Some quikie quiz questions and answers on space exploration

1. What is sonic boom?

An airplane passing the sound-barrier produces shock- waves in the air which cause thunder- clap like booms.

2. What is sound barrier?

This is the point where the speed of light equals speed of sound. When an aircraft flies faster than sound, it is said to have crossed the sound barrier. Then the aircraft glides ahead silently, while its sound follows from behind.

3. Name the eight wheeled vehicle which Russia successfully soft-landed on the moon?

Lunokhod in 1970, it was an un-manned landing and exploration.

4. Which scientific spaceship was launched by the U.S. in 1990 for a voyage to the unknown destination?

Ulysses .

5. What space feat was performed by the crew of space shuttle Challenger on July 25, 1984?

They retrieved, repaired and re-orbited an ailing satellite Solar Max.

6. What is the probable age of the sun?

The age of the sun is estimated to be about 4,600 million years.

7. Name the spacecraft which for the first time escaped the Solar System.
The U.S spacecraft Pioneer-10 in 1986.

8. What is the diameter of the milky way?

The diameter of our galaxy/milky way is 100,000 light years.

9. What is a Solar Cloud?

A Solar cloud is a vast magnetic cloud that erupts from the sun. By entering the earth’s magnetic field, it may damage communication and other types of satellites. Such a solar cloud erupted recently in January, 1997. It was so huge that it took more than one day to pass any given point as it moved towards the Earth.

10. What is a black hole?

A black hole is a remnant of a Super Nova after its explosion and disintegration. Consequently, its core becomes so compressed and dense that it would suck into it anything coming near it. They are invisible because even light cannot escape them.