UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Dr. Jitendra Singh Informs Rajya Sabha of Key Milestones in Gaganyaan and India's Human Space Exploration Roadmap

Q1. The Gaganyaan Programme is executed by ISRO under the Department of Space. The Department of Space carries out the policies laid down by which one of the following bodies, which exercises the full administrative and financial powers of the Government of India in respect of the space programme?

  • A. NewSpace India Limited, the public sector undertaking of the Department of Space
  • B. The Space Commission, which formulates policies and oversees the space programme
  • C. Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre, the single-window regulator
  • D. The Physical Research Laboratory, the premier research institution of the Department

Q2. Who was the first Indian to travel to the International Space Station, having flown on the Axiom-04 mission launched in June 2025 for an 18-day stay in orbit?

  • A. Group Captain Ajit Krishnan of the Indian Air Force
  • B. Group Captain Angad Pratap of the Indian Air Force
  • C. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force
  • D. Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair of the Indian Air Force

Q3. ISRO's first Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT-01) for the Gaganyaan programme, carried out in August 2025 using a simulated crew module released from a helicopter, provided end-to-end validation of which one of the following?

  • A. The quick-acting, high burn rate solid motors of the Crew Escape System
  • B. The Service Module Propulsion System of the Gaganyaan Orbital Module
  • C. The Environmental Control and Life Support System of the Crew Module
  • D. The parachute-based deceleration system of the Gaganyaan Crew Module

Q4. Consider the following statements regarding the Test Vehicle missions of the Gaganyaan Programme: 1. The TV-D1 flight of October 2023 carried a Crew Module to an altitude of about 17 km and validated the Crew Escape System. 2. Every Test Vehicle Development flight in the Gaganyaan series is required to carry the Vyommitra humanoid robot. 3. The TV-D2 mission is intended to demonstrate the Crew Escape System by simulating an abort scenario, with crew module separation, parachute descent and sea splashdown. 4. The Crew Escape System comprises five types of motors, which have been developed and static tested. Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

  1. The TV-D1 flight of October 2023 carried a Crew Module to an altitude of about 17 km and validated the Crew Escape System.
  2. Every Test Vehicle Development flight in the Gaganyaan series is required to carry the Vyommitra humanoid robot.
  3. The TV-D2 mission is intended to demonstrate the Crew Escape System by simulating an abort scenario, with crew module separation, parachute descent and sea splashdown.
  4. The Crew Escape System comprises five types of motors, which have been developed and static tested.
  • A. 1 and 3
  • B. 2 only
  • C. 4 only
  • D. 2 and 4

Q5. With reference to the Union Cabinet decision of September 2024 revising the scope of the Gaganyaan Programme, consider the following: 1. Development of the first module of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station, with its launch targeted in 2028. 2. Four missions for demonstration and validation of technologies for the Bharatiya Antariksh Station, to be completed by December 2028. 3. Revision of the total funding of the Gaganyaan Programme to about Rs 20,193 crore. 4. Advancing the target date for landing an Indian on the Moon from 2040 to 2035. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. Development of the first module of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station, with its launch targeted in 2028.
  2. Four missions for demonstration and validation of technologies for the Bharatiya Antariksh Station, to be completed by December 2028.
  3. Revision of the total funding of the Gaganyaan Programme to about Rs 20,193 crore.
  4. Advancing the target date for landing an Indian on the Moon from 2040 to 2035.
  • A. 1 and 4
  • B. 2, 3 and 4
  • C. 1, 2 and 3
  • D. 3 and 4 only

Q6. 'Space Vision 2047', referred to in Government replies on India's human space exploration roadmap, is best described as which one of the following?

  • A. The long-term roadmap under which a national space station is to be established by 2035 and an Indian is to land on the Moon by 2040
  • B. The long-term roadmap under which the first module of a national space station is to be launched by 2035 and a lunar sample return achieved by 2040
  • C. The long-term roadmap under which an uncrewed Indian landing on the Moon is to be achieved by 2035 and a crewed mission to Mars by 2040
  • D. The long-term roadmap under which the first crewed Gaganyaan flight is to be undertaken by 2035 and a national space station established by 2040

Q7. Consider the following statements regarding the uncrewed precursor missions of the Gaganyaan Programme: 1. G1, G2 and G3 are uncrewed orbital missions to be flown before the first crewed Gaganyaan flight. 2. The humanoid robot to be flown on an uncrewed Gaganyaan mission can monitor module parameters, issue alerts and execute life support operations. 3. The humanoid robot is a male robot astronaut, its name being derived from the Sanskrit words for 'space' and 'friend'. 4. The crewed Gaganyaan mission envisages placing three crew members in a 400 km low Earth orbit for a three-day mission. Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?

