UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Earth’s orbits are filling up because governance hasn’t kept pace

Q1. The Outer Space Treaty, the foundational instrument of international space law that prohibits national appropriation of outer space, entered into force in which year?

  • A. 1957
  • B. 1967
  • C. 1972
  • D. 1979

Q2. With reference to the three core United Nations space treaties, consider the following statements: 1. The Outer Space Treaty (1967) declares that outer space is not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty. 2. Under the Liability Convention (1972), a launching State is absolutely liable to pay compensation for damage caused by its space object on the surface of the Earth. 3. The Registration Convention requires States to register their space objects with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The Outer Space Treaty (1967) declares that outer space is not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty.
  2. Under the Liability Convention (1972), a launching State is absolutely liable to pay compensation for damage caused by its space object on the surface of the Earth.
  3. The Registration Convention requires States to register their space objects with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q3. Low Earth Orbit (LEO), where the bulk of tracked space debris and mega-constellation satellites are concentrated, is generally defined as the region within approximately what altitude of the Earth's surface?

  • A. 500 km
  • B. 2,000 km
  • C. 20,200 km
  • D. 35,786 km

Q4. With reference to space debris and orbital congestion, consider the following statements: 1. The 2007 destruction of the Fengyun-1C satellite by China created more than 3,000 tracked fragments. 2. The 2009 Iridium 33–Cosmos 2251 event was the first accidental collision between two satellites. 3. The Kessler syndrome describes a collisional cascade that can render low Earth orbit unusable. 4. The Kessler syndrome was first proposed in 1957 by the engineers of Sputnik-1. Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?

  1. The 2007 destruction of the Fengyun-1C satellite by China created more than 3,000 tracked fragments.
  2. The 2009 Iridium 33–Cosmos 2251 event was the first accidental collision between two satellites.
  3. The Kessler syndrome describes a collisional cascade that can render low Earth orbit unusable.
  4. The Kessler syndrome was first proposed in 1957 by the engineers of Sputnik-1.
  • A. 1 and 3
  • B. 2 and 4
  • C. 4 only
  • D. 3 and 4

Q5. Which of the following is the principal multilateral framework, adopted in 2019, that provides voluntary guidance for the long-term sustainability of outer space activities?

  • A. The COPUOS Guidelines for the Long-term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities
  • B. The ITU Radio Regulations
  • C. The IADC Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines
  • D. The Artemis Accords

Q6. The 21 voluntary guidelines for the long-term sustainability of outer space activities were adopted by which United Nations body?

  • A. The Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS)
  • B. The UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA)
  • C. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
  • D. The Conference on Disarmament

Q7. In India's reformed space governance architecture under the Indian Space Policy 2023, IN-SPACe functions primarily as which of the following?

  • A. The single-window agency for the promotion and authorization of space activities, including by non-government entities
  • B. The public-sector commercial arm that markets ISRO's products and services
  • C. The agency that exclusively builds and launches all Indian satellites
  • D. The defence agency responsible for India's anti-satellite missile programme

Q8. Mission Shakti, India's anti-satellite (A-SAT) missile test demonstrated in 2019, was conducted by which agency?

  • A. ISRO
  • B. DRDO
  • C. NSIL
  • D. IN-SPACe

Q9. Consider the following matches of UNISPACE conferences with their year: 1. UNISPACE I — 1968 2. UNISPACE-82 — 1982 3. UNISPACE III — 1999 4. UNISPACE IV — 2007 Which of the above is/are NOT correctly matched?

  1. UNISPACE I — 1968
  2. UNISPACE-82 — 1982
  3. UNISPACE III — 1999
  4. UNISPACE IV — 2007
  • A. 1 and 3
  • B. 2 and 4
  • C. 1, 2 and 4
  • D. 4 only

Q10. In the context of space governance, Space Situational Awareness (SSA) — the capability India builds through Project NETRA — refers primarily to which of the following?

  • A. The detection, tracking, cataloguing and orbit-prediction of objects in space to assess and avoid collision risk
  • B. The allocation of orbital slots and radio frequencies to satellite operators
  • C. The legal regime fixing State liability for damage caused by space objects
  • D. The commercial marketing of satellite launch services to private clients

Q11. The geostationary orbit — a finite commons whose orbital slots are coordinated by the ITU largely on a first-come, first-served basis — lies at approximately what altitude above the Earth's Equator?

  • A. 2,000 km
  • B. 8,000 km
  • C. 20,200 km
  • D. 35,786 km