Space - General Knowledge Questions

Correct Answer :   Iran

Iran's Revolutionary Guards, a branch of the nation's armed forces, launched the Noor 3 spacecraft atop a three-stage Qasem rocket on Wednesday (Sept. 27, 2023).

The spacecraft's two predecessors, Noor 1 and Noor 2, launched in April 2020 and March 2022, respectively, also atop Qased rockets.

Noor 1 fell back to Earth in April 2022, but Noor 2 remains operational — and may work in concert with Noor 3 when the latter satellite comes online.

"Notable that Noor 3 was launched to the *current* altitude of Noor 2, not its original altitude [of about 310 miles, or 500 km]. The two sats are in roughly the same orbital plane, suggesting they may work together. In contrast, Noor 1 was already on its way to reentry when Noor 2 was launched," astrophysicist and satellite tracker Jonathan McDowell wrote via X (formerly known as Twitter) on Wednesday.

Notable that Noor 3 was launched to the *current* altitude of Noor 2, not its original altitude. The two sats are in roughly the same orbital plane, suggesting they may work together. In contrast, Noor 1 was already on its way to reentry when Noor 2 was launched pic.twitter.com/S5dqol5dpR

— Jonathan McDowell (@planet4589) September 27, 2023

Source : Space

Correct Answer :   Japan

Japan launched a lunar lander on 7th Sep 2023, aiming to become the fifth nation to achieve a soft landing on the moon's surface following India's success in a similar mission last month.

The Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) was sent to space on an H-IIA rocket. The launch was originally scheduled for the 26th of August but was postponed three times due to bad weather.

SLIM is taking a long route to the Moon and is scheduled to make a landing in four to five months. According to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, SLIM will spend the first month in Earth's orbit before heading to the moon through a series of orbital manoeuvres over a period of three to four months. 

SLIM will then prepare for landing, orbiting the moon before making a descent sometime between January and February 2024.
 
SLIM is a light and small spacecraft developed by Mitsubishi Electric. One of the goals of the mission is to demonstrate precision landing technology.

The spacecraft is expected to land within 100 meters of a target site. The lander uses vision-based navigation to identify a landing spot and avoid obstacles on the surface..

Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   September 2, 2023

ISRO Aditya L1 mission was launched successfully on September 2, 2023 at 11:50 AM IST from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, India.

* The mission is India’s first dedicated solar mission and will study the Sun’s atmosphere, including the chromosphere and corona. It will also study the solar wind and its interaction with the Earth’s atmosphere.

* The Aditya L1 spacecraft is a 1.5-ton satellite that is equipped with seven payloads. The payloads will study the Sun’s atmosphere using a variety of methods, including remote sensing and in-situ measurements.

* The spacecraft will be placed in a halo orbit around the Sun-Earth Lagrange Point 1 (L1), which is located about 1.5 million kilometers from Earth.

* The Aditya L1 mission is expected to last for five years. During this time, it will collect valuable data about the Sun that will help scientists to better understand its behavior and its impact on Earth.

* Aditya, the mission’s name, pays homage to Surya, the Hindu god of the Sun. In Hindu mythology, Surya represents the life-giving force and the source of light and energy. This choice of name underscores the mission’s quest to uncover the Sun’s secrets, as it aims to traverse the intricate realms of our star.


Here are some more details about the Aditya L1 mission :

* The mission is named after Aditya, the Hindu god of the Sun.
* The spacecraft is about the size of a refrigerator and weighs 1.5 tons.

It is equipped with seven payloads :

1. Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC) : This payload will image the solar corona in the visible light spectrum. It will help to study the structure and dynamics of the corona, and to understand the mechanisms that heat it up.

2. Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT) : This payload will image the solar chromosphere and transition region in the ultraviolet light spectrum. It will help to study the heating and dynamics of these layers, and to understand the origin of the solar wind.

3. Solar Low Energy X-ray Spectrometer (SoLEXS) : This payload will measure the spectrum of the solar X-rays. It will help to study the solar flares and coronal mass ejections, and to understand the physics of the solar atmosphere.

