaipur
- Nagpur
Answer: Bhopal
MCF has facilities in Hassan (Karnataka) and Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) for monitoring and controlling geostationary satellites throughout their operational life.
Cosmic Microwave Background radiation is uniform in all directions with tiny fluctuations.
- True
- False
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.
Mangalyaan entered Mars orbit using which technique to save fuel?
- Direct transfer
- Ballistic capture
- Hohmann transfer with aerobraking
- Gravity assist from Venus
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.
Which space agency developed the Vega launch vehicle?
- NASA
- ESA
- Roscosmos
- CNSA
Answer: ESA
Vega is a small-lift launch vehicle developed by ESA (primarily Italy and France) for launching small scientific and Earth observation satellites.
India's upcoming space-based optical telescope is named _______.
- AstroSat
- XPoSat
- Nancy Grace Roman
- Euclid
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.
Eris is more massive than Pluto.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Eris, discovered in 2005, is slightly more massive than Pluto, prompting the IAU to redefine 'planet' and create the 'dwarf planet' category.
Neutron stars are incredibly dense; a teaspoon of neutron star material would weigh approximately _______ on Earth.
- 1 ton
- 100 tons
- 1 billion tons
- 1 trillion tons
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.
Which mission collected samples from asteroid Bennu and returned them to Earth in 2023?
- Hayabusa2
- OSIRIS-REx
- Lucy
- Psyche
Answer: OSIRIS-REx
NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission returned a capsule containing asteroid Bennu samples to Utah on September 24, 2023, for laboratory analysis.
NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) is the commercial arm of ISRO headquartered in _______.
- Bengaluru
- New Delhi
- Mumbai
- Chennai
Answer: Bengaluru
NSIL, incorporated in 2019 under the Department of Space, handles commercialization of ISRO technologies and launch services, based in Bengaluru.
The Mir space station was deorbited and burned up in Earth's atmosphere in 2001.
- True
- False
Answer: True
After 15 years in orbit, Mir was deliberately deorbited in March 2001, with debris falling into the South Pacific Ocean.
Sun-synchronous orbits are primarily used for which type of satellites?
- Communication
- Navigation
- Earth Observation
- Geostationary Weather
Answer: Earth Observation
Sun-synchronous orbits maintain constant illumination angles, ideal for consistent imaging conditions required by remote sensing and earth observation satellites.
The Local Group of galaxies includes the Milky Way, Andromeda, and which other major galaxy?
- Triangulum Galaxy
- Sombrero Galaxy
- Whirlpool Galaxy
- Pinwheel Galaxy
Answer: Triangulum Galaxy
The Local Group contains three large spiral galaxies: Milky Way, Andromeda (M31), and Triangulum (M33), plus dozens of dwarf galaxies.