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Q83 (IAS/2025) Science & Technology › Space & Defence Technology › Space exploration missions Answer Verified

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?

Result
Your answer: —  Âˇ  Correct: C
Explanation

All three space missions encourage and support micro-gravity research:

  • Axiom-4: ISRO has partnered with this private mission to the International Space Station (ISS) to send an Indian astronaut (Gaganyatri) who will conduct several shortlisted microgravity research experiments.
  • SpaDeX: ISRO's Space Docking Experiment mission, launched via the PSLV-C60 rocket, utilized its spent fourth stage (POEM-4) as an orbital platform. This module hosted numerous payloads from ISRO, academia, and startups specifically designed for in-orbit microgravity experiments, such as studying plant seed germination in space.
  • Gaganyaan: India's human spaceflight program is fundamentally designed to establish indigenous capabilities for carrying a human crew to Low Earth Orbit while actively supporting the Indian scientific community in conducting various microgravity research activities.

Therefore, all three missions support micro-gravity research.

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Don’t just practise – reverse-engineer the question. This panel shows where this PYQ came from (books / web), how the examiner broke it into hidden statements, and which nearby micro-concepts you were supposed to learn from it. Treat it like an autopsy of the question: what might have triggered it, which exact lines in the book matter, and what linked ideas you should carry forward to future questions.
Q. Consider the following space missions : I. Axiom-4 II. SpaDeX III. Gaganyaan How many of the space missions given above encourage and…
At a glance
Origin: Mostly Current Affairs Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 0/10 ¡ 10/10
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This is a 'Mission Classification' question. UPSC demands you distinguish between 'Science Missions' (carrying experiments) and 'Technology Demonstrators' (validating engineering). The trap lies in assuming all space missions do 'research'; SpaDeX is purely an engineering testbed for docking, unlike the human-centric Axiom-4 and Gaganyaan which mandate scientific experiments to justify human presence.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
Does the Axiom-4 space mission include or support microgravity research experiments?
Origin: Web / Current Affairs Fairness: CA heavy Web-answerable

Web source
Presence: 5/5
"During this mission, ISRO's Gaganyatri will carry out shortlisted Indian microgravity research experiments onboard ISS."
Why this source?
  • Directly states that the mission will carry out Indian microgravity research experiments onboard the ISS.
  • Identifies the Indian participant (Gaganyatri) and links those experiments to the Axiom-4 mission context.
Web source
Presence: 5/5
"following microgravity research experiments by Indian Principal Investigators (PIs) have been jointly shortlisted by ISRO & ESA for implementation on International Space Station (ISS) during Axiom-4 mission:"
Why this source?
  • Describes an ISRO–ESA agreement enabling joint microgravity experiments for Axiom-4.
  • Says specific microgravity experiments were jointly shortlisted for implementation on the ISS during the Axiom-4 mission.
Web source
Presence: 4/5
"These experiments will utilise available research facilities onboard ISS. Considering the safety driven operational philosophy as well as other mission constraints of human spaceflight missions, these shortlisted microgravity experiments are undergoing stringent evaluations and reviews on ground before launch."
Why this source?
  • Confirms the shortlisted experiments will use available research facilities onboard the ISS.
  • Explains these microgravity experiments are undergoing evaluations and reviews before launch, linking them to the mission's operational planning.

Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 39: After Nehru... > India's Man in Space > p. 715
Strength: 5/5
“It was during the rule of Indira Gandhi that an Indian went travelling in space. As a part of the joint programme between Indian Space Research Organisation and the Soviet Intercosmos, Rakesh Sharma, an Indian Airforce pilot was selected in 1982 as a cosmonaut for a joint Soviet-Indian spaceflight. On April 2, 1984, Sharma flew on board Soyuz T-11 with two Soviet cosmonauts to the space station Salyut 7. During his stay of nearly eight days on the space station, he performed certain experiments in the fields of bio-medicine and remote sensing and exercises to study the effects of yoga on the body during weightlessness.”
Why relevant

Describes an Indian cosmonaut (Rakesh Sharma) performing bio-medicine experiments and exercises to study effects of yoga during weightlessness on Salyut 7.

How to extend

A student could generalize that human spaceflight missions (especially station/crewed flights) commonly carry microgravity biology/medicine experiments and thus check if Axiom-4 is a crewed/station-related mission.

Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 13: Our Home: Earth, a Unique Life Sustaining Planet > Our scientific heritage > p. 216
Strength: 4/5
“India's Mangalyaan (Mars Orbiter Mission), launched in 2013 by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), was a big step in exploring Mars (Fig. 13.7). It carried tools to study the planet's atmosphere, surface, and signs of past water. Some of these sensors help scientists ask big questions—like was Mars Fig. 13.7: Mangalyaan ever suitable for life? Mangalyaan showed the world that India could do space science with smart, low-cost technology—and it helped bring Mars closer to all of us.”
Why relevant

Notes that Mangalyaan carried scientific tools to study Mars’ atmosphere and surface—showing ISRO missions routinely include mission-specific science payloads.

How to extend

Use the pattern that ISRO and similar space missions often include dedicated scientific payloads; verify whether Axiom-4’s mission profile/payload list includes microgravity experiment modules.

Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 11: Keeping Time with the Skies > Our scientific heritage > p. 185
Strength: 3/5
“The Cartosat series of satellites, launched by ISRO, capture high-quality images of the Earth to improve maps, plan cities, and handle natural disasters in India. One such mapping platform, Bhuvan, uses these images to show terrain, soil, land use, vegetation, and more. AstroSat, another ISRO mission, makes scientific observations of stars and other celestial objects. India's other space missions include Chandrayaan 1, 2, and 3 to the Moon; Aditya L1 to study the Sun; and Mangalyaan to Mars. ISRO also lets Indian students build and launch small satellites, such as AzaadiSat, InspireSat-1, and Jugnu.”
Why relevant

Lists multiple ISRO science missions (AstroSat, Chandrayaan, Aditya L1) and mentions student-built small satellites, indicating a practice of carrying diverse scientific experiments on missions.

How to extend

Infer that if Axiom-4 is an ISRO-associated or science-focused mission, it may follow this practice; check Axiom-4’s affiliation and stated scientific goals for microgravity research.

Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 2: The Solar System > 2.8. Distant Artificial Objects Exploring the Solar System > p. 39
Strength: 3/5
“Voyagers continue communicating with the Deep Space Network to receive routine commands & return data.• The NASA Deep Space Network (DSN) is a worldwide network of U.S. spacecraft communication facilities, located in the California, Madrid, and Canberra, that supports NASA's interplanetary spacecraft missions. • Space probe: Pioneer 10; Launch year: 1972; Significant event: Flew past Saturn in 1979; Objective: Study the asteroid belt, the environment around Jupiter; Current sta tus: Contact lost in 2003; Distance from the Sun in AU: ~ 120 AU • Space probe: Pioneer 11; Launch year: 1973; Significant event: Flew past Saturn in 1979; Objective: and Saturn, solar wind and cosmic rays.; Current sta tus: Contact lost in 1995; Distance from the Sun in AU: ~ 90 AU • Space probe: Voyager 2; Launch year: Aug 1977; Significant event: Passed the heliopause in December 2018 to enter in terstellar space (second; Objective: Explore all Jovian planets.”
Why relevant

Explains that deep-space probes carry objectives to study environments and return data, illustrating the general rule that spacecraft have mission-specific scientific objectives.

How to extend

Apply that rule to Axiom-4 by identifying whether its stated objectives include microgravity studies (common for near-Earth/crewed missions) versus remote sensing/deep-space goals.

Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 13: Our Home: Earth, a Unique Life Sustaining Planet > Discover, design, and debate > p. 227
Strength: 2/5
“• z Design an 'Earth Survival Kit'. Imagine you're building a tiny model of Earth for another planet. What must it have to support life, and why?• z India is planning for a challenging lunar mission, Chandrayaan-4, which will bring back samples of soil from the Moon. If the Moon had water, could plants grow in that soil? Think of some experiment that could help you explore whether plant growth is possible on the Moon.• z Flowers are often brightly coloured and have a pleasant smell. How do you think these features help the plant reproduce?• z Why do animals like fish and frogs lay hundreds or even thousands of eggs at a time, while other animals lay only a few?”
Why relevant

Suggests designing experiments (e.g., plant growth on the Moon) as classroom tasks, highlighting that space missions are platforms for life-science experiments related to altered-gravity environments.

How to extend

A student could use this as a cue to look for life-science or plant/biology experiment mentions in Axiom-4’s mission description to infer microgravity research support.

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