MCQ – GK Questions

Answer: ESA

Gaia is a space observatory of the European Space Agency (ESA), launched in 2013. Its goal is to create the most precise three-dimensional map of our galaxy.

Answer: APPLE

APPLE (Ariane Passenger Payload Experiment) was India's first experimental geostationary communication satellite, launched in 1981 aboard an Ariane rocket. However, the first *indigenous* launch to GEO was INSAT-2A via ASLV/GSLV trials; strictly speaking, Rohini RS-1 (1980) was first indigenous orbital success but in LEO. For GEO specifically via Indian vehicle, later missions achieved this. Note: APPLE was foreign-launched; Rohini was LEO. This question tests nuanced understanding.

Answer: Communication loss due to hard landing

During the final descent phase on September 7, 2019, Vikram deviated from its intended trajectory and experienced a hard landing, resulting in loss of communication. The orbiter, however, continues to function successfully.

Answer: Venus

Venus takes about 243 Earth days to complete one rotation on its axis, making it the slowest rotating planet. Its day is longer than its year (225 Earth days).

Answer: Kalpana Chawla

Kalpana Chawla was the first Indian-born woman to go to space (1997). Sunita Williams is also of Indian origin but Kalpana Chawla was the first.

Answer: Both INSAT and GSAT

Both INSAT and GSAT series satellites have transponders dedicated to tele-education and tele-medicine services, connecting remote areas to urban centers.

Answer: China

China's Chang'e 4 mission successfully landed on the far side of the Moon in January 2019, a first in history.

Answer: Io

Io is the most volcanically active body in the Solar System. Its volcanic activity is driven by tidal heating from Jupiter's gravity.

Answer: SSLV

SSLV (Small Satellite Launch Vehicle) is designed for launching small satellites (up to 500 kg) to LEO. It offers low cost and low turn-around time.

Answer: Neptune

Neptune had a large storm system known as the Great Dark Spot, observed by Voyager 2 in 1989. Unlike Jupiter's spot, Neptune's dark spots appear and disappear over time.

Answer: Hayabusa2

JAXA's Hayabusa2 mission successfully collected samples from the asteroid Ryugu and returned them to Earth in December 2020.

Answer: 7

The NavIC constellation consists of 7 satellites: 3 in geostationary orbit and 4 in inclined geosynchronous orbit.

Answer: Andromeda Galaxy

The Andromeda Galaxy (M31) is the nearest major galaxy to the Milky Way. It is expected to collide with the Milky Way in about 4.5 billion years.

Answer: Sun

Aditya-L1 is India's first solar mission, designed to study the Sun's corona, solar emissions, and space weather.

Answer: Ceres

Ceres is the largest object in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It is so large that it is also classified as a dwarf planet.

Answer: Roscosmos

Roscosmos, the Russian state space corporation, is responsible for the Soyuz spacecraft, which has been used for decades to transport cosmonauts and astronauts to the ISS.

Answer: 2008

Chandrayaan-1, India's first lunar probe, was launched by ISRO in October 2008. It operated until August 2009.

Answer: Jupiter

Jupiter has the strongest magnetic field of all the planets in the Solar System, about 20,000 times stronger than Earth's.

Answer: Cosmic Microwave Background

The Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) radiation is the oldest light in the universe, dating back to about 380,000 years after the Big Bang. It effectively marks the limit of the observable universe in terms of time/light.

Answer: Philae

The Philae lander, part of the ESA's Rosetta mission, became the first spacecraft to soft-land on a comet (67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko) in November 2014.