Space – Fill in the Blank – GK Questions

Chandrayaan-4 aims to collect ~2-3 kg lunar regolith from south pole region and return to Earth; complex multi-module mission targeting late 2020s window.

Rotating tether catches/releases payloads at periapsis/apoapsis transferring orbital energy; enables access to LEO/GEO/lunar surface without rockets.

Three DSN sites (Goldstone/Madrid/Canberra) at ~120° spacing ensure at least one complex maintains link with deep space probes as Earth rotates.

Student payloads on POEM leverage spent PS4 stage for affordable microgravity research; crystal growth experiments inform pharmaceutical/materials science.

Hydroxylammonium nitrate-based propellants eliminate carcinogenic hydrazine handling risks while delivering ~10% higher Isp; adopted in GPIM/ESCAPADE missions.

Micro-electromechanical systems gyros offer adequate performance for CubeSat/nanosat ADCS at fraction of FOG cost/mass; commercial availability enables proliferation.

ISSAR documents space object cataloguing, conjunction assessments, and debris environment trends; released by ISRO SSA control centre.

Nickel electroformed mirror shells replicated from mandrels enable nested Wolter-I optics for focusing grazing-incidence X-rays; used in XMM-Newton/eROSITA.

GEO disposal requires raising perigee ≥300 km above GEO belt (~150 m/s ΔV) to prevent collision risk; mandated by IADC guidelines.

Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC) Bengaluru manages astronaut selection/training, crew systems, and mission integration for Gaganyaan.

Canadarm3 provides autonomous external robotics for Gateway assembly/maintenance; features AI-enhanced dexterity for uncrewed operations in cislunar space.

Deployable/inflatable heat shields enable delivery of massive payloads to Mars/Venus where rigid aeroshells are volume/mass constrained; tested in LOFTID/IRVE missions.

SPL at VSSC Thiruvananthapuram studies ionosphere/thermosphere using ground-based instruments and satellite data, supporting space weather forecasting.

Aluminum/Nomex honeycomb cores bonded to face sheets provide exceptional bending stiffness at minimal mass, ideal for satellite bus and payload panels.

ISTRAC HQ in Bengaluru coordinates global network of ground stations supporting LEO/GEO/deep space missions with real-time TT&C services.

SCE-200 employs oxygen-rich staged combustion cycle burning kerosene/LOX, delivering 200-ton thrust class performance for future heavy-lift vehicles.

FSW solid-state process avoids melting/solidification defects, yielding superior mechanical properties for cryogenic tank structures in PSLV/GSLV/LVM3.

NLST at Hanle (4500 m altitude) will be world's largest off-axis solar telescope (2 m aperture), studying solar magnetic fields and transient phenomena.

GSLV-F14 successfully deployed INSAT-3DS on Feb 17, 2024, enhancing weather forecasting and disaster warning capabilities over Indian Ocean Region.

IADC comprises 13 national/international space agencies coordinating debris mitigation standards; ISRO joined in 2000s contributing tracking data.