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

Multiple choice

What is SRE-1?

  1. Combat aircraft

  2. Submarine

  3. Space capsule

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

SRE-1 (Space Recovery Experiment-1) was ISRO's space capsule successfully recovered in 2007. It tested reusable spacecraft technology, reentry systems, and navigation. It's not an aircraft, submarine, or ballistic missile. This was a key milestone for India's human spaceflight ambitions.

Multiple choice

What is UDFy-38135539, which is in news in the month of Oct, 2010?

  1. The New Planet

  2. The Galaxy

  3. The Moon of Mars

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

SUDFy-38135539 (also known as HUDF.YD3) is the Hubble Ultra Deep Field (UDF) identifier for a galaxy which has been calculated (as of October 2010) to have a light travel time of 13 billion years with a present comoving distance of around 30 billion light-years.

Multiple choice

FIRST SPACE SHIP LANDED ON MARS?

  1. APPOLO 11

  2. APPOLO 12

  3. VIKING 1

  4. VIKING 2
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

NASA's Viking 1 was the first spacecraft to successfully land on Mars and complete its mission in 1976. While the Soviet Mars 3 touched down in 1971, it failed almost immediately after landing.

Multiple choice

The Halley's Comet will be visible in the year

  1. 2064

  2. 2066

  3. 2062

  4. 2060
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Halley's Comet has an orbital period of approximately 76 years. Having last appeared in 1986, it is calculated to return to the inner solar system in mid-2061 to early 2062.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the American space programme?

  1. Bhaba

  2. NASA

  3. NADA

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

NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) is the independent agency of the U.S. federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics, and space research.

Multiple choice

Name the satellites launched by NASA to investigate the earth's gravity?

  1. Dennis

  2. Garfield

  3. Tom and Jerry

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

The GRACE mission satellites, launched in 2002, were nicknamed Tom and Jerry as they 'chased' each other in orbit. By measuring the distance between the two satellites, scientists could map variations in Earth's gravitational field.

Multiple choice

Directions: In the question below, the first and the last (correctly ordered) sentences are numbered 1 and 6. The rest of the passage is split into four parts labelled B, C, D and E. These four parts are not given in the proper order. Choose the correct combination among the four alternatives mentioned to give the correct order.

  1. As science fiction established in the early 20th century, destinations such as the Moon, Mars, Venus, and other bodies within the Solar System began to seem stale. B. This tendency became predominant once the exploration of the Solar System was complete enough to conclusively demonstrate the unlikelihood of any highly developed form of extraterrestrial life here. C. Authors invoked a variety of mechanisms for superluminal travel and placed their stories on worlds in planetary systems around other stars. D. This was an innovation that gave them the freedom to construct exotic fictional planets and themes. E. Although some of the stars named in works of science fiction are purely imaginary.
  2. Yet many authors and artists have preferred to use the names of real stars that are well known to astronomers, and indeed the lay public.

  1. BCDE

  2. DBCE

  3. CDBE

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

‘Destinations such as ….began to seem stale’ in 1 is followed by ‘authors invoked a variety of mechanisms’ in C. ‘innovation’ in D refers to ‘mechanisms’ in C, ‘this tendency’ in B refers to 'freedom to construct' in D. Thus, we get CDB link. ‘Although….purely imagery’ in E is complemented by ‘yet…real stars’ in 6.

Multiple choice

Who among the following was Israel's first astronaut?

  1. llan Ramon

  2. Manu Disoso

  3. Gilvy Foll

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

Ilan Ramon was a fighter pilot and the first Israeli astronaut for ISA. He served as a payload specialist on the Space Shuttle Columbia during the STS-107 mission, which tragically ended in disaster during re-entry in 2003. He is remembered as a national hero in Israel.

Multiple choice

China's first man in space?

  1. Yang lwei

  2. Yacht lea

  3. Chian silo

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

Yang Liwei was China's first man in space in 2003. The question has typos but the answer is correct.