Latest Space General Knowledge(GK) Questions and answers

1 .

Which country has successfully launched a military satellite, "Noor-2", into orbit at an altitude of 500 kilometres (311 miles) from the earth?

A)

Israel

B)

Pakistan

C)

Iran

D)

Saudi Arabia

Correct Answer : Iran

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has successfully put a second military satellite, the Noor 2, into orbit, the state-media said on Tuesday(8th Mar 2022).

The announcement came as talks held in Vienna to revive an agreement restraining Iran's nuclear program have reached a critical stage.

Noor 2 is orbiting at an altitude of 500 kilometres (311 miles). The first military satellite, launched by the Islamic Republic in April 2020, placed the Noor, or "light" in Persian, at an orbit of 425km (265 miles) above the earth’s surface.

Putting a second satellite in space would be a major advance for Iran’s military, raising concerns about the country's nuclear and missile programs.

Iran will send a series of military satellites into orbit over the coming years, Space Commander of the Revolutionary Guards' Aerospace Force Ali Jafarabadi said on Tuesday(8th Mar 2022)..

Source : US News

2 .

Which nation has threatened to detach itself from the International Space Station?

A)

China

B)

Russia

C)

Ukraine

D)

South Korea

Correct Answer : Russia

Russia has reportedly released a propaganda video that shows Russian cosmonauts disconnecting the Russian ISS modules from the International Space Station. The video is reportedly sort of a joke film or could even be a silent threat from Russia amid complete breakdown of relations with the United States and the west.

3 .

The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)-T is a next-generation weather satellite launched by which space agency to forecast hazardous environmental conditions.

A)

NASA

B)

ISRO

C)

Roscosmos

D)

China space agency (CNSA)

Correct Answer : NASA

The US space agency, NASA, successfully launched the third in a series of four next-generation weather satellites, Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES), from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida on March 01, 2022. The satellite is named as GOES-T. Once the satellite gets positioned in its geostationary orbit it will be renamed from GOES-T to GOES-18.

4 .

Which country Launches "Long March-8 Rocket" 22 Satellites into Space in Feb 2022?

A)

India

B)

Japan

C)

Brazil

D)

China

Correct Answer : China

China launched a Long March-8 rocket to place 22 satellites in space on Sunday(27th Feb 2022), setting a domestic record for the most spacecraft launched by a single rocket.

The rocket blasted off at 11.06 a.m. (Beijing Time) at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in the southern Hainan Province before sending the satellites into preset orbits, Xinhua news agency reported.

These satellites will be mainly used for commercial remote sensing services, marine environment monitoring, forest fire prevention and disaster mitigation.

The mission marked the 409th flight of the Long March carrier rockets.

The Long March-8 rocket carrying 22 satellites blasts off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province, February 27, 2022.

Source : Business Standard

5 .

The International Space Stat‭ion will cease its functioning by which year?

A)

2025

B)

2027

C)

2029

D)

2031

Correct Answer : 2031

NASA has announced that the International Space Station (ISS) will cease its functioning by 2031. The space agency plans to make the space station fall in the Pacific Ocean after its operation are brought to an end. The ISS has been in operations for over two decades.

6 .

ISRO successfully launched which Earth observation satellite in its first launch in 2022?

A)

EOS-02

B)

EOS-03

C)

EOS-04

D)

EOS-05

Correct Answer : EOS-04

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched the earth observation satellite EOS-04 in the early hours of Monday(14th Feb 2022), along with two other satellites, on the PSLV-C52 mission. This is ISRO’s first launch of the year, and follows the failed launch of the EOS-03 satellite in August last year(2021).

The EOS-04, formerly known as RISAT-1A, is a land-based earth observation satellite that images using radar. It functions in all weather conditions and is used for agricultural and forestry applications like terrain mapping and soil moisture monitoring. On Monday, it was inserted into a sun synchronous orbit at an altitude of 529 km from the surface.

EOS-04 is the sixth satellite to be launched under the RISAT (Radar Imaging Satellite) programme in the last decade.

The two other satellites were INS-2TD, a technology demonstrator from ISRO with a thermal imaging camera, and INSPIREsat-1, a student satellite developed by the Indian Institute of Space Technology (IIST) to study the ionosphere.

