General Awareness ยท Physics

Space Exploration and Astronomy

4,144 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 asteroid was the first to be discovered?

  1. Ceres

  2. Pallas

  3. Juno

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

Ceres was the first asteroid to be discovered, on January 1, 1801, by Giuseppe Piazzi.

Multiple choice

Which asteroid was the second to be discovered?

  1. Pallas

  2. Juno

  3. Vesta

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

Pallas was the second asteroid to be discovered, on March 28, 1802, by Heinrich Wilhelm Olbers.

Multiple choice

Which asteroid was the third to be discovered?

  1. Juno

  2. Vesta

  3. Davida

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

Juno was the third asteroid to be discovered, on September 1, 1804, by Karl Ludwig Harding.

Multiple choice

Which asteroid was the fourth to be discovered?

  1. Vesta

  2. Davida

  3. Interamnia

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

Vesta was the fourth asteroid to be discovered, on March 29, 1807, by Heinrich Wilhelm Olbers.

Multiple choice

Which asteroid was the fifth to be discovered?

  1. Davida

  2. Interamnia

  3. Europa

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

Davida was the fifth asteroid to be discovered, on May 29, 1850, by Annibale de Gasparis.

Multiple choice

Which supernova was featured on a stamp issued by the Soviet Union in 1987?

  1. SN 1987A

  2. SN 1054

  3. SN 1572

  4. SN 1604
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The Soviet Union issued a stamp in 1987 to commemorate the discovery of SN 1987A, a nearby supernova that was visible to the naked eye.

Multiple choice

Which country issued a stamp in 2025 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope?

  1. United States

  2. Russia

  3. Germany

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

The United States issued a stamp in 2025 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope, which has made significant observations of supernovas.

Multiple choice

In Kim Stanley Robinson's novel (Aurora), what is the name of the generation ship that is sent on a centuries-long journey to a distant star system?

  1. Aurora

  2. Genesis

  3. Discovery

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

Aurora is the name of the generation ship that is sent on a centuries-long journey to a distant star system in Kim Stanley Robinson's novel.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the experiment that is currently being conducted to study the cosmic microwave background radiation?

  1. BICEP2

  2. Keck Array

  3. SPT-3G

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

BICEP2 is an experiment that is currently being conducted to study the cosmic microwave background radiation. It is located at the South Pole and is designed to measure the polarization of the cosmic microwave background radiation, which can provide information about the early universe and the properties of dark energy.

Multiple choice

In the movie "2001: A Space Odyssey", what is the name of the sentient computer that controls the Discovery One spaceship?

  1. HAL 9000

  2. Skynet

  3. Mother

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

HAL 9000 is the advanced artificial intelligence system that controls the Discovery One spaceship in "2001: A Space Odyssey".

Multiple choice

In the movie "Interstellar", what is the name of the space mission led by Cooper to find a new home for humanity?

  1. Lazarus Mission

  2. Endurance Mission

  3. Ares Mission

  4. Ranger Mission
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The Endurance Mission is the space mission undertaken in "Interstellar" to find a new habitable planet for humanity.

Multiple choice

In the movie "Apollo 13", what is the name of the lunar module that experiences a critical oxygen tank failure during the Apollo 13 mission?

  1. Aquarius

  2. Columbia

  3. Eagle

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

Odyssey is the name of the lunar module that experiences a critical oxygen tank failure in "Apollo 13", endangering the lives of the astronauts.

Multiple choice

Which movie features the character of Cooper, a former NASA pilot who is recruited to lead a space mission to find a new home for humanity?

  1. Interstellar

  2. Gravity

  3. The Martian

  4. Apollo 13
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Cooper is the protagonist in "Interstellar", where he leads a space mission to find a new home for humanity.

Multiple choice

In the movie "Armageddon", what is the name of the team of oil drillers who are recruited to travel to an asteroid and plant a nuclear device to destroy it before it collides with Earth?

  1. Armageddon Team

  2. Deep Impact Team

  3. Independence Day Team

  4. Mars Mission Team
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The Armageddon Team is the group of oil drillers who are recruited to travel to an asteroid and plant a nuclear device in "Armageddon".

Multiple choice

Which spacecraft power system is used on the International Space Station?

  1. Solar Arrays

  2. Batteries

  3. Fuel Cells

  4. Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The International Space Station uses solar arrays to generate electricity.