Consider the following statements:
The Mangalyaan launched by ISRO
- is also called the Mars Orbiter Mission
- made India the second country to have a spacecraft orbit the Mars after USA
- 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.