Cosmic Steps Quiz

Which of the following space missions was the first to successfully land a spacecraft on another planet and transmit data back to Earth?

1. Apollo 11
2. Venera 7
3. Luna 2
4. Viking 1

Answer: (b) Venera 7

Which space telescope, launched in 1990, has provided some of the most detailed images of distant galaxies, nebulae, and exoplanets?

1. Hubble Space Telescope
2. James Webb Space Telescope
3. Kepler Space Telescope
4. Chandra X-ray Observatory

Answer: (a) Hubble Space Telescope

Which country became the fourth in the world to soft-land on the Moon in 2023?

1. Japan
2. India
3. South Korea
4. United Arab Emirates

Answer: (b) India

What phenomenon, observed in distant galaxies, suggests the existence of dark energy causing the accelerated expansion of the universe?

1. Supernova explosions
2. Redshift of galaxies
3. Gamma-ray bursts
4. Cosmic microwave background

Answer: (b) Redshift of galaxies

Who was the first human to walk in space in 1965?

1. Buzz Aldrin
2. Yuri Gagarin
3. Alexei Leonov
4. Neil Armstrong

Answer: (c) Alexei Leonov

Consider the following statements: 1. NASA’s Perseverance rover successfully landed on Mars in 2021 to search for signs of past life. 2. The Rosetta Mission was the first to successfully land a probe on a comet. Which of the following is true?

1. Only statement 1 is correct.
2. Only statement 2 is correct.
3. Both statements are correct.
4. Both statements are incorrect.

Answer: (c) Both statements are correct.

Consider the following statements: 1. NASA’s Artemis program aims to return humans to the Moon by 2024 and establish a sustainable presence. 2. The Chinese space agency has launched a mission to the Moon and has landed humans there. Which of the following is true?

1. Both statements are incorrect.
2. Only statement 2 is correct.
3. Both statements are correct.
4. Only statement 1 is correct.

Answer: (d) Only statement 1 is correct.

Which exoplanet, discovered by the Kepler Space Telescope, is considered one of the most Earth-like planets ever found in terms of its size and habitable zone?

1. Kepler-22b
2. Proxima b
3. Kepler-452b
4. Gliese 581g

Answer: (c) Kepler-452b

What is the primary goal of astrobiology, the study of life in the universe?

1. To search for signs of life beyond Earth
2. To understand how life formed on Earth
3. To analyse cosmic dust particles
4. To study meteorites in space

Answer: (a) To search for signs of life beyond Earth

Consider the following statements: 1. SpaceX's Starship is designed for deep space missions, including crewed flights to Mars. 2. Blue Origin’s New Shepard is primarily focused on suborbital flights for tourism, not long-term space exploration. Which of the following is true?

1. Only statement 1 is correct.
2. Only statement 2 is correct.
3. Both statements are incorrect.
4. Both statements are correct.

Answer: (d) Both statements are correct.