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

Which Indian institution is involved in the international collaboration for the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST), which will study dark matter?

  1. Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR)

  2. Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA)

  3. National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA)

  4. Physical Research Laboratory (PRL)
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) is involved in the international collaboration for the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST), which will study dark matter and other astronomical phenomena.

Multiple choice

Which spacecraft was the first to successfully rendezvous with an asteroid?

  1. NEAR Shoemaker

  2. Hayabusa

  3. Dawn

  4. OSIRIS-REx
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

NEAR Shoemaker was the first spacecraft to successfully rendezvous with an asteroid, Eros, in 1998.

Multiple choice

What was the primary mission objective of the Hayabusa spacecraft?

  1. To return a sample of asteroid material to Earth

  2. To study the surface composition of an asteroid

  3. To measure the mass and density of an asteroid

  4. To map the topography of an asteroid
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The primary mission objective of the Hayabusa spacecraft was to return a sample of asteroid material to Earth, which it successfully did in 2010.

Multiple choice

Which spacecraft was the first to orbit two asteroids?

  1. NEAR Shoemaker

  2. Hayabusa

  3. Dawn

  4. OSIRIS-REx
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Dawn was the first spacecraft to orbit two asteroids, Vesta and Ceres, in 2011 and 2015, respectively.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the asteroid that OSIRIS-REx is currently studying?

  1. Bennu

  2. Ryugu

  3. Itokawa

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

OSIRIS-REx is currently studying the asteroid Bennu, which it arrived at in 2018.

Multiple choice

Which asteroid is known for its two prominent moons?

  1. Ida

  2. Gaspra

  3. Phobos

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

Ida is known for its two prominent moons, Dactyl and S/2003 (243) 1.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the spacecraft that discovered the first asteroid?

  1. Galileo

  2. Voyager 1

  3. Pioneer 10

  4. Ceres
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Ceres was the first asteroid to be discovered, in 1801 by Giuseppe Piazzi.

Multiple choice

Which asteroid is the target of the JAXA Hayabusa2 mission?

  1. Ryugu

  2. Bennu

  3. Itokawa

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

The JAXA Hayabusa2 mission is targeting the asteroid Ryugu.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the spacecraft that is scheduled to return a sample of asteroid Bennu to Earth in 2023?

  1. NEAR Shoemaker

  2. Hayabusa

  3. Dawn

  4. OSIRIS-REx
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

OSIRIS-REx is scheduled to return a sample of asteroid Bennu to Earth in 2023.

Multiple choice

Which asteroid is known for its unusual shape?

  1. Eros

  2. Gaspra

  3. Ida

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

Eros is known for its unusual shape, which is roughly potato-shaped.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the asteroid that is the target of the NASA Psyche mission?

  1. Psyche

  2. Ceres

  3. Vesta

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

The NASA Psyche mission is targeting the asteroid Psyche, which is believed to be the exposed core of a planet.

Multiple choice

Which asteroid is known for its high concentration of precious metals?

  1. Psyche

  2. Ceres

  3. Vesta

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

Psyche is known for its high concentration of precious metals, such as iron and nickel.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the spacecraft that is scheduled to launch in 2022 to study the Trojan asteroids?

  1. Lucy

  2. Psyche

  3. OSIRIS-REx

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

Lucy is scheduled to launch in 2022 to study the Trojan asteroids, which are a group of asteroids that share Jupiter's orbit around the Sun.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the telescope that was launched into space in 1990?

  1. Hubble Space Telescope

  2. James Webb Space Telescope

  3. Spitzer Space Telescope

  4. Chandra X-ray Observatory
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The Hubble Space Telescope was launched into space in 1990 and has provided astronomers with stunning images of the universe.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the spacecraft that landed on Mars in 2012?

  1. Curiosity

  2. Opportunity

  3. Spirit

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

Curiosity is the name of the spacecraft that landed on Mars in 2012.