4. High Energy L1 Orbiting X-ray Spectrometer (HEL1OS) : This payload will measure the spectrum of the solar X-rays in the high-energy range. It will help to study the solar flares and coronal mass ejections, and to understand the acceleration of particles in the solar atmosphere.

5. Plasma Analyser Package For Aditya (PAPA) : This payload will measure the properties of the solar wind plasma, such as its density, temperature, and composition. It will help to study the interaction between the solar wind and the Earth’s magnetosphere.

6. Aditya Solar wind Particle Experiment(ASPEX) : This payload will measure the properties of the energetic particles in the solar wind, such as their energy, charge, and mass. It will help to study the acceleration of particles in the solar atmosphere, and the effects of these particles on the Earth’s atmosphere and environment.

7. Solar Irradiance Monitor (SIM) : This payload will measure the solar irradiance, which is the total amount of energy emitted by the Sun. It will help to study the variability of the solar irradiance, and its effects on the Earth’s climate.
 

The Aditya L1 mission is a major milestone for the Indian space program and will contribute significantly to our understanding of the Sun. The data collected by the mission will help scientists to better understand the Sun’s atmosphere, its magnetic field, and its impact on Earth. This information will be invaluable for predicting space weather events, which can have a significant impact on our planet.

Correct Answer :   NASA

NASA is set to demonstrate a new end-to-end communication system in space that it claims to be more efficient than conventional systems currently in use at the International Space Station.

The American space agency is launching a groundbreaking technology demonstration known as the Integrated LCRD Low Earth Orbit User Modem and Amplifier Terminal (ILLUMA-T) to the Space Station in 2023.

This move marks a significant step forward in Nasa's efforts to enhance space communications capabilities.

The ISS, a spacecraft the size of a football field orbiting Earth, has been a unique platform for scientific research and investigation for over two decades.

The ILLUMA-T, along with the Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) launched in December 2021, will complete Nasa’s first two-way, end-to-end laser relay system.

Laser communication systems, which use invisible infrared light, offer higher data rates, allowing missions to send more images and videos back to Earth in a single transmission. Once installed on the ISS, ILLUMA-T will demonstrate the potential benefits of these higher data rates for missions in low Earth orbit.

"Laser communications offer missions more flexibility and an expedited way to get data back from space," said Badri Younes, former deputy associate administrator for Nasa's SCaN program. "We are integrating this technology on demonstrations near Earth, at the Moon, and in deep space."

ILLUMA-T, approximately the size of a standard refrigerator, will be secured to an external module on the ISS to conduct its demonstration with LCRD.

The LCRD is currently showcasing the benefits of a laser relay in geosynchronous orbit by beaming data between two ground stations and conducting experiments to refine Nasa’s laser capabilities.

"Once ILLUMA-T is on the space station, the terminal will send high-resolution data, including pictures and videos to LCRD at a rate of 1.2 gigabits-per-second," said Matt Magsamen, deputy project manager for ILLUMA-T. "Then, the data will be sent from LCRD to ground stations in Hawaii and California. This demonstration will show how laser communications can benefit missions in low Earth orbit."

ILLUMA-T is scheduled to launch on SpaceX’s 29th Commercial Resupply Services mission for Nasa. After its launch, ILLUMA-T will be installed on the station’s Japanese Experiment Module-Exposed Facility (JEM-EF), also known as “Kibo” — meaning “hope” in Japanese.

Following installation, the ILLUMA-T team will perform preliminary testing and in-orbit checkouts before transmitting its first beam of laser light through its optical telescope to LCRD.

This mission brings Nasa closer to operational infusion of laser communication technology, supplementing the radio frequency systems most space-based missions currently use. These tests are aimed to refine laser communication capabilities for future missions to the Moon, Mars, and deep space..

Source : India Today

Correct Answer :   4

Four astronauts — representing four nations and space agencies across the globe — launched aboard a SpaceX rocket toward the International Space Station, kicking off a mission expected to last more than six months.

* The crew is riding aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endurance capsule on the mission, dubbed Crew-7. The spacecraft launched atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 3:27 a.m. ET Saturday (26th Aug 2023).

