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Canadarm3 will serve as external robotic system for the _______ space station.
- ISS
- Tiangong
- Lunar Gateway
- Bhartiya Antariksh Station
Answer: Lunar Gateway
Canadarm3 provides autonomous external robotics for Gateway assembly/maintenance; features AI-enhanced dexterity for uncrewed operations in cislunar space.
CAIs (Calcium-Aluminum-rich Inclusions) are the oldest dated solids in the solar system at ~4.567 Ga.
- True
- False
Answer: True
CAIs in chondrites define solar system age via U-Pb dating; formed at high temperatures near proto-Sun before accretion into planetesimals.
The first EVA using a self-contained backpack propulsion unit (MMU) was performed during which shuttle mission?
- STS-7
- STS-41-B
- STS-61
- STS-82
Answer: STS-41-B
Bruce McCandless II conducted untethered EVA using MMU on Feb 7, 1984, demonstrating free-flying capability for satellite retrieval/servicing.
Which space agency operates the KOMPSAT series of multipurpose satellites?
- JAXA
- KARI
- CNSA
- ISA
Answer: KARI
KOMPSAT (Korea Multi-Purpose Satellite) series provides EO/weather/tech demo capabilities; KOMPSAT-7 offers 0.5 m panchromatic resolution.
Inflatable aeroshell decelerators increase drag area during entry to reduce peak heating for _______ payloads.
- Small CubeSats only
- Heavy/large-volume
- Nuclear-powered
- Solar sail
Answer: Heavy/large-volume
Deployable/inflatable heat shields enable delivery of massive payloads to Mars/Venus where rigid aeroshells are volume/mass constrained; tested in LOFTID/IRVE missions.
The cosmological constant Λ represents vacuum energy density driving accelerated expansion.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Λ in Einstein's equations corresponds to constant energy density of empty space; observational evidence favors ΛCDM model with Ω_Λ≈0.7.
Voyager 2 is the only spacecraft to have visited Uranus and Neptune.
- True - flew by both in 1986/1989
- False - Voyager 1 also visited
- True - but New Horizons visited Neptune
- False - no spacecraft visited Uranus
Answer: True - flew by both in 1986/1989
Voyager 2 conducted Uranus flyby Jan 1986 and Neptune flyby Aug 1989; no subsequent missions have visited ice giants, leaving major knowledge gaps.
Maxwell Montes is the highest mountain range on which planet?
- Mars
- Venus
- Mercury
- Earth
Answer: Venus
Maxwell Montes rises ~11 km above Venusian mean radius on Ishtar Terra; formed by tectonic compression rather than volcanism unlike most Venusian highlands.
The Space Physics Laboratory (SPL) conducting upper atmospheric research is located in _______.
- Thiruvananthapuram
- Tirupati
- Gadanki
- Bengaluru
Answer: Thiruvananthapuram
SPL at VSSC Thiruvananthapuram studies ionosphere/thermosphere using ground-based instruments and satellite data, supporting space weather forecasting.
Regenerative payloads demodulate/remodulate signals onboard enabling inter-user links without ground relay.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Onboard processing allows direct user-to-user routing, reducing latency and ground dependency; featured in advanced military/commercial satellites.
NISAR satellite will use dual-frequency SAR (L-band and S-band) to measure surface deformation with _______ accuracy.
- Meter-level
- Centimeter-level
- Millimeter-level
- Kilometer-level
Answer: Centimeter-level
NISAR's interferometric SAR measures crustal deformation, ice flow, and biomass changes at cm-scale resolution every 12 days globally.
Kilonovae are electromagnetic counterparts to neutron star mergers producing heavy elements via _______.
- Silicon burning
- R-process nucleosynthesis
- Proton-proton chain
- Triple-alpha process
Answer: R-process nucleosynthesis
GW170817 kilonova confirmed r-process production of gold/platinum/lanthanides in neutron-rich ejecta, resolving origin of half elements heavier than iron.
Honeycomb sandwich panels are widely used in spacecraft structures for their high _______ ratio.
- thermal conductivity
- stiffness-to-weight
- electrical conductivity
- radiation shielding
Answer: stiffness-to-weight
Aluminum/Nomex honeycomb cores bonded to face sheets provide exceptional bending stiffness at minimal mass, ideal for satellite bus and payload panels.
Pluto and Neptune are in 3:2 mean-motion resonance preventing collision despite crossing orbits.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Pluto completes 2 orbits per 3 Neptune orbits; resonance ensures conjunction occurs when Pluto is near aphelion far from Neptune's orbital plane.
The first successful soft landing on Venus was achieved by which Venera mission?
- Venera 4
- Venera 7
- Venera 9
- Venera 13
Answer: Venera 7
Venera 7 landed Dec 15, 1970, transmitting 23 minutes of surface data including temperature (475°C); Venera 4 was atmospheric probe only.
Which space agency developed the Angara family of modular launch vehicles?
- NASA
- ESA
- Roscosmos
- CNSA
Answer: Roscosmos
Angara replaces Proton/Zenit with environmentally friendly RP-1/LOX propulsion; modular design covers light-to-heavy lift classes from Plesetsk/Vostochny.
ISRO's Telemetry Tracking Command Network (ISTRAC) headquarters is located in _______.
- Sriharikota
- Bengaluru
- Thiruvananthapuram
- Lucknow
Answer: Bengaluru
ISTRAC HQ in Bengaluru coordinates global network of ground stations supporting LEO/GEO/deep space missions with real-time TT&C services.
White dwarfs cool indefinitely over trillions of years eventually becoming black dwarfs.
- True
- False
Answer: True
White dwarfs radiate stored thermal energy without fusion; cooling timescales exceed current universe age, so no black dwarfs exist yet theoretically predicted.
The Hera mission will study the aftermath of DART's impact on Dimorphos to measure _______.
- Composition change
- Momentum transfer efficiency
- Orbital period shift
- Surface albedo
Answer: Momentum transfer efficiency
Hera (ESA, launch 2024) will characterize crater morphology and momentum enhancement factor β, calibrating kinetic impact models for planetary defense.
Comet tails always point away from the Sun due to _______.
- Orbital motion
- Solar wind and radiation pressure
- Gravitational attraction
- Magnetic fields
Answer: Solar wind and radiation pressure
Ion tail aligns with solar wind magnetic field; dust tail curves due to radiation pressure; both extend anti-sunward regardless of comet's direction of travel.