20 Static GK MCQs for Competitive Exams
ISRO GK Questions and Answers 2026: Preparing for UPSC, SSC, Railway, or Banking exams? This post brings you 20 ISRO GK MCQs covering India’s space missions, from Aryabhata to Chandrayaan-3 and Gaganyaan. Each ISRO static GK question includes four options, the correct answer, and extra facts for deeper understanding. Ideal for students seeking moderate to hard level ISRO quiz questions, this general knowledge guide simplifies India’s space journey in easy language.
ISRO History and Founder GK Questions
Q1
In which year did India’s space agency ISRO come into existence?
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Answer: B) 1969
ISRO was formed on August 15, 1969, replacing the earlier Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR), which had been set up in 1962 under the guidance of Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, widely regarded as the father of India’s space programme.
Q2
Who is often called the founding father of India’s space programme?
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Answer: B) Vikram Sarabhai
Vikram Sarabhai envisioned using space technology for national development rather than competition, and under his leadership the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station was established in Kerala in 1963, marking India’s first step into space research activities.
Q3
Which was the very first satellite built and launched by India?
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Answer: C) Aryabhata
Aryabhata was launched on April 19, 1975, from a Soviet cosmodrome using a Kosmos rocket. Though it lost power after four days, it proved India’s capability to design and build satellites, and its image now features on the 2-rupee currency note.
Q4
Which Indian rocket first placed a satellite into orbit using indigenous technology?
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Answer: C) SLV-3
The Satellite Launch Vehicle-3 successfully launched the Rohini RS-1 satellite on July 18, 1980, from Sriharikota. This achievement made India the seventh nation in the world capable of launching its own satellites into orbit.
Q5
From which island does ISRO conduct most of its major rocket launches?
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Answer: B) Sriharikota
ISRO’s primary launch site, the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, sits on Sriharikota island in Andhra Pradesh along the Bay of Bengal coast. Its location near the equator and coastline makes it ideal for eastward satellite launches.
ISRO Launch Vehicles and Rockets GK Questions
Q6
What does the abbreviation PSLV stand for?
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Answer: B) Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle
PSLV is ISRO’s most trusted and reliable workhorse rocket, first launched in 1993. It has placed satellites into polar and sun-synchronous orbits for both India and many foreign customers, including the record-setting 104-satellite mission in 2017.
Q7
Which heavy-lift rocket is nicknamed the “Fat Boy” by ISRO due to its bulky appearance?
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Answer: B) GSLV Mk III (LVM3)
LVM3, previously called GSLV Mk III, is ISRO’s most powerful operational rocket. It successfully launched Chandrayaan-2, Chandrayaan-3, and dozens of OneWeb satellites, and is also designated to carry Indian astronauts under the Gaganyaan programme.
Q8
What is the name of ISRO’s technology demonstrator for reusable launch vehicles?
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Answer: A) RLV-TD
The Reusable Launch Vehicle Technology Demonstrator is a winged spaceplane concept tested by ISRO to eventually reduce launch costs. Its 2016 test flight demonstrated autonomous atmospheric re-entry and landing capability, a step toward future reusable rockets.
Q9
Which ISRO mission demonstrated in-orbit docking technology using two small satellites?
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Answer: A) SPADEX
The Space Docking Experiment, launched in December 2024, tested autonomous docking and undocking of two small spacecraft in orbit. This technology is essential for future space station assembly, satellite servicing, and crewed missions requiring module docking capability.
ISRO Moon, Mars and Sun Missions GK Questions
Q10
Which ISRO mission made India the first country to reach Mars orbit on its maiden attempt?
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Answer: B) Mangalyaan
Officially named the Mars Orbiter Mission, Mangalyaan was launched in November 2013 and reached Martian orbit in September 2014. It was also one of the cheapest interplanetary missions ever, costing less than many Hollywood space films.
Q11
Which Indian lunar mission discovered evidence of water molecules on the Moon’s surface?
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Answer: C) Chandrayaan-1
Launched in 2008, Chandrayaan-1 carried the Moon Impact Probe and instruments that detected hydroxyl and water molecules on the lunar surface, a discovery confirmed alongside NASA’s Chandra’s Altitudinal Composition Explorer instrument aboard the same spacecraft.
Q12
Chandrayaan-3 achieved a soft landing near which region of the Moon?
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Answer: C) South Pole
On August 23, 2023, Chandrayaan-3’s Vikram lander touched down near the Moon’s south polar region, making India the first nation to land there and the fourth country overall to achieve a soft lunar landing, after the USA, Russia, and China.
Q13
Which ISRO spacecraft was sent to study the Sun from a special vantage point?
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Answer: B) Aditya-L1
Launched in September 2023, Aditya-L1 travels toward the Lagrange Point 1, roughly 1.5 million kilometres from Earth, where it observes the Sun’s corona and outer layers continuously without any eclipse interference, aiding solar weather research.
Q14
Under whose leadership did ISRO conduct the historic Chandrayaan-3 soft landing in 2023?
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Answer: B) S. Somanath
S. Somanath served as ISRO chairman from January 2022, overseeing the successful Chandrayaan-3 landing and Aditya-L1 launch. He was succeeded by Dr. V. Narayanan, a propulsion expert, who took charge as the organisation’s chairman in January 2025.
ISRO Satellites and Gaganyaan Mission GK Questions
Q15
What is the name of India’s crewed spaceflight programme under development?
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Answer: B) Gaganyaan
Gaganyaan aims to send Indian astronauts, called Vyomanauts, into low Earth orbit using the human-rated LVM3 rocket. Uncrewed test flights are being conducted first to validate crew safety systems before an eventual human mission.
Q16
Which satellite system did India develop to provide its own regional navigation service?
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Answer: B) NavIC
NavIC, short for Navigation with Indian Constellation, was built using a cluster of IRNSS satellites. It provides accurate positioning services over India and surrounding regions, reducing reliance on foreign systems like America’s GPS for strategic and civilian uses.
Q17
Which ISRO satellite series primarily focuses on Earth observation and remote sensing for resource mapping?
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Answer: B) IRS
The Indian Remote Sensing satellite series began with IRS-1A in 1988. These satellites help monitor agriculture, forestry, water resources, and urban planning, and the constellation has grown into one of the largest civilian remote sensing fleets globally.
Q18
What is the name of India’s first dedicated space observatory for studying celestial X-ray sources?
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Answer: B) Astrosat
Launched in 2015, Astrosat is India’s first multi-wavelength space telescope, observing celestial objects simultaneously in visible, ultraviolet, and X-ray bands. It allows scientists to study distant stars, black holes, and galaxies without atmospheric interference.
Q19
Which Indian satellite mission is a joint collaboration between ISRO and NASA for Earth observation using radar imaging?
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Answer: B) NISAR
NISAR, meaning NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar, is designed to track subtle changes in Earth’s surface such as glacier movement, earthquakes, and forest changes. It combines American L-band and Indian S-band radar technology in a single satellite.
Q20
Which humanoid robot did ISRO develop to test conditions for the Gaganyaan mission before sending humans?
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Answer: B) Vyommitra
Vyommitra is a half-humanoid female robot built to monitor life-support systems, perform basic functions, and interact with ground control during uncrewed Gaganyaan test flights, helping engineers evaluate cabin conditions before actual astronauts fly.
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