General Awareness · 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
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Taiwan's
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China's
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Japan's
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Korea's
B
Correct answer
Explanation
Yang Liwei became China's first person in space aboard Shenzhou 5 in 2003. He was not the first human in space (that was Yuri Gagarin from USSR in 1961), but he was indeed China's first taikonaut.
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landed on the moon
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made space fights
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floated in space
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all the above
A
Correct answer
Explanation
Neil Armstrong became the first human to set foot on the Moon on July 20, 1969, during the Apollo 11 mission. His famous words 'That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind' marked this historic achievement. The question contains a spelling error in his name (Armstrang instead of Armstrong) but the answer is correct.
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Galileo
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Magellan
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Newton
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Challenger
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A balloon rocket
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A water rocket
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A skyrocket
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A model rocket
C
Correct answer
Explanation
A skyrocket is a type of firework that uses a solid rocket motor to rise quickly into the sky. At the apex of its ascent, it is usual for a variety of effects (stars, bangs, crackles, etc.) to be emitted.
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Apollo 16
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Apollo 8
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Apollo 14
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Apollo 11
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Apollo 10
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Soyuz
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Aryabhata
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Vikrant
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INSAT
C
Correct answer
Explanation
All except Vikrant are satellites.
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Bode's galaxies
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Milky way galaxies
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Andromeda galaxies
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Integral sign galaxies
B
Correct answer
Explanation
The Milky Way galaxy is the home of our solar system. It formed about 5 billion years after the Big Bang, and our Sun and planetary system reside within one of its spiral arms, about 26,000 light-years from the galactic center.
D
Correct answer
Explanation
Onyx, Misty, and Samos are all verified US spy satellite programs from the Cold War era. Onyx was a radar imaging satellite, Misty was an optical reconnaissance program, and Samos was an early space reconnaissance system. Quincy was a US Navy heavy cruiser and a city in Massachusetts, but there is no documented US spy satellite program by that name, making it the correct answer.
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Newton crater
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Ronald crater
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Disilva crater
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Collins crater
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Moon
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Connell - 23
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Amarind -56
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Galaxy
A
Correct answer
Explanation
The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. While Earth has thousands of artificial satellites (spacecraft, debris), the Moon is the sole natural body that permanently orbits our planet.
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Sputnik
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Insat-2
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Apple-3
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Moon
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None of these
D
Correct answer
Explanation
The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite, orbiting our planet at an average distance of 384,400 km. Sputnik was an artificial Soviet satellite; INSAT-2 is an Indian communications satellite; Apple-3 is not a real satellite name. The Moon is a natural celestial body that has been orbiting Earth for billions of years.
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meteors
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meteoroids
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planets
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stars
B
Correct answer
Explanation
Meteoroids are small pieces of space debris (rock or metal) on collision courses with Earth. When they burn up in Earth's atmosphere creating light streaks, they become meteors. If they survive and reach the surface, they're called meteorites. Planets and stars are much larger celestial bodies.
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Chiron
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Kelvin
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Snell
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Faraday
A
Correct answer
Explanation
Asteroid 2060 Chiron is a centaur asteroid discovered in 1977, orbiting between Saturn and Uranus in an unstable orbit. Kelvin, Snell, and Faraday are not asteroids - they are famous scientists (thermodynamics, optics, and electromagnetism respectively) whose names are not associated with asteroid discoveries.
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LADER
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LAD
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LADEE
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none of these
C
Correct answer
Explanation
LADEE (Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer) was a NASA mission to the Moon launched in 2013. It studied the Moon's thin atmosphere and lunar dust environment.
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Mars
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Mercury
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Jupiter
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Moon
B
Correct answer
Explanation
NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft (MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging) was a mission to study Mercury. It was the first spacecraft to orbit Mercury and provided detailed mapping and scientific data about the planet. The mission operated from 2011 to 2015.