Everyday Science · Topic 4
The solar system, space firsts and Pakistan's space programme.
Learn first
Learn the planets in order with their records, the first achievements in space, and Pakistan's satellites.
Practise
Try each question, then open the answer. MCQs 251–267 of 267.
251.Which company's Crew Dragon capsule began carrying astronauts to the ISS in 2020?
Answer: C. SpaceX
It was the first commercial crewed spacecraft to reach the ISS.
252.Which company's New Shepard rocket carries tourists on short space flights?
Answer: C. Blue Origin
It was founded by Jeff Bezos.
253.A satellite in a polar orbit passes over which areas?
Answer: A. Both poles, covering the whole Earth over time
Weather and mapping satellites often use polar orbits.
254.Which height is a geostationary orbit, approximately?
Answer: B. About 35,786 km
Satellites there match the Earth's rotation.
255.The first communication satellite to relay TV across the Atlantic (1962) was called what?
Answer: B. Telstar
It linked the US and Europe.
256.Which country launched the first weather satellite, TIROS-1, in 1960?
Answer: A. United States
It sent back the first TV images of clouds.
257.Which Indian rocket is used to launch most of its satellites?
Answer: B. PSLV
It has launched satellites for many countries.
258.Europe's main heavy-lift rocket family is called what?
Answer: A. Ariane
It launches from French Guiana.
259.Europe's spaceport is located in which place?
Answer: B. Kourou, French Guiana
It is close to the equator.
260.The Baikonur Cosmodrome, used by Russia, is in which country?
Answer: D. Kazakhstan
Russia leases it from Kazakhstan.
261.China's main human spaceflight launch centre is at which place?
Answer: B. Jiuquan
It is in the Gobi Desert.
262.India's main launch site is at which place?
Answer: D. Sriharikota
It is called the Satish Dhawan Space Centre.
263.Which space telescope observes X-rays from black holes and exploding stars?
Answer: D. Chandra
X-rays are blocked by Earth's atmosphere.
264.Which space telescope, retired in 2020, observed in infrared?
Answer: A. Spitzer
The James Webb telescope continues infrared astronomy.
265.Which European mission mapped the positions of more than a billion stars?
Answer: A. Gaia
It was launched in 2013.
266.What is a "light second"?
Answer: D. About 300,000 km
It is the distance light travels in one second.
267.A "parsec" is a unit of what?
Answer: D. Distance
One parsec is about 3.26 light-years.
Test yourself
Each quiz has 50 MCQs from this topic and 50 minutes. A correct answer earns 1 mark and each wrong answer takes off 0.25; skipped questions score nothing. No password needed.
