UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Europe-China mission to probe how earth fends off raging solar winds

Question 1

The SMILE mission is jointly developed and operated by the European Space Agency together with which one of the following bodies?

Accepted Answer

Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)

Answer

China National Space Administration (CNSA)

Answer

National Space Science Center only, under CNSA

Answer

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC)

Question 2

SMILE was placed into orbit in May 2026 using which one of the following launch vehicles?

Accepted Answer

Vega-C

Answer

Ariane 6

Answer

Long March 2D

Answer

PSLV-XL

Question 3

How many propulsion stages does ESA's Vega-C launch vehicle have in total?

Accepted Answer

Four

Answer

Two

Answer

Three

Answer

Five

Question 4

The Guiana Space Centre near Kourou, from which SMILE was launched, lies at approximately what latitude?

Accepted Answer

5° North

Answer

13° North

Answer

28° North

Answer

0° (on the equator)

Question 5

Which one of SMILE's four instruments is designed to capture the first-ever soft X-ray images of Earth's magnetopause and polar cusps?

Accepted Answer

Soft X-ray Imager (SXI)

Answer

Ultraviolet aurora Imager (UVI)

Answer

Light Ion Analyser (LIA)

Answer

Magnetometer (MAG)

Question 6

Which one of the following is the boundary of Earth's magnetosphere where the pressure of Earth's magnetic field balances the pressure of the incoming solar wind?

Accepted Answer

Magnetopause

Answer

Bow shock

Answer

Polar cusp

Answer

Magnetotail

UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Europe-China mission to probe how earth fends off raging solar winds

Q1. The SMILE mission is jointly developed and operated by the European Space Agency together with which one of the following bodies?

Q2. SMILE was placed into orbit in May 2026 using which one of the following launch vehicles?

Q3. How many propulsion stages does ESA's Vega-C launch vehicle have in total?

Q4. The Guiana Space Centre near Kourou, from which SMILE was launched, lies at approximately what latitude?

Q5. Which one of SMILE's four instruments is designed to capture the first-ever soft X-ray images of Earth's magnetopause and polar cusps?

Q6. Which one of the following is the boundary of Earth's magnetosphere where the pressure of Earth's magnetic field balances the pressure of the incoming solar wind?