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

What is the name of the comet that was discovered in 1997 and became known for its bright greenish coma?

  1. Hale-Bopp Comet

  2. Hyakutake Comet

  3. Shoemaker-Levy 9 Comet

  4. Halley's Comet
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Hale-Bopp Comet was discovered in 1997 and became known for its bright greenish coma, which was visible to the naked eye for 18 months.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the comet that was discovered in 2007 and became known for its extremely dusty tail?

  1. McNaught Comet

  2. Lovejoy Comet

  3. ISON Comet

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

McNaught Comet was discovered in 2007 and became known for its extremely dusty tail, which was visible to the naked eye for several weeks.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the comet that was discovered in 2014 and became known for its extremely close approach to the Sun?

  1. Lovejoy Comet

  2. McNaught Comet

  3. ISON Comet

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

Lovejoy Comet was discovered in 2014 and became known for its extremely close approach to the Sun, passing within 1.5 million kilometers of the Sun's surface.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the comet that was discovered in 2020 and became known for its extremely long tail?

  1. NEOWISE Comet

  2. Lovejoy Comet

  3. McNaught Comet

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

NEOWISE Comet was discovered in 2020 and became known for its extremely long tail, which stretched for millions of kilometers.

Multiple choice

What is the purpose of the International Space Station (ISS)?

  1. To conduct scientific research in space

  2. To test new technologies for space exploration

  3. To promote international cooperation in space

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The purpose of the International Space Station (ISS) is to conduct scientific research in space, test new technologies for space exploration, and promote international cooperation in space.

Multiple choice

What is the purpose of the Artemis program?

  1. To send humans back to the Moon

  2. To establish a permanent human presence on the Moon

  3. To explore the Moon's resources

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The purpose of the Artemis program is to send humans back to the Moon, establish a permanent human presence on the Moon, and explore the Moon's resources.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the first interstellar object that was discovered?

  1. 'Oumuamua

  2. 2I/Borisov

  3. C/2019 Q4 (Borisov)

  4. C/2017 U1 (PANSTARRS)
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

'Oumuamua is the first interstellar object that was discovered. It is a small, cigar-shaped object that is about 400 meters long.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the first space telescope that was launched?

  1. Hubble Space Telescope

  2. Chandra X-ray Observatory

  3. Spitzer Space Telescope

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

Hubble Space Telescope is the first space telescope that was launched. It was launched in 1990 and has revolutionized our understanding of the universe.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the first space probe that was sent to Mars?

  1. Mariner 4

  2. Mariner 9

  3. Viking 1

  4. Viking 2
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Mariner 4 was the first space probe that was sent to Mars. It was launched in 1964 and flew by Mars in 1965.

Multiple choice

What was the primary mirror of the Hubble Space Telescope made of?

  1. Beryllium

  2. Gold

  3. Aluminum

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

The primary mirror of the Hubble Space Telescope was made of beryllium, a lightweight and stiff material that is also very stable at cryogenic temperatures.

Multiple choice

How many solar panels did the Hubble Space Telescope have?

  1. 2

  2. 4

  3. 6

  4. 8
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The Hubble Space Telescope had two solar panels, which were each 2.6 meters wide and 7.6 meters long.

Multiple choice

How many batteries did the Hubble Space Telescope have?

  1. 4

  2. 6

  3. 8

  4. 10
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The Hubble Space Telescope had six nickel-hydrogen batteries, which were used to store power for the telescope's instruments and systems.

Multiple choice

What was the cost of the Hubble Space Telescope?

  1. $1.5 billion
  2. $2.0 billion
  3. $2.5 billion
  4. $3.0 billion
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The Hubble Space Telescope cost $2.5 billion to design, build, and launch.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is NOT a type of asteroid impact crater?

  1. Simple crater

  2. Complex crater

  3. Central peak crater

  4. Peak-ring crater
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Central peak craters are a type of volcanic crater, not an asteroid impact crater.

Multiple choice

What is the largest asteroid impact crater in the solar system?

  1. Vredefort Crater, South Africa

  2. Sudbury Basin, Canada

  3. Chicxulub Crater, Mexico

  4. Hellas Planitia, Mars
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Hellas Planitia is about 2,300 kilometers in diameter and is estimated to be about 3.9 billion years old.