  1. G1, G2 and G3 are uncrewed orbital missions to be flown before the first crewed Gaganyaan flight.
  2. The humanoid robot to be flown on an uncrewed Gaganyaan mission can monitor module parameters, issue alerts and execute life support operations.
  3. The humanoid robot is a male robot astronaut, its name being derived from the Sanskrit words for 'space' and 'friend'.
  4. The crewed Gaganyaan mission envisages placing three crew members in a 400 km low Earth orbit for a three-day mission.
  • A. 2 only
  • B. 3 only
  • C. 1 and 4
  • D. 3 and 4

Q8. When the scope of the Gaganyaan Programme was revised in October 2024 with the addition of an extra uncrewed mission and precursor missions for the Bharatiya Antariksh Station, the number of missions in the programme was raised from three to how many?

  • A. Five
  • B. Six
  • C. Eight
  • D. Ten

Q9. With reference to the status of the Gaganyaan Programme as stated by the Government in Parliament, consider the following: 1. Development and ground testing of the Human Rated Launch Vehicle (HLVM3) has been completed. 2. The first crewed Gaganyaan flight is targeted for the first quarter of 2026. 3. Recovery trials of the crew module have been carried out in association with the Indian Navy, with further sea recovery simulations planned. 4. The Bharatiya Antariksh Station is to be fully operational by 2028. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. Development and ground testing of the Human Rated Launch Vehicle (HLVM3) has been completed.
  2. The first crewed Gaganyaan flight is targeted for the first quarter of 2026.
  3. Recovery trials of the crew module have been carried out in association with the Indian Navy, with further sea recovery simulations planned.
  4. The Bharatiya Antariksh Station is to be fully operational by 2028.
  • A. 1 and 3 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 3
  • C. 2 and 4
  • D. 3 and 4 only

Q10. Within ISRO, the human spaceflight activities that underpin India's stated goal of landing an Indian on the Moon by 2040, including coordination of the microgravity experiments flown by the Indian astronaut on the Axiom-04 mission, are handled by which one of the following centres?

  • A. Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram
  • B. Human Space Flight Centre, Bengaluru
  • C. Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota
  • D. U R Rao Satellite Centre, Bengaluru

Q11. Consider the following statements regarding the administrative arrangement of India's space programme: 1. The Department of Space is under the charge of the Prime Minister, and ISRO functions under the Department of Space. 2. The Space Commission and the Department of Space were constituted in 1972, and ISRO was brought under the Department of Space in the same year. 3. Apart from ISRO, the Department of Space implements its programmes mainly through the Physical Research Laboratory, the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology and the North Eastern Space Applications Centre. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The Department of Space is under the charge of the Prime Minister, and ISRO functions under the Department of Space.
  2. The Space Commission and the Department of Space were constituted in 1972, and ISRO was brought under the Department of Space in the same year.
  3. Apart from ISRO, the Department of Space implements its programmes mainly through the Physical Research Laboratory, the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology and the North Eastern Space Applications Centre.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q12. Consider the following statements comparing the elements of the Gaganyaan flight system: 1. The HLVM3 is a human-rated configuration of ISRO's proven heavy-lift LVM3 and retains its solid, liquid and cryogenic stages. 2. The Orbital Module consists of the Crew Module and the Service Module, of which the Crew Module is a double-walled pressurized cabin while the Service Module is unpressurized. 3. The Crew Escape System employs quick-acting, high burn rate liquid engines and can be activated only after lift-off, and not while the vehicle is on the launch pad. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The HLVM3 is a human-rated configuration of ISRO's proven heavy-lift LVM3 and retains its solid, liquid and cryogenic stages.
  2. The Orbital Module consists of the Crew Module and the Service Module, of which the Crew Module is a double-walled pressurized cabin while the Service Module is unpressurized.
  3. The Crew Escape System employs quick-acting, high burn rate liquid engines and can be activated only after lift-off, and not while the vehicle is on the launch pad.
  • A. 2 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3