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MEMS gyroscopes are increasingly replacing fiber-optic gyros for small satellite attitude determination due to lower _______.
- accuracy
- cost and mass
- reliability
- power consumption
Answer: cost and mass
Micro-electromechanical systems gyros offer adequate performance for CubeSat/nanosat ADCS at fraction of FOG cost/mass; commercial availability enables proliferation.
Big Bang Nucleosynthesis produced primarily H, He, and trace Li within first few minutes.
- True
- False
Answer: True
BBN synthesized ~75% H, ~25% He-4, ppm D/He-3/Li-7; heavier elements formed later in stars/supernovae. Observed abundances validate standard cosmology.
Dragonfly rotorcraft mission will explore Titan's prebiotic chemistry starting in _______.
- 2028
- 2034
- 2040
- 2050
Answer: 2034
Dragonfly (NASA NF4) launches 2028, arrives Titan 2034; nuclear-powered quadcopter will sample diverse terrains studying organic synthesis pathways.
Auroral emissions on Jupiter are primarily driven by _______ rather than solar wind interaction.
- Volcanic plasma from Io
- Internal magnetic reconnection
- Cosmic ray bombardment
- Ring particle charging
Answer: Volcanic plasma from Io
Io's volcanic SO₂ ionizes forming plasma torus; corotation enforcement currents accelerate electrons precipitating into polar atmosphere generating persistent aurorae.
The Indian Space Situational Assessment Report (ISSAR) is published annually by _______.
- IN-SPAC
- NETRA/ISTRAC
- DOS
- MEA
Answer: NETRA/ISTRAC
ISSAR documents space object cataloguing, conjunction assessments, and debris environment trends; released by ISRO SSA control centre.
Lithium-ion batteries have largely replaced NiCd/NiH₂ in modern satellites due to higher energy density.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Li-ion offers 2-3× energy density vs legacy chemistries, reducing battery mass/volume; qualified for GEO/LEO missions since 2000s.
VIPER rover mission targeted lunar south pole to map water ice distribution but was cancelled in 2024 due to budget/schedule issues.
- True
- False - still scheduled
- True - replaced by CLPS
- False - renamed Artemis Rover
Answer: True
NASA cancelled VIPER July 2024 after cost overruns/delays; science objectives partially addressed by CLPS landers and future Artemis missions.
Transmission spectroscopy during planetary transits reveals atmospheric composition by analyzing wavelength-dependent _______.
- Emission lines
- Absorption depth variations
- Polarization
- Phase curves
Answer: Absorption depth variations
Atmospheric species absorb specific wavelengths increasing effective planet size; JWST transmission spectra detect H₂O/CO₂/CH₄ in exoplanet atmospheres.
Electroforming nickel shells are used to manufacture lightweight _______ for X-ray telescopes.
- Mirrors
- Detectors
- Filters
- Collimators
Answer: Mirrors
Nickel electroformed mirror shells replicated from mandrels enable nested Wolter-I optics for focusing grazing-incidence X-rays; used in XMM-Newton/eROSITA.
Tidal flexing drives geological activity on Io and Enceladus despite their small sizes.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Orbital resonances maintain eccentricities causing periodic tidal deformation; dissipated energy powers Io's volcanism and Enceladus's cryovolcanism.
The first spacewalk by a Chinese taikonaut was performed during which Shenzhou mission?
- Shenzhou 5
- Shenzhou 7
- Shenzhou 9
- Shenzhou 12
Answer: Shenzhou 7
Zhai Zhigang conducted China's first EVA on Sep 27, 2008, lasting ~20 minutes wearing Feitian spacesuit; milestone in CNSA human spaceflight.
Which space agency leads the Europa Clipper mission to investigate habitability of Jupiter's moon?
- ESA
- NASA
- JAXA
- Roscosmos
Answer: NASA
Europa Clipper (launch Oct 2024) conducts detailed reconnaissance of Europa's ice shell/ocean/interface assessing astrobiological potential.
Disposal orbits for GEO satellites require minimum ΔV of _______ m/s to raise perigee above protected region.
- 10
- 50
- 150
- 500
Answer: 150
GEO disposal requires raising perigee ≥300 km above GEO belt (~150 m/s ΔV) to prevent collision risk; mandated by IADC guidelines.
Bolometers measure total electromagnetic power absorbed by detecting temperature-induced resistance changes.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Transition-edge sensor bolometers operate at cryogenic temps for far-IR/submm astronomy; used in Herschel/SOFIA/CMB experiments.
ISRO's RLV-TD HEX-01 test in 2016 validated hypersonic flight characteristics at Mach _______.
- 3
- 5
- 8
- 10
Answer: 5
HEX-01 reached Mach ~5 during re-entry from 65 km altitude, testing aero-thermodynamics/navigation/control for reusable launch vehicle concept.
Io's tenuous SO₂ atmosphere is sustained primarily by _______.
- Outgassing from volcanoes
- Sublimation of surface frost
- Solar wind sputtering
- Cometary impacts
Answer: Outgassing from volcanoes
Io's extreme volcanism continuously replenishes SO₂ atmosphere against loss to Jupiter's magnetosphere; plumes reach 500 km altitude depositing fresh frost.
The Indian Human Spaceflight Programme office coordinating Gaganyaan is designated as _______.
- HSFC
- HSPC
- IHSP
- Gaganyaan Directorate
Answer: HSFC
Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC) Bengaluru manages astronaut selection/training, crew systems, and mission integration for Gaganyaan.
Active debris removal missions like ClearSpace-1 aim to capture and deorbit defunct satellites.
- True
- False
Answer: True
ClearSpace-1 (ESA, launch 2026) will demonstrate four-arm capture of Vespa adapter; commercial ADR services emerging to mitigate Kessler syndrome risk.
Lucy mission will explore Trojan asteroids sharing Jupiter's orbit at L4/L5 points.
- True - launched 2021 arriving 2027+
- False - targets main belt
- True - completed flybys already
- False - cancelled mission
Answer: True - launched 2021 arriving 2027+
Lucy launched Oct 2021 will visit eight Trojans over 12-year tour, probing diversity and origins of these primordial remnants.
Helioseismology probes solar interior structure by analyzing oscillation modes of the photosphere.
- True - reveals convection zone depth/radiative zone rotation
- False - only studies surface
- True - but only for flares
- False - requires spacecraft
Answer: True - reveals convection zone depth/radiative zone rotation
p-mode/g-mode frequencies constrain internal sound speed profile, revealing tachocline location and differential rotation; validated solar models.