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UPSC Prelims 2025 GS Paper 1, question 83

Topic: Science and technology

Q83

Consider the following space missions :

I. Axiom-4

II. SpaDeX

III. Gaganyaan

How many of the space missions given above encourage and support micro-gravity research?

  1. (a) Only one
  2. (b) Only twoCorrect answer
  3. (c) All the three
  4. (d) None

Solution.

Answer: (b) Only two

  1. Items I and III are correct: Axiom-4 (crewed ISS mission carrying Indian Gaganyatri Shubhanshu Shukla to conduct ISRO-NASA microgravity experiments) and Gaganyaan (India's Low Earth Orbit human spaceflight programme) are explicitly designed to encourage and support microgravity research.
  2. Item II is incorrect: ISRO's SpaDeX (Space Docking Experiment) is an automated orbital rendezvous and docking technology demonstrator mission rather than a microgravity research mission.

Trap: The PSLV-C60 launch that carried SpaDeX also flew separate experiment payloads on its fourth stage (POEM-4), but SpaDeX itself is a docking demonstration.