1. Which country has launched Nahid-2 telecommunications and research satellite in July 2025?
[A] Israel
[B] Iran
[C] Iraq
[D] Ukraine
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Iran]
Notes:
Iran successfully launched its Nahid-2 telecommunications and research satellite on 27 July 2025. The launch was done aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket as part of a multi-payload mission. Other payloads included Russia’s Unisphere-M3 and M4 and 18 satellites from various countries. The Soyuz rocket had earlier launched Iranian satellites like Khayyam, Pars-1, Kosar, and Hodhod. Nahid-2 is designed to stay in orbit for five years. It has an indigenous propulsion system that can adjust its altitude by up to 50 kilometers. This propulsion is key for maintaining orbital position and operational stability.
2. Human Outer Planetary Exploration (HOPE) is a moon and Mars simulation research station located in which state/UT?
[A] Lakshadweep
[B] Ladakh
[C] Goa
[D] Tamil Nadu
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Ladakh]
Notes:
Recently, Bengaluru-based space company Protoplanet launched the Human Outer Planetary Exploration (HOPE) station in Ladakh’s Tso Kar region. HOPE is a moon and Mars simulation research station mimicking off-Earth terrain and environment. It is located in the high-altitude cold desert of Tso Kar basin, