Consider the following statements:

The Mangalyaan launched by ISRO

1. is also called the Mars Orbiter Mission
2. made India the second country to have a spacecraft orbit the Mars after USA
3. made India the only country to be successful in making its spacecraft orbit the Mars in its very first attempt

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2016 Prelims]

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (c)        

Explanation:

• The Mars Orbiter Mission also called Mangalyaan. Hence statement 1 is correct.
• India is the only country to be successful in making its spacecraft orbit Mars in its very first attempt. Hence statement 3 is correct.
• India is the first Asian country and ISRO is the fourth space agency to send a satellite to Mars after the Soviet space program, NASA, and the European Space Agency. Hence statement 2 is incorrect.