The satellites were launched on the PSLV, which lifted off at 05.59 am from the first launch pad at Sriharikota. It was the 23rd flight of the PSLV in its XL configuration with six strap-on motors. Overall, it is the 54th flight of a PSLV rocket and the 80th launch from Satish Dhawan Space Centre.

“The primary satellite, EOS-04 has been put in a very precise orbit by PSLV-C52. Co-passenger satellites INS-2TD and INSPIREsat-1 have also been placed in the right orbits. This spacecraft is going to be one of the biggest assets to serve the country. We will be back again with another launch of PSLV very soon,” new ISRO chief S. Somanath said in a press conference following the launch.

Source : The Print

7 .

Who is decommissioned INSAT-4B through 11 Re-orbiting manoeuvres?

A)

NASA

B)

ISRO

C)

JAXA

D)

Roscosmos

Correct Answer : ISRO

Amid the growing concern over junk in outer space, the Indian Space & Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully disposed of one of its satellites after it completed its operational life in orbit. The INSAT-4B underwent Post Mission Disposal (PMD) at the end of its service, followed by decommissioning on January 24, 2022, Isro said.

"INSAT-4B is the 21st Indian Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) satellite to undergo post-mission disposal, the required propellant for such re-orbiting was included in the initial fuel budget as a part of standard practice followed in ISRO's GEO mission planning," Isro said in a statement.

The development is in compliance with the UN and the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) recommended space debris mitigation guidelines. The IADC guidelines provide guidance for limiting the generation of orbital debris both during and after space operations. The guidelines also define accepted disposal orbits and other conditions, such as the timeline for abandoning commonly used orbits and controlling the risk to people and property on the Earth.

Isro added that the successful post-mission disposal of INSAT-4B through meticulous planning and flawless execution marks yet another endeavour by the space agency to ensure the safety and sustainability of outer space operations.

Source : India Today

8 .

Who is took charge as the director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) Feb 2022?

A)

Dr S Srinivasan

B)

Dr Unnikrishnan Nair

C)

Dr G Madhavan Nair

D)

Dr K Radhakrishnan

Correct Answer : Dr Unnikrishnan Nair

Distinguished scientist and launch vehicle specialist Dr S Unnikrishnan Nair took charge as the director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) on Monday(7th Feb 2022).

VSSC is a key space research centre of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and specialises in rocket and space vehicles for satellite programs.

Nair, who started his career in VSSC Trivandrum in 1985, has made significant contributions in launch vehicle mechanisms, acoustic protection systems and payload fairing areas during his tenure.

Nair has BTech in Mechanical Engineering from Kerala University, ME in Aerospace engineering from IISc, Bengaluru and PhD in Mechanical Engineering from IIT(M), Chennai.

In January 2019, Nair took over as the first director of Human Space Flight Centre, Bengaluru, which is spearheading the Gaganyaan programme. He will continue to hold this position along with his new role at the VSSC.

Source : India Today

9 .

NASA is planning to retire the International Space Station by which year?

A)

December 2025

B)

March 2028

C)

January 2031

D)

November 2034

Correct Answer : January 2031

NASA is planning to retire the International Space Station (ISS) in January 2031 and has laid out a detailed transition plan. The space agency is planning to open the ISS for commercial activities in its final decade of operational life.

10 .

The SSLV can carry satellites weighing a maximum how many kilograms to low orbit?

A)

500 kg

B)

1000 kg

C)

1500 kg

D)

2000 kg

Correct Answer : 500 kg

The SSLV can carry satellites weighing up to 500 kg to a low earth orbit while the tried and tested PSLV can launch satellites weighing in the range of 1000 kg.

The Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) much-delayed indigenous new launch rockets, called the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV), will have its maiden development flight in April, new Chairman Dr S Somanath indicated during Tuesday’s(27th Jan 2022) meeting with Union Minister of State for Space Jitendra Singh.

In an official statement, the Press Information Bureau said Dr Somanath mentioned the launch of an “SSLV-D1 Micro SAT in April 2022”.

The SSLV aims to cater to the market for the launch of small satellites into Earth’s low orbits that has emerged in recent years to cater to the need of developing countries, universities for small satellites, and private corporations...

Source : Financial Express

Space - General Knowledge Questions