Latest MCQs on Universe for Competitive Exams

81. What is the name of the first spacecraft to land on Titan, Saturn’s largest moon?
A) Huygens
B) Cassini
C) Galileo
D) Voyager 1
Correct Answer: A) Huygens
Explanation: The Huygens probe descended through Titan’s atmosphere in January 2005.

82. What is the name of the first spacecraft to orbit Mercury?
A) Mariner 10
B) Messenger
C) BepiColombo
D) Pioneer 11
Correct Answer: B) Messenger
Explanation: Messenger orbited Mercury from 2011-2015, mapping 98% of its surface.

83. What is the name of the first spacecraft to land on Venus and transmit data?
A) Venera 7
B) Mariner 2
C) Luna 9
D) Surveyor 1
Correct Answer: A) Venera 7
Explanation: In 1970, Venera 7 survived Venus’s harsh conditions for 23 minutes of data transmission.

84. What is the name of the first spacecraft to orbit Mars?
A) Mariner 9
B) Viking 1
C) Pathfinder
D) Spirit
Correct Answer: A) Mariner 9
Explanation: Mariner 9 arrived in 1971 and mapped 85% of Mars’s surface.

85. What is the name of the first spacecraft to fly by Uranus?
A) Voyager 2
B) Pioneer 10
C) Cassini
D) Galileo
Correct Answer: A) Voyager 2
Explanation: Voyager 2 remains the only spacecraft to visit Uranus (1986) and Neptune (1989).

86. What is the name of the first spacecraft to fly by Neptune?
A) Voyager 2
B) Pioneer 11
C) Cassini
D) Galileo
Correct Answer: A) Voyager 2
Explanation: Voyager 2’s 1989 flyby revealed Neptune’s Great Dark Spot and active weather.

87. What is the name of the first spacecraft to orbit Jupiter?
A) Galileo
B) Voyager 1
C) Pioneer 10
D) Cassini
Correct Answer: A) Galileo
Explanation: Galileo studied Jupiter from 1995-2003, discovering evidence of subsurface oceans on Europa.

88. What is the name of the first spacecraft to land on a comet?
A) Rosetta/Philae
B) Stardust
C) Hayabusa
D) Deep Impact
Correct Answer: A) Rosetta/Philae
Explanation: Philae made its historic landing on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in 2014.

89. What is the name of the first spacecraft to orbit Venus?
A) Magellan
B) Venera 9
C) Mariner 2
D) Akatsuki
Correct Answer: B) Venera 9
Explanation: Venera 9 orbited Venus in 1975 and returned the first images of its surface.

90. What is the name of the first spacecraft to orbit the Sun?
A) Luna 1
B) Helios 1
C) Parker Solar Probe
D) Ulysses
Correct Answer: A) Luna 1
Explanation: Though intended for the Moon, Luna 1’s trajectory made it the first artificial solar orbiter.