Liftoff of Crew-7! pic.twitter.com/fvMpbvDPjU

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 26, 2023

* The four astronauts on the mission include NASA’s Jasmin Moghbeli, who is serving as mission commander; Danish astronaut Andreas Mogensen representing the European Space Agency; Satoshi Furukawa of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA; and Russian cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov of Roscosmos.

* After reaching orbit, the Crew Dragon capsule detached from the Falcon 9 rocket, beginning its solo trek through orbit. The spacecraft will spend more than 24 hours carefully maneuvering toward the space station, which orbits about 220 nautical miles (420 kilometers) above Earth’s surface.

* “Space travel is difficult, but you make it look easy,” Moghbeli dispatched to SpaceX mission control from the Crew Dragon capsule after launch.

* “We’re a united team with a common mission,” she added. “Go Crew-7. Awesome ride.”

* The crew is expected to dock at the space station around 8:39 a.m. ET Sunday.

* Once on board, Moghbeli, Mogensen, Furukawa and Borisov will join the seven astronauts already on the orbiting laboratory.

* The Crew-7 astronauts will spend about five days taking over operations from the SpaceX Crew-6 astronauts, who have been on the space station since March.

Correct Answer :   Aditya-L1

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced that it will launch Aditya-L1 mission on 2 September 2023. The Aditya-L1 mission is dedicated to studying the Sun.

* The Aditya-L1 mission is ready and waiting, Nilesh M Desai, Director, Space Applications Centre-Isro, Ahmedabad said on Thursday (25th August 2023).

* The Aditya-L1 mission will be launched by Isro PSLV rocket from Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR (SDSC SHAR),Sriharikota.

* Nilesh Desai explained that it would take 127 days for the spacecraft to reach its destination, nearly 15 lakh kilometres away from Earth.

* This will place Aditya-L1 in a highly elliptical orbit, allowing it to conduct close observations of the Sun, monitor solar activity, and advance our understanding of the star that sustains life on Earth.

ABOUT THE ADITYA-L1 MISSION :

* The Aditya-L1 mission represents India's ambitious endeavour to explore the Sun, a celestial body that has fascinated scientists and space enthusiasts for centuries.

* The spacecraft will be equipped with a Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC) which will be used for imaging and spectroscopy of the Sun to better understand the science powering the star.

* Apart from VELC, the spacecraft will be equipped with six other instruments as well that will explore the science of the Sun.

* While four payloads directly view the Sun from the unique vantage point of L1, the remaining three payloads carry out in-situ studies of particles and fields at the Lagrange point L1.

* The L1 point of the Earth-Sun system provides an uninterrupted view of the Sun and is currently home to the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory Satellite SOHO from Nasa. This position provides a greater advantage of observing solar activities continuously..

Source : India Today

Correct Answer :   Pragyan

Role of Vikram Lander : The lander and rover’s names have been taken from the last mission Chandrayaan-2. The lander is named after Dr Vikram A Sarabhai, the father of the Indian Space Programme. It is designed to function for one lunar day, which is 14 days on the Earth and comes with a number of sensors to ensure a safe touchdown. It weighs about 1,749 kg including the rover. It is built to have side-mounted solar panels, which can generate 738 W power and will be engaged in exploring the lunar south pole.

As per the ISRO, the Vikram lander consists of three payloads for its objectives. RAMBHA-LP – which will measure the near surface plasma (ions and electrons) density and its changes with time; ChaSTE or ‘Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment’ – which will carry out the measurements of thermal properties of the lunar surface near the polar region; and ILSA or ‘Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity’ meant to measure seismicity around the landing site and delineating the structure of the lunar crust and mantle

Role of Pragyan Rover : The robotic vehicle is named as ‘Pragyan’, which translates to 'wisdom' in Sanskrit. The six-wheeled vehicle has instruments configured with payloads to provide data related to the Moon's surface. It will gather data on the elemental composition of the atmosphere. It weighs 26 kgs and like the lander, has a mission life of one lunar day.

