Q70. “Shiv Shakti Point” is associated with which celestial body?
[SSC MTS 2025 paper, held 10 February 2026 (Shift 3)]
A. Moon
B. Mars
C. Venus
D. Jupiter
Answer: A. Moon
Explanation: Shiv Shakti Point is the designated name for the Chandrayaan-3 Vikram lander’s touchdown site on the Moon. The name was announced after the successful August 2023 landing and commemorates the achievement of Indian lunar exploration.
Q69. Which ISRO programme was announced as the agency’s central focus for the year 2025?
[DSSSB Assistant Superintendent, 05 July 2026 (Shift 2)]
A. Aditya solar observations
B. Gaganyaan human spaceflight
C. Chandrayaan lunar exploration
D. Mars Orbiter Mission expansion
Answer: B. Gaganyaan human spaceflight
Explanation: Gaganyaan is India’s indigenous human-spaceflight programme. Its core goals include human-rating the launch vehicle, crew escape, life-support systems, crew-module recovery and eventually sending Indian astronauts to low Earth orbit and returning them safely.
Q68. For GAGAN, assess
I. improved accuracy and integrity;
II. higher-quality air-traffic management;
III. benefits only aviation.
Which are correct?
[UPSC CSE Prelims 2025, GS Paper I]
A. I, II and III
B. II and III only
C. I only
D. I and II only
Answer: D. I and II only
Explanation: GAGAN is an Indian satellite-based augmentation system developed by ISRO and the Airports Authority of India. It improves navigation accuracy and integrity for aviation, while its enhanced positioning information also has potential uses outside aviation.
Q67. How many of the following space missions encourage or support microgravity research:
I. Axiom-4,
II. SpaDeX,
III. Gaganyaan?
[UPSC CSE Prelims 2025, GS Paper I]
A. Only one
B. Only two
C. All three
D. None
Answer: C. All three
Explanation: Axiom-4 involves experiments aboard the International Space Station; the SpaDeX mission included the POEM experimental platform; and Gaganyaan develops Indian human-spaceflight capabilities. All three have connections to investigations or research opportunities in microgravity conditions.
Q66. Who succeeded S. Somanath as ISRO Chairman and Secretary, Department of Space, in January 2025?
[SSC CGL, 14 September 2025 (Shift 2)]
A. K. Radhakrishnan
B. K. Sivan
C. V. Narayanan
D. S. Sashidhar Sinha
Answer: C. V. Narayanan
Explanation: V. Narayanan assumed charge as ISRO Chairman in January 2025. A propulsion specialist, he worked extensively on liquid and cryogenic rocket propulsion, including important systems for the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle programme.
Q65. National Space Day is celebrated in India on which date?
[MPPSC State Service Prelims, 16 February 2025 (GS Paper I)]
A. 23 May
B. 23 September
C. 23 August
D. 23 November
Answer: C. 23 August
Explanation: India observes National Space Day on 23 August, commemorating Chandrayaan-3’s successful Vikram lander touchdown on 23 August 2023. The first annual observance took place in 2024 to celebrate India’s progress in lunar exploration and encourage public engagement with science.
Q64. Which of the following launch vehicles was used for the Chandrayaan-2 mission?
[SSC CHSL 2025 Tier I, 26 November 2025 (Shift 1)]
A. SLV-3
B. ASLV
C. GSLV
D. PSLV
Answer: C. GSLV
Explanation: Chandrayaan-2 launched on 22 July 2019 aboard GSLV Mk III-M1, now known in the LVM3 family. This powerful three-stage launch vehicle carried the orbiter, Vikram lander and Pragyan rover towards a lunar transfer trajectory.
Q63. India began its space research programme by launching a meteorological sounding rocket in which year?
[SSC CHSL 2025 Tier I, 20 November 2025 (Shift 3)]
A. 1952
B. 1957
C. 1963
D. 1984
Answer: C. 1963
Explanation: India’s first sounding-rocket launch took place at Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station on 21 November 1963. The NASA-supplied Nike-Apache rocket marked the beginning of organised rocket-based upper-atmospheric research in India, under the vision of Vikram Sarabhai.
Q62. What was a principal technology-demonstration objective of Chandrayaan-3?
[SSC Stenographer, 06 August 2025 (Shift 2)]
A. Safe lunar landing and rover operations
B. Studying Mars’s atmosphere
C. Detecting gravitational waves
D. Only orbiting the Moon
Answer: A. Safe lunar landing and rover operations
Explanation: Chandrayaan-3 aimed to demonstrate soft landing and rover mobility on the Moon, along with in-situ experiments. Following its August 2023 touchdown, Vikram and Pragyan collected lunar-surface data in the south polar region.
Q61. What distinguishes ISRO’s Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) from PSLV and GSLV?
[SSC CGL, 24 September 2025 (Shift 3)]
A. It uses only a hybrid engine
B. It is intended for low-cost, on-demand small-satellite launches
C. It launches exclusively from the sea
D. It carries only foreign satellites
Answer: B. It is intended for low-cost, on-demand small-satellite launches
Explanation: SSLV was designed to serve the growing market for relatively small payloads with quick turnaround and fewer support requirements. Its launch-on-demand concept differs from the heavier, more complex PSLV and GSLV launch systems.
