Question 1

Consider the following statements with regard to involvement of private entities in India's space programme:
1. The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) is an autonomous agency formed to facilitate participation of private entities.
2. Agnikul Cosmos launched the world's first flight using 3D-printed rocket engine.
3. Skyroot Aerospace has developed liquid fuel for GSLV.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

2 and 3 only. * Statement 1 is correct: IN-SPACe was set up as a single-window autonomous clearing agency under the Department of Space to facilitate, promote, and regulate private enterprise involvement in India's space sector. * Statement 2 is correct: Space startup Agnikul Cosmos successfully conducted its Agnibaan SOrTeD mission, marking the world's first sub-orbital flight powered by a single-piece, 3D-printed semi-cryogenic engine. * Statement 3 is incorrect: Skyroot Aerospace developed the Vikram-S suborbital vehicle relying entirely on solid rocket propulsion technology; they did not build liquid fuel stages for GSLV, which are handled directly by ISRO.

Question 2

Which of the following statements with regard to drone swarms is/are correct?
1. They use Terahertz band of frequency to communicate with the command centre.
2. Individual drones in the swarm can communicate with other drones in the swarm.
3. GPS Spoofing is a commonly used technique to counter drone swarm attack.
Select the answer using the code given below:

Accepted Answer

1 only. * Statement 1 is incorrect: Flight regions operate on standard, established radio frequencies (UHF, VHF, WiFi, or ISM bands); Terahertz band wireless links are still experimental and not operational for swarm command systems. * Statement 2 is correct: A fundamental characteristic of autonomous swarms is peer-to-peer (inter-drone) data sharing, which allows the individual drones to dynamically self-coordinate and execute tasks via decentralized logic. * Statement 3 is correct: GPS spoofing is a common counter-drone technique that broadcasts false satellite navigation signals to confuse the swarm's onboard receivers, causing them to divert or crash.

Question 3

With reference to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), consider the following statements:
I. All types of UAVs can do vertical landing.
II. All types of UAVs can do automated hovering.
III. All types of UAVs can use battery only as a source of power supply.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

Accepted Answer

All the three. * Statement I is incorrect: A type of drone known as a fixed-wing drone utilizes rigid wings, a fuselage, tails, a propeller, and a motor to cover long distances at high speeds. Unlike multirotor drones, they cannot do vertical landing and require a runway or a net. * Statement II is incorrect: For the same reason, traditional fixed-wing drones cannot perform automated hovering at specific points in the air. * Statement III is incorrect: UAVs come in many configurations, including high-endurance military UAVs (e.g., Predator drones). Due to power and endurance limits (as the energy density of batteries is lower than fuel), long-range or military UAVs cannot rely solely on batteries.

Question 4

Consider the following space missions:
I. Axiom-4
II. SpaDeX
III. Gaganyaan

How many of the space missions given above encourage and support micro-gravity research?

Accepted Answer

Only two. * Mission I supports research: Axiom-4 is a private mission to the ISS that carries and supports microgravity research experiments related to materials science, medicine, and biology. * Mission II supports research: SpaDeX (Space Docking Experiment) is an Indian mission evaluating autonomous docking, where microgravity environmental effects are actively studied. * Mission III supports research: Gaganyaan is India's crewed spaceflight program where executing microgravity research in life sciences and space medicine is a primary objective.

Question 5

With reference to radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs), consider the following statements:
1. RTGs are miniature fission reactors.
2. RTGs are used for powering the onboard systems of spacecrafts.
3. RTGs can use Plutonium-238, which is a by-product of weapons development.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

Accepted Answer

1 and 2 only. * Statement 1 is incorrect: RTGs are not fission reactors; they do not split atoms via a chain reaction. Instead, they are compact power units that convert heat generated by the natural radioactive decay of unstable isotopes directly into electricity. * Statement 2 is correct: Due to their high reliability, lack of moving components, and independence from solar proximity, RTGs are extensively utilized to power the onboard electronic electronics of deep-space probes and spacecraft. * Statement 3 is correct: These generators commonly rely on Plutonium-238 as an isotopic fuel source. Plutonium-238 has a favorable half-life and is generated as a specialized material by-product during weapons-grade plutonium processing activities.

Question 6

Consider the following statements:
Statement-I: Giant stars live much longer than dwarf stars.
Statement-II: Compared to dwarf stars, giant stars have a greater rate of nuclear reactions.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Accepted Answer

Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect. * Statement-I is incorrect: High-mass giant stars hold much hotter and denser internal cores than smaller dwarf stars. This intense internal pressure causes giant stars to burn through their foundational core hydrogen fuel supply at a drastically faster rate, causing them to have significantly shorter lifespans than dwarf stars. * Statement-II is correct: Because of their immense mass, density, and core temperature parameters, giant stars experience a much higher rate of fusion and nuclear reactions than dwarf stars. Thus, option (d) is correct.

Science & Technology: Space Technology & Astronomy PYQ.

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