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The Space Shuttle Columbia disaster occurred during _______ in 2003.
- Launch
- Orbital operations
- Re-entry
- Landing rollout
Answer: Re-entry
Columbia disintegrated during re-entry on February 1, 2003, due to foam insulation damage to the left wing during ascent, causing aerodynamic failure.
Intermediate-mass black holes (100–100,000 solar masses) have been definitively confirmed through multiple observations.
- True
- False
Answer: False
While candidates exist (e.g., HLX-1), intermediate-mass black holes remain elusive and lack definitive confirmation compared to stellar-mass and supermassive black holes.
Which space telescope discovered the first confirmed exoplanet orbiting a sun-like star (51 Pegasi b)?
- Hubble
- Kepler
- Ground-based ELODIE spectrograph
- TESS
Answer: Ground-based ELODIE spectrograph
51 Pegasi b was discovered in 1995 using radial velocity method with ground-based ELODIE spectrograph at Observatoire de Haute-Provence, not a space telescope. Note: Question tests precision—no space telescope made this discovery.
Which ISRO launch vehicle was retired after its final flight in 2022?
- ASLV
- PSLV
- GSLV Mk II
- LVM3
Answer: GSLV Mk II
GSLV Mk II flew its last mission (EOS-03) in 2021/2022 era before being phased out in favor of LVM3 and upcoming NGLV for heavier payloads.
The Department of Space (DoS) oversees ISRO and reports directly to the _______.
- Ministry of Defence
- Prime Minister's Office
- Ministry of Science and Technology
- Parliament
Answer: Prime Minister's Office
The Department of Space functions under the Prime Minister's direct charge, reflecting the strategic importance of space activities in national governance.
Uranus has narrow, dark rings composed mainly of carbon-rich material.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Discovered in 1977 via stellar occultation, Uranus' 13 known rings are narrow, opaque, and dark, likely containing radiation-processed organic compounds.
Which constellation contains the star Vega, the fifth-brightest in the night sky?
- Lyra
- Cygnus
- Aquila
- Boötes
Answer: Lyra
Vega is the brightest star in Lyra and part of the Summer Triangle asterism. It was once the North Star and will be again in ~12,000 years.
Which component of Chandrayaan-3 remained functional in lunar orbit after the landing?
- Vikram lander
- Pragyan rover
- Propulsion Module
- All components ceased operation
Answer: Propulsion Module
After separating Vikram, the Propulsion Module continued orbiting the Moon, hosting the SHAPE experiment to observe Earthshine for exoplanet habitability studies.
XPoSat, India's first polarimetry mission, studies X-ray polarization from _______ sources.
- Planets
- Bright astronomical
- Solar flares only
- Exoplanets
Answer: Bright astronomical
XPoSat (X-ray Polarimeter Satellite), launched Jan 2024, measures polarization of bright X-ray sources like black holes, neutron stars, and pulsars to understand emission mechanisms.
UKSA stands for United Kingdom Space Agency.
- True
- False
Answer: True
UKSA is the executive agency of the UK government responsible for civil space policy, regulation, and international cooperation.
Which planet has supersonic winds exceeding 2,000 km/h, the fastest in the solar system?
- Jupiter
- Saturn
- Uranus
- Neptune
Answer: Neptune
Neptune exhibits the strongest sustained winds in the solar system, reaching speeds up to 2,100 km/h near the Great Dark Spot, driven by internal heat despite minimal solar input.
Who was the first person to perform a spacewalk (extravehicular activity)?
- Alexei Leonov
- Ed White
- Neil Armstrong
- Bruce McCandless
Answer: Alexei Leonov
Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov conducted the first EVA on March 18, 1965, spending 12 minutes outside Voskhod 2, tethered to the spacecraft.
The EMISAT satellite launched by ISRO in 2019 is primarily used for _______.
- Weather forecasting
- Electronic intelligence (ELINT)
- Communication relay
- Lunar mapping
Answer: Electronic intelligence (ELINT)
EMISAT, developed by ISRO and DRDO, carries Kautilya package for electromagnetic spectrum measurement and ELINT, supporting strategic surveillance.
Pulsars are rapidly rotating neutron stars emitting beams of electromagnetic radiation.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Pulsars are highly magnetized neutron stars rotating at precise intervals, emitting lighthouse-like beams detectable as regular pulses when aligned with Earth.
The Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) for Gaganyaan is being developed with assistance from which country?
- USA
- Russia
- France
- Japan
Answer: Russia
ISRO collaborated with Roscosmos/Glazkosmos for ECLSS technology transfer, critical for maintaining breathable air, temperature, and humidity in the crew module.
Which asteroid was visited by NASA's Dawn spacecraft, orbiting both Vesta and Ceres?
- Eros
- Itokawa
- Bennu
- Vesta and Ceres
Answer: Vesta and Ceres
Dawn orbited protoplanet Vesta (2011-2012) and dwarf planet Ceres (2015-2018), studying early solar system differentiation and water-rich bodies.
The Indian Space Science Data Centre (ISSDC) archiving mission data is located in _______.
- Bengaluru
- Hyderabad
- Ahmedabad
- Thiruvananthapuram
Answer: Bengaluru
ISSDC, part of URSC in Bengaluru, serves as the national repository for scientific data from ISRO's space science missions like AstroSat, Chandrayaan, and Mangalyaan.
Hall-effect thrusters are a type of electric propulsion used in satellites.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Hall thrusters ionize propellant (usually xenon) using electric fields, providing efficient low-thrust propulsion for station-keeping and orbit raising in modern satellites.
Dark energy is hypothesized to be responsible for which phenomenon?
- Galaxy rotation curves
- Accelerating expansion of the universe
- Cosmic microwave background
- Stellar nucleosynthesis
Answer: Accelerating expansion of the universe
Dark energy constitutes ~68% of the universe's energy content and drives the observed acceleration in cosmic expansion, opposing gravitational attraction.
Which mission performed the first asteroid deflection test by kinetic impact in 2022?
- OSIRIS-APEX
- DART
- Lucy
- Psyche
Answer: DART
NASA's DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) successfully impacted Dimorphos in September 2022, altering its orbit around Didymos, proving planetary defense capability.