China to send astronaut on year-long space mission as it eyes 2030 moon landing

✅ I. Axiom-4: Correct
Axiom-4 is a private crewed ISS mission focused on micro-gravity research through scientific experiments. ✅ II. SpaDeX: Correct
SpaDeX, ISRO’s autonomous docking tech demo, also supports micro-gravity research during its mission. ✅ III. Gaganyaan: Correct
India’s first human spaceflight, Gaganyaan, promotes micro-gravity research by enabling experiments in space. Therefore, all three missions support and encourage micro-gravity research.

The Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development for 2014 was presented to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). - It was awarded in recognition of its path-breaking achievements, especially the Mars Orbiter Mission; its significant contributions in strengthening international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space etc. - The award consists of a trophy made of banded Haematite Jasper, with a portrait of the late Prime Minister in the tradition of Jaipur miniature paintings, a cash award of Rs. 1 Crore and a Citation.

Statement 1 is correct: Mangalyaan is also called the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM). This was its official designation. Statement 2 is incorrect: India was not the second country to orbit Mars. Several countries had successfully sent spacecraft to Mars before Mangalyaan, including the USA, Russia, and the European Space Agency (ESA). Statement 3 is correct: India was indeed the only country at that time to succeed in placing a spacecraft into Martian orbit on its very first attempt. This was a significant achievement for ISRO. Hence, option C is the correct answer.

✅ Statement I: Correct
*GAGAN is an Indian SBAS developed by ISRO and AAI to enhance GPS accuracy and integrity, crucial for aviation safety.* ✅ Statement II: Correct
*It improves GPS reliability and accuracy, enabling better air traffic management and safer, efficient navigation.* ❌ Statement III: Incorrect
*GAGAN’s benefits extend beyond aviation to railways, roadways, maritime, agriculture, and disaster management.* Correct Answer: Only Statements I and II are correct.

Out of the listed effects of a major solar storm, the most likely ones are Statement 1 is correct. A solar storm can disrupt the Earth's ionosphere, which can affect the signal transmission of GPS and other radio-based navigation systems. Statement 3 is correct. Strong currents induced by the solar storm in power grids can damage transformers and cause widespread blackouts. Statement 4 is correct. Solar storms can energize particles in the Earth's magnetosphere, leading to spectacular auroras at lower latitudes than usual. Statement 6 is correct. The drag from a solar storm can alter the orbits of satellites, especially those in lower Earth orbit. Statement 7 is correct. Similar to GPS, radio communication can be affected by disturbances in the ionosphere. Statement 2 is incorrect. Tsunamis are caused by underwater earthquakes or volcanic eruptions, not solar storms. Statement 5 is incorrect. While a solar storm could potentially ignite some fires through electrical sparks, this is not a widespread effect. Therefore, codes 2 and 5 should not form the part of answer.

Statement 1 is incorrect: AstroSat is India's first dedicated multi-wavelength space observatory aimed at studying celestial sources in X-ray, optical and UV spectral bands simultaneously. India is the 5th country to join the space observatory elite list after the USA, Russia, Japan, and Europe. Statement 2 is incorrect: AstroSat with a lift-off mass of about 1513 kg was launched into a 650 km orbit inclined at an angle of 6 degrees to the equator by PSLV-C30. Therefore, option D is the correct answer.

The description mentions three spacecraft in an equilateral triangle formation with million-kilometre sides using lasers for measurement.
This matches the design of the Evolved Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (eLISA) mission.
eLISA is a proposed space observatory aiming to detect gravitational waves using precisely positioned spacecraft. Voyager-2 and New Horizons are single spacecraft on exploration missions, not designed for gravitational wave detection. LISA Pathfinder was a precursor mission to test technologies for eLISA, not the full mission itself. Therefore, based on the details provided, the experiment refers to the Evolved LISA mission.

Pair 1 is incorrectly matched: The Cassini-Huygens mission was a joint NASA/ESA/ASI mission to study the planet Saturn and its system of rings and moons. The Huygens probe successfully landed on Saturn's largest moon, Titan. Pair 2 is correctly matched: The MESSENGER (MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging) was a NASA spacecraft that orbited the planet Mercury from 2011 to 2015, studying its chemical composition, geology, and magnetic field. Pair 3 is correctly matched: These twin NASA spacecraft were launched in 1977 to conduct a "Grand Tour" of the outer planets. They provided detailed images and data on Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune and are now continuing their journey into interstellar space.

* Statement 1: Incorrect. RTGs (Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators) are not miniature fission reactors. Fission reactors use nuclear fission, a process of splitting atoms to release a tremendous amount of energy. RTGs, on the other hand, utilize the natural radioactive decay of isotopes to generate heat, which is then converted to electricity through a process called thermoelectricity. * Statement 2: Correct. RTGs are indeed a reliable power source for spacecraft, especially those venturing far from the sun where solar panels become ineffective. They provide consistent, low-level electric power for extended periods, making them ideal for probes, satellites, and rovers in deep space. * Statement 3: Correct. Plutonium-238 is a common isotope used in RTGs due to its long half-life (the time it takes for half of the material to decay) and its ability to generate a steady heat output from its decay process. While it can be a byproduct of weapons development, there are also alternative ways to produce Plutonium-238 specifically for peaceful applications like RTGs.

Statement 1 is correct. PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) is primarily used to launch Earth observation/monitoring satellites, while GSLV (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle) is designed to launch communication satellites into geosynchronous transfer orbits. Statement 2 is incorrect. Satellites launched by PSLV are typically placed in polar or sun-synchronous orbits, which are not geosynchronous. These satellites appear to move across the sky as viewed from a particular location on Earth. Statement 3 is incorrect. The GSLV Mk III is a three-stage launch vehicle, not a four-stage one. The first stage uses solid rocket motors, the second stage uses liquid rocket engines, and the third stage uses a cryogenic rocket engine.