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 space shuttle was featured on a stamp issued by the United Kingdom in 2012?

  1. Columbia

  2. Challenger

  3. Discovery

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

The United Kingdom issued a stamp featuring the space shuttle Atlantis in 2012.

Multiple choice

What was the theme of the stamp series issued by the United States Postal Service in 2018 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Space Shuttle Program?

  1. Space Shuttle Missions

  2. Space Shuttle Astronauts

  3. Space Shuttle Technology

  4. Space Shuttle Legacy
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The stamp series issued by the United States Postal Service in 2018 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Space Shuttle Program had the theme 'Space Shuttle Legacy'.

Multiple choice

Which space shuttle was featured on a stamp issued by Australia in 2019?

  1. Columbia

  2. Challenger

  3. Discovery

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

Australia issued a stamp featuring the space shuttle Discovery in 2019.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the alien race that Superman belongs to?

  1. Kryptonians

  2. Martians

  3. Daxamites

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

Superman is a Kryptonian, an alien from the planet Krypton.

Multiple choice

Which of the following was the first hydrogen bomb?

  1. Ivy Mike

  2. Castle Bravo

  3. RDS-37

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

Ivy Mike was the first hydrogen bomb, and it was detonated in the Marshall Islands in 1952.

Multiple choice

What was the name of the telescope that Galileo used to observe the planets and moons?

  1. The refracting telescope

  2. The reflecting telescope

  3. The compound microscope

  4. The electron microscope
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Galileo used a refracting telescope to observe the planets and moons. This type of telescope uses lenses to focus light.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the space telescope that discovered the first Earth-sized exoplanet?

  1. Hubble Space Telescope

  2. Galaxy Evolution Explorer

  3. Kepler Space Telescope

  4. Spitzer Space Telescope
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The Kepler Space Telescope discovered the first Earth-sized exoplanet, Kepler-186f, in 2014. Kepler was a space telescope that was launched in 2009 and was used to search for exoplanets.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the space telescope that detected water vapor in the atmosphere of a hot Jupiter?

  1. Hubble Space Telescope

  2. Galaxy Evolution Explorer

  3. Spitzer Space Telescope

  4. James Webb Space Telescope
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The Spitzer Space Telescope detected water vapor in the atmosphere of a hot Jupiter, HD 189733b, in 2007. Spitzer was a space telescope that was launched in 2003 and was used to study a wide range of objects, including galaxies, stars, and planets.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the next-generation ultraviolet space telescope that is scheduled to be launched in the 2030s?

  1. Hubble Space Telescope

  2. Galaxy Evolution Explorer

  3. James Webb Space Telescope

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

LUVOIR (Large Ultraviolet Optical Infrared Surveyor) is the next-generation ultraviolet space telescope that is scheduled to be launched in the 2030s. LUVOIR will be able to study a wide range of objects, including galaxies, stars, and planets.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the largest and most powerful space telescope currently under development by NASA?

  1. James Webb Space Telescope

  2. Hubble Space Telescope

  3. Spitzer Space Telescope

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

The James Webb Space Telescope is a next-generation space telescope designed to study the universe in infrared light. It is expected to launch in 2022 and will be able to see some of the first galaxies that formed in the universe.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the first interstellar object to be discovered passing through our solar system?

  1. 'Oumuamua

  2. 2I/Borisov

  3. C/2019 Q4 (Borisov)

  4. 95P/Chiron
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

'Oumuamua was the first interstellar object to be discovered passing through our solar system. It was discovered in 2017 and is thought to have originated from another star system.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the first space telescope to be launched into orbit?

  1. Hubble Space Telescope

  2. Compton Gamma Ray Observatory

  3. Chandra X-ray Observatory

  4. Spitzer Space Telescope
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The Hubble Space Telescope was the first space telescope to be launched into orbit. It was launched in 1990 and has revolutionized our understanding of the universe.

Multiple choice

What was the primary objective of the first Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Mission (SM1)?

  1. To replace the solar arrays

  2. To install new scientific instruments

  3. To repair the telescope's optics

  4. To upgrade the telescope's computer systems
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The primary objective of SM1 was to replace the telescope's solar arrays, which had degraded over time and were no longer providing enough power to operate the telescope.

Multiple choice

How many servicing missions were conducted on the Hubble Space Telescope?

  1. 4

  2. 5

  3. 6

  4. 7
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

There were a total of 5 Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Missions (SM1-SM5) conducted between 1993 and 2009.

Multiple choice

Which servicing mission installed the Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2) instrument?

  1. SM1

  2. SM2

  3. SM3

  4. SM4
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The WFPC2 instrument was installed during SM1 in 1993. It was a significant upgrade to the telescope's capabilities, allowing for wider field of view and improved sensitivity.