General Awareness ยท Physics

Space Exploration and Astronomy

3,952 Questions

Review significant milestones in space exploration, including artificial satellites, reusable space shuttles, and historic lunar landings. This topic also covers astronomical phenomena and telescopic observations. Such scientific general knowledge is commonly tested in SSC, railways, and banking examinations.

Space shuttle missionsArtificial satellitesLunar and planetary landingsSpace telescopes and observatories

Space Exploration and Astronomy Questions

Multiple choice

What is the name of the space probe that was sent to explore the surface of Saturn's moon Titan?

  1. Cassini-Huygens

  2. Voyager 1

  3. Voyager 2

  4. Pioneer 11
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Cassini-Huygens is the name of the space probe that was sent to explore the surface of Saturn's moon Titan.

Multiple choice

What is the Square Kilometer Array (SKA)?

  1. A next-generation radio telescope

  2. A space telescope

  3. A particle accelerator

  4. A supercomputer
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The SKA is a next-generation radio telescope that will be the world's largest and most sensitive radio telescope.

Multiple choice

When will the SKA be completed?

  1. Early 2020s

  2. Late 2020s

  3. Early 2030s

  4. Late 2030s
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
Correct answer
Explanation

The SKA will be built in two phases, with the first phase, SKA1, being completed in the early 2020s and the second phase, SKA2, being completed in the late 2020s.

Multiple choice

When will the SKA be operational?

  1. 2020

  2. 2025

  3. 2030

  4. 2035
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The SKA will be operational in 2030.

Multiple choice

What is space debris?

  1. Natural objects in space

  2. Artificial objects in space

  3. Both natural and artificial objects in space

  4. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Space debris is any artificial object in space that no longer serves any useful purpose.

Multiple choice

What are the main sources of space debris?

  1. Rocket launches

  2. Satellite explosions

  3. Collisions between satellites

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Space debris is created by a variety of sources, including rocket launches, satellite explosions, and collisions between satellites.

Multiple choice

How much space debris is there in orbit around Earth?

  1. Less than 100,000 objects

  2. Between 100,000 and 1 million objects

  3. Between 1 million and 10 million objects

  4. More than 10 million objects
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

There are an estimated 29,000 pieces of debris larger than 10 centimeters in orbit around Earth, and millions of smaller pieces.

Multiple choice

What is being done to address the problem of space debris?

  1. Developing new technologies to remove debris from orbit

  2. Creating international agreements to reduce the amount of debris generated

  3. Both of the above

  4. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

There are a number of efforts underway to address the problem of space debris, including developing new technologies to remove debris from orbit and creating international agreements to reduce the amount of debris generated.

Multiple choice

What is the Clean Space Initiative?

  1. A European Space Agency program to remove space debris from orbit

  2. A NASA program to develop new technologies for removing space debris

  3. A United Nations program to promote international cooperation on space debris

  4. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The Clean Space Initiative is a European Space Agency program to remove space debris from orbit and demonstrate new technologies for preventing the creation of new debris.

Multiple choice

What is the RemoveDEBRIS mission?

  1. A European Space Agency mission to demonstrate technologies for removing space debris

  2. A NASA mission to develop new technologies for removing space debris

  3. A United Nations mission to promote international cooperation on space debris

  4. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The RemoveDEBRIS mission is a European Space Agency mission to demonstrate technologies for removing space debris, including a harpoon, a net, and a drag sail.

Multiple choice

What is the Space Fence?

  1. A U.S. military radar system that tracks space debris

  2. A NASA radar system that tracks space debris

  3. A European Space Agency radar system that tracks space debris

  4. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The Space Fence is a U.S. military radar system that tracks space debris and provides data to satellite operators and other users.

Multiple choice

What is the Joint Space Operations Center (JSpOC)?

  1. A U.S. military organization that tracks space debris

  2. A NASA organization that tracks space debris

  3. A European Space Agency organization that tracks space debris

  4. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The Joint Space Operations Center (JSpOC) is a U.S. military organization that tracks space debris and provides data to satellite operators and other users.

Multiple choice

What is the Space Debris Research Center (SDRC)?

  1. A NASA center that conducts research on space debris

  2. A European Space Agency center that conducts research on space debris

  3. A United Nations center that conducts research on space debris

  4. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The Space Debris Research Center (SDRC) is a NASA center that conducts research on space debris and develops new technologies for removing space debris.

Multiple choice

Which asteroid is known as the 'potato asteroid' due to its unusual shape?

  1. Eros

  2. Ida

  3. Gaspra

  4. Phobos
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Eros is known as the 'potato asteroid' due to its unusual elongated shape.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the mission that visited the asteroid Vesta in 2011?

  1. Dawn

  2. New Horizons

  3. Voyager 1

  4. Cassini-Huygens
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The Dawn mission visited the asteroid Vesta in 2011 and also visited the dwarf planet Ceres in 2015.