Space & Astronomy
Science & Technology – Exam Preparation
Introduction: Exploring the Universe
Space and Astronomy explore the universe beyond Earth — including planets, satellites, stars, and space missions.
For Delhi Police and SSC exams, this topic includes ISRO missions, NASA achievements, planetary data, and major space events.
A. Space Agencies & Major Missions
1. ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation)
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1969 |
| Headquarters | Bengaluru |
| Founder | Dr. Vikram Sarabhai |
| Current Chairman (2025) | Dr. S. Somanath |
| Parent Body | Department of Space, Government of India |
Key Indian Missions
| Mission | Year | Objective / Achievement |
|---|---|---|
| Chandrayaan-1 | 2008 | First lunar mission; discovered water on Moon |
| Mangalyaan (Mars Orbiter Mission) | 2013 | India's first Mars mission; made India the 1st Asian nation to reach Mars orbit |
| Chandrayaan-2 | 2019 | Attempted Moon landing (Orbiter successful) |
| Chandrayaan-3 | 2023 | India became the 1st country to land near Moon's South Pole |
| Aditya-L1 Mission | 2023 | India's first solar observatory mission |
| Gaganyaan (Upcoming) | 2025 | India's first human spaceflight mission |
2. NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration)
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1958 |
| Headquarters | Washington D.C., USA |
| Motto | "For the Benefit of All" |
Important Missions
| Mission | Achievement |
|---|---|
| Apollo-11 (1969) | 1st manned Moon landing (Neil Armstrong) |
| Voyager 1 & 2 (1977) | Reached interstellar space |
| Hubble Telescope (1990) | Space telescope for deep space imaging |
| Perseverance Rover (2021) | Mars surface exploration |
| Artemis Program (Ongoing) | Human return to the Moon by 2026 |
B. Planets & Satellites (Solar System Facts)
1. Solar System Overview
| Planet | Nickname / Feature | Moons |
|---|---|---|
| Mercury | Smallest, closest to Sun | None |
| Venus | Hottest, Earth's twin | None |
| Earth | Only planet with life | 1 (Moon) |
| Mars | Red Planet | 2 (Phobos, Deimos) |
| Jupiter | Largest planet | 95+ |
| Saturn | Rings of Ice | 140+ |
| Uranus | Tilted rotation (98°) | 27 |
| Neptune | Farthest planet | 14 |
2. Natural Satellites (Moons)
| Planet | Largest Moon |
|---|---|
| Earth | The Moon |
| Jupiter | Ganymede (largest in Solar System) |
| Saturn | Titan |
| Neptune | Triton |
| Uranus | Titania |
C. Modern Discoveries & Global Space Exploration
1. James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Launched By | NASA + ESA + CSA |
| Launched On | 25 December 2021 |
| Replaced | Hubble Telescope |
| Location | L2 Orbit (1.5 million km from Earth) |
| Purpose | Observe early galaxies, star formation, and exoplanets |
2. Global Space Achievements (Recent Highlights)
| Agency / Nation | Achievement | Year |
|---|---|---|
| ISRO (India) | Chandrayaan-3 – Moon's South Pole landing | 2023 |
| NASA (USA) | Artemis I – Lunar orbit mission | 2022 |
| China (CNSA) | Chang'e-5 – Moon sample return | 2020 |
| Japan (JAXA) | Hayabusa-2 – Asteroid samples returned | 2020 |
| Russia (Roscosmos) | Luna-25 mission (Moon) | 2023 |
| SpaceX | Reusable rockets (Falcon 9), Starship tests | Ongoing |
| Blue Origin | Sub-orbital tourism (New Shepard) | Ongoing |
Practice Questions (Delhi Police PYQ-style)
Who is known as the father of the Indian space program?
Options: A) Homi Bhabha B) A.P.J. Abdul Kalam C) Vikram Sarabhai D) K. Sivan
Category: Space Agencies
Show Answer
C) Dr. Vikram Sarabhai
India's Mars mission "Mangalyaan" was launched in —
Options: A) 2012 B) 2013 C) 2014 D) 2015
Category: Indian Missions
Show Answer
B) 2013
Which was India's first mission to the Sun?
Options: A) Chandrayaan-3 B) Aditya-L1 C) Mangalyaan D) Gaganyaan
Category: Indian Missions
Show Answer
B) Aditya-L1
The first human to go to space was —
Options: A) Neil Armstrong B) Yuri Gagarin C) Rakesh Sharma D) Buzz Aldrin
Category: Space History
Show Answer
B) Yuri Gagarin (1961)
Which planet is known as the "Red Planet"?
Options: A) Mars B) Venus C) Jupiter D) Saturn
Category: Solar System
Show Answer
A) Mars
Ganymede is the largest moon of —
Options: A) Saturn B) Earth C) Jupiter D) Neptune
Category: Solar System
Show Answer
C) Jupiter
Quick Revision – One Line Memory
| Topic | Key Fact |
|---|---|
| ISRO | Founded 1969, HQ Bengaluru |
| Chandrayaan-3 | Moon South Pole landing (2023) |
| Mangalyaan | 1st Mars Mission (2013) |
| Aditya-L1 | Solar Mission (2023) |
| NASA | Founded 1958, Apollo-11 Moon landing |
| Largest Planet | Jupiter |
| Closest Planet | Mercury |
| Farthest Planet | Neptune |
| Brightest Planet | Venus |
| Largest Moon | Ganymede |
| Telescope | James Webb (2021) |
Exam Tricks & Mnemonics
ISRO Missions Trick:
"Moon–Mars–Moon–Sun–Man → Chandrayaan–Mangalyaan–Chandrayaan 3–Aditya–Gaganyaan"
Planet Order Trick:
"My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Noodles"
Moons Trick:
"Giant Titans Travel Universe. (Ganymede–Titan–Triton–Uranus)"
NASA Trick:
"Apollo touched Moon, Hubble saw Universe, Artemis brings humans back"
Global Space Trick:
"India lands, NASA plans, China returns, SpaceX reuses"
Revision & Exam Points
Final Concept Recap
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