Satellites

What is a satellite?
a) A natural rock
b) A space object revolving around a planet
c) A spacecraft that moves randomly
d) An asteroid
✅ b) A space object revolving around a planet
Explanation: A satellite is an object (natural or artificial) that orbits a planet.

Which is the only natural satellite of Earth?
a) Moon
b) Sun
c) Mars
d) Venus
✅ a) Moon
Explanation: The Moon is Earth’s only natural satellite.

Artificial satellites are used for:
a) Weather forecasting
b) Communication
c) GPS navigation
d) All of the above
✅ d) All of the above
Explanation: Artificial satellites serve multiple purposes.

The first artificial satellite launched by India was:
a) INSAT-1A
b) Bhaskara
c) Aryabhata
d) Rohini
✅ c) Aryabhata
Explanation: Launched in 1975 from the Soviet Union.

What does INSAT stand for?
a) Indian Satellite
b) Indian National Satellite
c) Inter-Nation Satellite
d) Indian Navigation Satellite
✅ b) Indian National Satellite
Explanation: INSAT is India’s multipurpose geostationary satellite series.

Which Indian satellite is used for weather monitoring?
a) INSAT
b) IRS
c) GSAT
d) Cartosat
✅ a) INSAT
Explanation: INSAT satellites provide meteorological data.

The satellite used for remote sensing in India is:
a) INSAT
b) IRS
c) GSAT
d) NAVIC
✅ b) IRS
Explanation: Indian Remote Sensing satellites help in Earth observation.

What kind of satellite is used in DTH TV?
a) Polar satellite
b) Communication satellite
c) Navigation satellite
d) Spy satellite
✅ b) Communication satellite
Explanation: DTH relies on geostationary communication satellites.

Which satellite series is used for telecommunication?
a) IRS
b) INSAT
c) GSAT
d) RISAT
✅ c) GSAT
Explanation: GSAT = Geo-Stationary Satellite for communication.

What is the function of navigation satellites?
a) Cloud analysis
b) Military spying
c) Position tracking
d) Crop assessment
✅ c) Position tracking
Explanation: They provide location-based services (e.g., GPS, NAVIC).

NAVIC is India’s:
a) Military drone
b) Navigation system
c) Missile
d) Communication network
✅ b) Navigation system
Explanation: NAVIC = Navigation with Indian Constellation.

Geostationary satellites revolve around Earth in:
a) 12 hours
b) 24 hours
c) 6 hours
d) 48 hours
✅ b) 24 hours
Explanation: They match Earth’s rotation, appear fixed from Earth.

Polar satellites revolve around Earth in:
a) East-west direction
b) Equatorial plane
c) Over the poles
d) Stationary orbit
✅ c) Over the poles
Explanation: They scan the entire Earth in orbits over poles.

The orbit used for weather and communication satellites is:
a) Low Earth Orbit
b) Medium Earth Orbit
c) Polar Orbit
d) Geostationary Orbit
✅ d) Geostationary Orbit
Explanation: Located about 36,000 km above Earth.

IRS satellites are launched mainly for:
a) Navigation
b) Communication
c) Earth observation
d) Astrophysics
✅ c) Earth observation
Explanation: IRS series provides imaging and remote sensing.

India’s heaviest communication satellite (GSAT-11) was launched in:
a) 2015
b) 2018
c) 2020
d) 2022
✅ b) 2018
Explanation: Launched by Arianespace from French Guiana.

Satellites help in disaster management by:
a) Forecasting rainfall
b) Flood mapping
c) Fire detection
d) All of the above
✅ d) All of the above
Explanation: Remote sensing aids in disaster preparedness and response.

First communication satellite launched by India:
a) Bhaskara I
b) INSAT-1A
c) Rohini
d) Kalpana-1
✅ b) INSAT-1A
Explanation: Launched in 1982.

Kalpana-1 satellite was used for:
a) Navigation
b) Agriculture monitoring
c) Weather forecasting
d) Forest survey
✅ c) Weather forecasting
Explanation: Named after Kalpana Chawla, launched in 2002.

Which country launched the world’s first artificial satellite?
a) USA
b) China
c) USSR
d) India
✅ c) USSR
Explanation: Sputnik-1 was launched in 1957.

India’s first satellite launch vehicle was:
a) PSLV
b) GSLV
c) SLV
d) RLV
✅ c) SLV
Explanation: SLV (Satellite Launch Vehicle) launched Aryabhata.

What does PSLV stand for?
a) Polar Space Launch Vehicle
b) Payload Satellite Launch Vehicle
c) Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle
d) Permanent Satellite Launch Vehicle
✅ c) Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle
Explanation: PSLV is ISRO’s reliable launcher for low orbit.

Cartosat satellites are mainly used for:
a) Telecommunication
b) Weather data
c) Cartography and mapping
d) Astrophysics
✅ c) Cartography and mapping
Explanation: Cartosat provides high-resolution Earth images.

Satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) are at:
a) 36,000 km
b) 2,000 km or less
c) 42,000 km
d) 15,000 km
✅ b) 2,000 km or less
Explanation: LEO is close to Earth, used for imaging, spying.

Which Indian satellite helped in Kargil War reconnaissance?
a) INSAT-3A
b) Cartosat-1
c) IRS-1C
d) RISAT
✅ c) IRS-1C
Explanation: Provided key terrain images during the war.

