Space Science & Exploration

Statement 1 is Correct: Rare Earth Elements (REEs) are indispensable for modern technological innovations. Their unique magnetic, luminescent, and electrochemical properties make them critical for artificial intelligence hardware, robotics, space exploration, electric vehicles, and advanced defense systems. Statement 2 is Incorrect: While China dominates global REE mining, accounting for roughly 69% of global production, the second-largest producer is the United States, followed by Myanmar and Australia. India ranks much lower globally and is not the second-largest producer. Statement 3 is Correct: The Government of India officially launched the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) in January 2025. The mission is a strategic blueprint designed to secure domestic and global supply chains, reduce import dependence, and establish a robust framework for self-reliance in critical minerals essential for clean energy and technology. Statement 4 is Incorrect: Rare Earth Elements are a set of 17 metallic elements, not 13. This group comprises the 15 lanthanides on the periodic table, along with scandium and yttrium, which share similar chemical properties and are typically found in the same ore deposits. Therefore, the correct option is A.

Statement 1 is Correct: Mission Sudarshan Chakra is designed as a multi-domain security umbrella. It explicitly aims to enhance India's air defence, ballistic missile defence, and aerial offensive capabilities, acting as both a defensive shield and an offensive sword. Statement 2 is Correct: The mission integrates advanced technologies like AI, space-based sensors, and directed energy weapons to ensure rapid, precise, and powerful defence responses. This indigenous development (incorporating projects like Project Kusha) is specifically aimed at reinforcing India's strategic autonomy and self-reliance in the defence sector. Statement 3 is Correct: A major distinguishing feature of this initiative is its expanded scope. Announced as a 10-year national security initiative, a stated goal of the mission is to bring all public places (including hospitals, railways, and religious/cultural sites) under an expanded nationwide security shield by 2035, moving beyond the conventional protection of just military and strategic installations. Therefore, the correct option is A.

Statement 1 is Correct: The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) was established in 2020 as an autonomous, single-window nodal agency under the Department of Space (DOS). Its primary mandate is to promote, authorize, and facilitate the participation of private entities in India's space sector, acting as a bridge between ISRO and private players. Statement 2 is Correct: In May 2024, the Chennai-based space startup Agnikul Cosmos successfully launched the Agnibaan SOrTeD suborbital rocket from its private launchpad in Sriharikota. This historic mission marked the world’s first flight powered by a single-piece, fully 3D-printed rocket engine (a semi-cryogenic engine named Agnilet). Statement 3 is Incorrect: Skyroot Aerospace is a prominent private Indian startup that develops its own independent launch vehicles (the Vikram series) and engines. However, it does not develop fuel or engines for the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV). The GSLV is an ISRO-owned heavy-lift rocket, and its liquid and cryogenic stages and fuels are developed entirely in-house by ISRO (e.g., via the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre). Therefore, the correct option is C.

✅ Pair I: International Year of the Woman Farmer : 2026 — Correct
*The UN designated 2026 to honor the vital role of women in agriculture and to address gender inequalities in farming globally.* ✅ Pair II: International Year of Sustainable and Resilient Tourism : 2027 — Correct
*2027 is proclaimed to promote tourism that supports sustainable development and resilience against climate and health challenges.* ✅ Pair III: International Year of Peace and Trust : 2025 — Correct
*The year 2025 focuses on fostering global peace, trust, and cooperation among nations and communities.* ✅ Pair IV: International Year of Asteroid Awareness and Planetary Defence : 2029 — Correct
*2029 marks the UN’s focus on asteroid awareness and planetary defense, coinciding with asteroid Apophis’s close approach.* Therefore, all four pairs are correctly matched.

✅ 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.

✅ 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.

* Statement-I is incorrect: Giant stars do not live much longer than dwarf stars. In fact, giant stars have shorter lifespans compared to dwarf stars because they burn through their nuclear fuel at a much faster rate. * Statement-II is correct: Compared to dwarf stars, giant stars have a greater rate of nuclear reactions. This is correct as giant stars are more massive and have higher pressures and temperatures in their cores, leading to faster nuclear fusion rates.

* 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.

* Pair 1 is incorrect: Cepheids are actually stars that brighten and dim periodically, not giant clouds of dust and gas.  * Pair 2 is incorrect: Nebulae are giant clouds of dust and gas in space, not stars that brighten and dim periodically. Thus, the first two pairs are reversed.  * Pair 3 is correct: Pulsars are rapidly rotating neutron stars that are formed when massive stars exhaust their fuel and collapse.  * So out of the 3 pairs given, only 1 pair (pair 3) is correctly matched.

* Neither of the statements about ballistic missiles and cruise missiles is accurate. * Ballistic missiles: These are rocket-powered weapons that follow a high, arcing trajectory after a brief powered ascent. They travel at supersonic speeds throughout most of their flight due to inertia. * Cruise missiles: These are jet-propelled weapons that fly at relatively low altitudes and can manoeuvre throughout their flight path. They can be subsonic, supersonic, or hypersonic depending on the design. * Agni-V: This is a long-range intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) developed by India. It is not a medium-range cruise missile. * BrahMos: This is a supersonic cruise missile jointly developed by India and Russia. It is not a solid-fueled ICBM. BrahMos uses a ramjet engine for sustained supersonic flight after a booster rocket launch.