Question

What was the aim of launching the Aryabhata satellite?
A. To study the moon
B. To study the atmosphere
C. To study the mars planet
D. To study the space

Answer 1

Hint: Aryabhata was the first Indian satellite, named after the famous Indian astronomer. It was launched on 19 April 1975 using a Kosmos-3M launch vehicle from Kapustin Yar, a Russian rocket launch and construction site in Astrakhan Oblast. It was constructed by ISRO.

Complete Answer:
- On that day, April 19, 1975, Aryabhata, the first satellite developed by India, was launched. Aryabhata was established to perform experiments in X-ray astronomy, agronomy, and solar physics by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). The purpose of the Aryabhatta satellite launch was to carry out scientific experiments to study the upper atmosphere.
- The launch came from an agreement signed in 1972 between India and the Soviet Union under the leadership of UR Rao. In return for launching various Indian satellites, it allowed the USSR to use Indian ports for tracking ships and launching vessels. The 96.46-minute orbit of the satellite had an apogee of 619 kilometers (385 mi) and a perigee of 563 kilometers (350 mi) on 19 April 1975, at an inclination of 50.7 degrees.
- It was designed to perform X-ray astronomy, aeronomics, and solar physics studies. The spacecraft was a 1.4-meter (4.6 ft) diameter 26-sided polyhedron. All the faces were coated with solar cells (except the top and bottom).
- After four days and 60 orbits, a power failure halted experiments with all spacecraft signals lost after five days of the operation. The mainframe of the spacecraft remained operational until March 1981. The satellite entered the atmosphere of Earth due to orbital decay.

The right answer to this is option B (To study the atmosphere).

Note: It was named after the Indian astronomer and mathematician of the 5th century with the same name. Between 1976 and 1997, the image of the satellite appeared on the reverse of two Indian rupee banknotes.