The two payloads on the rover are APXS or ‘Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer’, which is meant to derive the elemental composition of the lunar surface; and the LIBS or ‘Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscope’ will be carry out experiments to determine the elemental composition of chemicals elements such magnesium and aluminum, etc of lunar soil and rocks around the lunar landing site.

Chandrayaan-3 which launched from the Earth on 14 July 2023, is expected to land on the moon on 23 August 2023.

Source : Hindustan Times

Correct Answer :   4th

India successfully landed its Chandrayaan-3 mission on the lunar surface on August 23, 2023 at 6:04 pm, making it the Fourth(4th) Country to do so after the United States, Russia, and China.

The lander Vikram touched down on the south pole of the moon (1st Country of South Pole), a region that has never been explored before. The rover Pragyan is expected to roll out of the lander and begin its exploration of the lunar surface in the coming days.

The successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 is a major achievement for India’s space program and a testament to the hard work and dedication of the scientists and engineers who made it possible. It also puts India in a select group of spacefaring nations and furthers its ambition to become a leading player in the global space race.

The Chandrayaan-3 mission is expected to collect valuable data about the lunar south pole, which is thought to be rich in water ice. This information could be used to support future human exploration of the moon. The mission is also expected to help scientists to better understand the formation and evolution of the moon.

The successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 is a proud moment for India and a significant step forward in our exploration of space. I am confident that this mission will pave the way for many more successes in the years to come.

Chandrayaan 3 launch date :

* Chandrayaan-3 was launched on 14 July 2023, at 2:35 pm IST as scheduled, from Satish Dhawan Space Centre Second Launch Pad in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, India. The spacecraft entered lunar orbit on 5 August 2023.

* Successfully landed (South pole of the moon) its Chandrayaan-3 mission on the lunar surface on August 23, 2023 at 6:04 pm.

Correct Answer :   China

China sent a new Earth observation satellite into space from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on Monday (21st August 2023).

The satellite, Gaofen-12 04, was launched by a Long March-4C carrier rocket at 1:45 a.m. (Beijing Time) and has entered the planned orbit successfully.



It will be used in a variety of fields, including land surveys, urban planning, road network design, crop yield estimation and disaster relief.

The launch marks the 484th flight mission of the Long March series carrier rockets.

A Long March-4C carrier rocket carrying a new Earth observation satellite blasts off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on Aug. 21, 2023.

The satellite, Gaofen-12 04, was launched at 1:45 a.m. (Beijing Time) and has entered the planned orbit successfully. (Photo by Wang Jiangbo/Xinhua).

Correct Answer :   Russia

Russia’s first lunar mission in decades has ended in failure with its Luna 25 spacecraft crashing into the moon’s surface.

The incident, a blow to Russia’s space ambitions, happened after communication with the robotic spacecraft was interrupted.

Russia’s space agency, Roscosmos, said it lost touch with Luna 25 on Saturday (19th August 2023) around 2:57 p.m. Moscow time.

“The measures taken on August 19 and 20 to search for the device and get into contact with it did not yield any results,” the space agency reported.

According to a “preliminary analysis,” Luna-25 “switched to an off-design orbit” before the collision, Roscosmos said.

It was not immediately clear what caused the crash.

A specially formed commission will investigate the reasons for the loss of Luna 25, the agency added.

The news comes a day after the spacecraft reported an “emergency situation” as it was trying to enter a pre-landing orbit, according to Roscosmos.

“During the operation, an emergency situation occurred on board the automatic station, which did not allow the maneuver to be performed with the specified parameters,” Roscosmos shared in a Telegram post on Saturday.

The spacecraft was meant to complete Russia’s first lunar landing mission in 47 years. The country’s last lunar lander, Luna 24, landed on the surface of the moon on August 18, 1976.

The Luna 25 probe launched from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia’s Amur Oblast on 10 August 2023, setting the vehicle on a swift trip to the moon.

Luna 25’s trajectory allowed it to surpass India’s Chandrayaan-3 lunar lander, which launched in mid-July, on the way to the lunar surface..

Source : CNN