Which country used steam to propel the moon spacecraft successfully?

Today General Knowledge(GK)

China

Japan

Russia

India

Correct Answer : Option (B) - Japan

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (Jaxa) has successfully used water to propel a spacecraft and claimed it represents "the world's first successful orbit control beyond low-Earth orbit using a water propellant propulsion system."

The craft in question is EQUULEUS, the 6U CubeSat that rode along on NASA's Orion mission.

After flying past the Moon, EQUULEUS was pointed at the second Earth-Moon Lagrange point (EML2). To get there it used an engine named AQUARIUS (AQUA ResIstojet propUlsion System) that uses water as fuel. The craft uses waste heat from communications kit to heat the water into steam that is squirted out to produce thrust.

AQUARIUS also needs little power to operate but is not very powerful. EQUULEUS will take a year and a half to reach EML2 – a point in space worth visiting because it's advantageous for transfer to other orbits. That includes interplanetary orbits.

The combination of EQUULEUS and AQUARIUS makes a visit to EML2 achievable at low cost and is a test case for future visits to the spot.

EQUULEUS carries an instrument called DELPHINUS (DEtection camera for Lunar impact PHenomena IN 6U Spacecraft) designed to observe Lunar impact flashes and near-Earth asteroids from EML2. Another instrument aboard EQUULEUS will observe Earth's plasmasphere..

Source : The Register

Published On : December 3, 2022

Category : Space

Recent General Knowledge Questions

Q .

NIPFP Forecasts India’s FY25 GDP Growth at____.

5.8%

6.3%

6.7%

7.1%

Correct Answer : 7.1%

The National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP) predicts India’s GDP growth for the fiscal year 2024-25 to be 7.1%. Utilizing high-frequency models, NIPFP underscores the government’s fiscal consolidation efforts, emphasizing tax buoyancy and compression of revenue expenditure.

States’ Capex Growth :

In the fiscal year 2023-24, states witness robust capital expenditure (capex) growth, attributed to substantial transfers from the central government. This highlights the effective utilization of resources at the state level, contributing to economic expansion.

Divergent Projections :

While NIPFP’s forecast stands at 7.1%, other entities such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Fitch Ratings estimate a growth rate of 7%. In contrast, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), S&P Global Ratings, and Morgan Stanley project a slightly lower growth rate of 6.8% for FY25, indicating varying perspectives on India’s economic trajectory.

IMF’s Appreciation of India’s Fiscal Discipline :

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) commends India for maintaining fiscal discipline, particularly noteworthy in an election year. Emphasizing the significance of sound macro fundamentals, IMF’s Director for Asia and Pacific Department, Krishna Srinivasan, lauds India’s steady economic performance, projecting growth at 6.8% for 2024-25, driven by private consumption and public investment.

Published On : April 27, 2024

Category : Indian Economy

Q .

Where is the Archery World Cup 2024 being organized?

China

India

Malaysia

South Korea

Correct Answer : China

The Archery World Cup 2024 has begun 23rd April 2024 in Shanghai, China. India’s Jyothi Surekha Vennam finished second in the women’s compound qualification round at Stage I.

The 27-year-old Asian Games gold medallist shot a score of 711 to finish behind Andrea Becerra of Mexico, who had a score of 713.

Meanwhile, the reigning world champion from India, Aditi Swami, finished eighth in the qualification round with a score of 704. The other two Indians, Parneet Kaur (703) and Avneet Kaur (696) finished 14th and 23rd, respectively.

The Indian women’s team, comprising top three scorers Vennam, Swami, and Parneet, finished as the best team in the qualification round with a total score of 2118. The Indian women’s team will, thus, start as the top seeds in the competition, ahead of South Korea (2117) and Mexico (2116). The teams are ranked by adding the individual scores of the top three archers from the country.

In the men’s compound qualification round, no Indian finished in the top 10 of the individual event..

Source : AIR

Published On : April 25, 2024

Category : Sports

Q .

Who has been appointed as the brand ambassador of ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024?

MS Dhoni

Lionel Messi

Usain Bolt

Sachin Tendulkar

Correct Answer : Usain Bolt

Legendary Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt has been named by the International Cricket Council (ICC) as the ambassador for the 9th ICC Men’s T-20 World Cup, which will be hosted by the West Indies and the United States of America jointly from 1 to 29 June 2024.

As a brand ambassador, Usain Bolt will promote the World Cup event, attend T20 World Cup matches in the West Indies, and participate in fan engagement events to promote the cricket sport within the United States.

World Record Holder Legendary Sprinter Usain Bolt

* Usain Bolt, a keen cricket fan, is a legend in track and field athletics. In 2017, he set the world record in the 100-metre race. He also holds the record for winning three gold medals in three consecutive summer Olympics.

* In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Bolt won gold in the men’s 100-metre, 200 metres and 4x100 metres. He created a new world record in all three events.

* At the 2012 London Olympics, he again won gold medals in the 100 metres, 200 metres and 4x100 metres.

* Finally, in the 2016 Rio Olympics, he won gold in 100 metres, 200 metres and 4x100 metres.

* Bolt currently holds world records in the 100 metres, 200 metres and 4x100 metres with times of 9.58 seconds, 19.19 seconds and 36.84 seconds, respectively.

9th ICC Men’s T- 20 World Cup 2004 Teams and Fixtures

The 9th ICC Men’s T-20 World Cup will be the biggest men’s T-20 World Cup in terms of participation. For the first time, 20 teams will participate in the T-20 World Cup. The West Indies and the United States of America will co-host the World Cup from 1 to 29 June 2024.

Published On : April 25, 2024

Category : Sports