RISAT stands for:
a) Remote Indian Satellite
b) Radar Imaging Satellite
c) Region Imaging Satellite
d) Rotational Imaging System
✅ b) Radar Imaging Satellite
Explanation: For night, all-weather Earth observation.

ISRO was founded in which year?
a) 1947
b) 1958
c) 1969
d) 1975
✅ c) 1969
Explanation: Indian Space Research Organisation was founded in 1969.

What is the speed of a geostationary satellite?
a) 8 km/s
b) 3 km/s
c) Same as Earth’s rotation
d) It varies
✅ c) Same as Earth’s rotation
Explanation: So it stays fixed relative to Earth.

India’s NAVIC system consists of how many satellites?
a) 3
b) 5
c) 7
d) 11
✅ c) 7
Explanation: A constellation of 7 satellites covers India + nearby regions.

Communication satellites typically carry:
a) Cameras
b) Transponders
c) Rockets
d) Fuel
✅ b) Transponders
Explanation: Transponders receive and transmit signals.

Which satellite supports India's national disaster management system?
a) GSAT-6
b) INSAT-3D
c) RISAT-1A
d) GAGAN
✅ b) INSAT-3D
Explanation: Carries meteorological payloads for disaster forecasting.

What is GAGAN?
a) Airborne radar
b) Satellite-based augmentation system
c) Military UAV
d) Telemetry system
✅ b) Satellite-based augmentation system
Explanation: Improves GPS accuracy for aviation.

The lifetime of a typical geostationary satellite is:
a) 1 year
b) 3 years
c) 10–15 years
d) 25 years
✅ c) 10–15 years
Explanation: Depends on fuel and hardware.

A sun-synchronous satellite:
a) Is stationary
b) Orbits Earth pole to pole
c) Follows Sun
d) Fixed over one region
✅ b) Orbits Earth pole to pole
Explanation: Passes same part of Earth at same solar time.

Indian satellite dedicated to ocean study:
a) Oceansat
b) GSAT
c) INSAT
d) Bhaskara
✅ a) Oceansat
Explanation: Oceansat series observes marine resources, fish zones.

Bhaskara I and II were used for:
a) Communication
b) Astronomy
c) Earth observation
d) Planetary study
✅ c) Earth observation
Explanation: Launched in 1979 and 1981 for Earth imaging.

Which orbit is best suited for spy satellites?
a) Geostationary
b) Medium Earth Orbit
c) Polar Orbit
d) None
✅ c) Polar Orbit
Explanation: Provides full Earth coverage.

Which country helped launch Aryabhata?
a) USA
b) USSR
c) UK
d) Germany
✅ b) USSR
Explanation: Launched by Soviet Cosmos-3M rocket.

A satellite's motion is maintained by:
a) Jet fuel
b) Earth’s gravity and orbital velocity
c) Solar winds
d) Rocket engines
✅ b) Earth’s gravity and orbital velocity
Explanation: Balanced motion keeps it in orbit.

The INSAT system began in:
a) 1975
b) 1982
c) 1990
d) 2000
✅ b) 1982
Explanation: INSAT-1A was launched in 1982.

First Indian satellite with imaging radar:
a) Cartosat-2
b) RISAT-1
c) Oceansat-2
d) INSAT-4CR
✅ b) RISAT-1
Explanation: First with synthetic aperture radar.

Which satellite enables mobile communication in remote areas?
a) GSAT-6
b) INSAT-3D
c) IRS-1A
d) NavIC
✅ a) GSAT-6
Explanation: Has S-band mobile communication.

A weather satellite monitors:
a) Sunspots
b) Wind & cyclone patterns
c) River flow
d) Lunar craters
✅ b) Wind & cyclone patterns
Explanation: Provides real-time meteorological data.

Most common orbit for Earth observation satellites:
a) Sun-synchronous polar orbit
b) Geostationary orbit
c) Low Mars orbit
d) High Earth orbit
✅ a) Sun-synchronous polar orbit
Explanation: Covers full Earth with constant sunlight conditions.

Which Indian satellite launched in 2021 carried Brazilian payload?
a) GSAT-30
b) RISAT-2BR2
c) Amazonia-1
d) INSAT-3E
✅ c) Amazonia-1
Explanation: Launched by PSLV-C51.

Which of the following is NOT a purpose of artificial satellites?
a) Crop monitoring
b) Direct current generation
c) Weather tracking
d) Military reconnaissance
✅ b) Direct current generation
Explanation: Satellites are powered by solar panels, not for current generation on Earth.

Satellite launched by India to monitor enemy radar:
a) Cartosat
b) RISAT
c) NAVIC
d) Kalpana
✅ b) RISAT
Explanation: Has all-weather, day-night radar vision.

ISRO's commercial launch agency is:
a) DRDO
b) Antrix
c) NSIL
d) IN-SPACe
✅ c) NSIL
Explanation: NSIL (NewSpace India Ltd) handles satellite launches commercially.

Which satellite series monitors vegetation and land use?
a) INSAT
b) GSAT
c) IRS
d) GAGAN
✅ c) IRS
Explanation: Indian Remote Sensing satellites help in land applications.

The smallest Indian student satellite was:
a) Kalpana
b) Anusat
c) STUDSAT
d) SRMSat
✅ c) STUDSAT
Explanation: STUDSAT (2010) was built by engineering students.