Isros Space Missions And Programmes

**Assessment of crop productivity:** IRS satellites capture data that helps assess crop health, growth stage, and potential yield. **Locating groundwater resources:** Remote sensing allows for studying geological features and identifying potential zones with underground water reserves. **Mineral exploration:** IRS data can reveal signatures of specific minerals on the Earth's surface, aiding in mineral exploration activities. **Telecommunications:** IRS satellites are not designed for telecommunication purposes. Geostationary satellites are typically used for this function. **Traffic studies:** While remote sensing can be used for some traffic studies (e.g., analyzing transportation infrastructure), it's not the primary application of IRS satellites. Therefore, only 1,2 and 3 are primary applications of IRS satellites.

The Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development for 2014 was presented to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). - It was awarded in recognition of its path-breaking achievements, especially the Mars Orbiter Mission; its significant contributions in strengthening international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space etc. - The award consists of a trophy made of banded Haematite Jasper, with a portrait of the late Prime Minister in the tradition of Jaipur miniature paintings, a cash award of Rs. 1 Crore and a Citation.

**Statement 1 is incorrect:** AstroSat is India's first dedicated multi-wavelength space observatory aimed at studying celestial sources in X-ray, optical and UV spectral bands simultaneously. India is the 5th country to join the space observatory elite list after the USA, Russia, Japan, and Europe. **Statement 2 is incorrect:** AstroSat with a lift-off mass of about 1513 kg was launched into a 650 km orbit inclined at an angle of 6 degrees to the equator by PSLV-C30. Therefore, option D is the correct answer.

**Statement 1 is correct:** Mangalyaan is also called the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM). This was its official designation. **Statement 2 is incorrect:** India was not the second country to orbit Mars. Several countries had successfully sent spacecraft to Mars before Mangalyaan, including the USA, Russia, and the European Space Agency (ESA). **Statement 3 is correct:** India was indeed the only country at that time to succeed in placing a spacecraft into Martian orbit on its very first attempt. This was a significant achievement for ISRO. Hence, option C is the correct answer.

IRNSS is an independent regional navigation satellite system being developed by India. **Statement 1 is correct:** The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) indeed has three satellites in geostationary orbits and four satellites in geosynchronous orbits.  **Statement 2 is incorrect:** It is designed to provide accurate position information service to users in India as well as the region extending up to 1500 km from its boundary, which is its primary service area. An Extended Service Area lies between primary service area and area enclosed by the rectangle from Latitude 30 deg South to 50 deg North, Longitude 30 deg East to 130 deg East. **Statement 3 is incorrect:** While India has been working on enhancing the coverage of its navigation system, as of the given timeframe (2019), it does not have full global coverage. The system is primarily regional, although there are plans for augmentation and expansion.

Remote sensing is the process of detecting and monitoring the physical characteristics of an area by measuring its reflected and emitted radiation at a distance from the targeted area. **Statement 1 is correct.** Satellite images and remote sensing data can indeed be used to estimate the chlorophyll content in vegetation. This is done by measuring the reflectance of light from the vegetation. The chlorophyll in plants absorbs light for photosynthesis, and the amount of light reflected back can give an estimate of the chlorophyll content. **Statement 2 is correct.** Satellite images and remote sensing data can also be used to estimate greenhouse gas emissions. This is done by detecting the radiations emitted by the substances in the rice paddies. **Statement 3 is correct.** Satellite images and remote sensing data can be used to measure land surface temperatures as well. This is done by detecting the infrared radiation emitted by the land surface. Therefore, all three parameters can be measured or estimated using satellite images or remote sensing data.

✅ **I. Axiom-4: Correct** Axiom-4 is a private crewed ISS mission focused on micro-gravity research through scientific experiments. ✅ **II. SpaDeX: Correct** SpaDeX, ISRO’s autonomous docking tech demo, also supports micro-gravity research during its mission. ✅ **III. Gaganyaan: Correct** India’s first human spaceflight, Gaganyaan, promotes micro-gravity research by enabling experiments in space. **Therefore, all three missions support and encourage micro-gravity research.**

✅ **Statement I: Correct** *GAGAN is an Indian SBAS developed by ISRO and AAI to enhance GPS accuracy and integrity, crucial for aviation safety.* ✅ **Statement II: Correct** *It improves GPS reliability and accuracy, enabling better air traffic management and safer, efficient navigation.* ❌ **Statement III: Incorrect** *GAGAN’s benefits extend beyond aviation to railways, roadways, maritime, agriculture, and disaster management.* **Correct Answer: Only Statements I and II are correct.**