A passage is given with five questions following it. Read the passage carefully and select the best answer to each question out of the given four alternatives. The Indian Space Research Organisation boosted its reputation further when it successfully launched a record 104 satellites in one mission
A passage is given with five questions following it. Read the passage carefully and select the best answer to each question out of the given four
alternatives.
The Indian Space Research Organisation boosted its reputation further when it successfully launched a record 104 satellites in one mission from Sriharikota on 15th
February, 2017 by relying on its workhorse PSLV rocket. An earth observation Cartosat-2 series satellite and two other nano satellites were the only Indian satellites
launched; the remaining were from the United States, Israel, the UAE, the Netherlands, Kazakhstan and Switzerland. Of the 101 foreign satellites launched, 96 were
from the U.S. and one each from the other five countries. Till now Russia held the record of launching 37 satellites in a single mission, in 2014, while the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration of the U.S. launched 29 satellites in one go in 2013. Last June, ISRO had come close to NASA’s record by launching 20
satellites in one mission. But ISRO views the launch not as a mission to set a world record but as an opportunity to make full use of the capacity of the launch
vehicle. The launch is particularly significant as ISRO now cements its position as a key player in the lucrative commercial space launch market by providing a
cheaper yet highly reliable alternative. At an orbital altitude of around 500 km, the vehicle takes about 90 minutes to complete one orbit. Though ISRO had sufficient
time to put the satellites into orbit, it accomplished the task in about 12 minutes. With the focus on ensuring that no two satellites collided with each other, the
satellites were injected in pairs in opposite directions. Successive pairs of satellites were launched once the vehicle rotated by a few degrees, thereby changing the
separation angle and time of separation to prevent any collision.
Besides setting the record for the most number of satellites launched in a single mission, the Indian space agency has launched two nano satellites weighing less
than 10 kg. It is a technology demonstrator for a new class of satellites called ISRO nano satellites (INS). With many Indian universities already building and
launching nano satellites, the availability of a dedicated nano satellites platform is sure to boost space research in India.
Which country has the maximum satellites launched into the space on 15th February, 2017?
1). The U. S.
2). Russia
3). Israel
4). Switzerland
