Space – MCQ – GK Questions

Aerocapture achieves orbit insertion in one atmospheric pass requiring precise guidance; aerobraking gradually lowers apoapsis over weeks/months. Aerocapture remains unflown but studied for Mars/Venus/Titan.

Tharsis Montes includes Ascraeus, Pavonis, and Arsia; Olympus Mons lies northwest of Tharsis bulge as separate volcanic province.

Japanese astronaut Chiaki Mukai flew aboard STS-65 in July 1994; Kalpana Chawla (Indian-origin US citizen) flew later in 1997.

Ka-band cross-links allow satellites to range each other, improving ephemeris accuracy and reducing ground segment dependency; implemented in modern GNSS.

Lunar Prospector (1998) detected H signature; Chandrayaan-1 MIP/M3 confirmed OH/H₂O; LCROSS impact (2009) directly sampled ice-rich ejecta.

Type I/II disk migration or high-eccentricity tidal circularization explains hot Jupiter presence interior to snow line where gas giant formation is unlikely.

2:1 mean-motion resonance with Mimas clears particles from Cassini Division; gravitational perturbations prevent stable orbits in this region.

Apollo 13's Service Module O₂ tank exploded Apr 13, 1970; crew aborted landing, used LM as lifeboat, and returned safely via free-return trajectory.

Arrokoth's bilobate shape with aligned lobes indicates low-speed merger of two planetesimals in cold classical Kuiper Belt, preserving early solar system conditions.

Titan's surface pressure is 1.5 bar (vs Mars' 0.006 bar), composed of N₂/CH₄ with organic haze layers; only moon with dense atmosphere and active hydrological cycle.

LISS-IV provides 5.8 m multispectral imagery over 23 km swath or 56 m over 700 km swath, supporting agriculture, forestry, and urban planning.

First stars/galaxies ionized neutral hydrogen between z~20-6 (~180 Myr-1 Gyr post-Big Bang), ending cosmic dark ages; confirmed by CMB polarization and quasar spectra.

Korabl-Sputnik 5 (Aug 1960) returned dogs Belka and Strelka after 18 orbits; Laika (Sputnik 2) died in orbit, making KS-5 first safe biological return.

NTP uses fission reactors to heat liquid hydrogen to ~2500 K, achieving Isp ~900 s vs ~450 s for LH2/LOX chemical engines, enabling faster Mars transit.

TV-D1 conducted on Oct 21, 2023, separated the Crew Escape System at ~17 km altitude during ascent, validating abort sequence and parachute recovery systems.

Venus has a runaway greenhouse effect due to its dense CO₂ atmosphere (92 bar pressure), raising surface temperatures to ~465°C, hotter than Mercury despite being farther from the Sun.

JAXA's DESTINY+ (Demonstration and Experiment of Space Technology for INterplanetary voYage) targets active asteroid/comet 311P, studying dust ejection mechanisms.

Gravity Probe B (2004-2011) measured frame-dragging via gyroscope precession, confirming general relativity prediction within ~20% accuracy.

C-chondrites contain hydrated minerals, amino acids, and presolar grains, preserving early solar system composition and prebiotic chemistry.

Mariner 10 used Venus gravity assist in Feb 1974 to reach Mercury, pioneering planetary flyby technique later exploited by Voyagers and others.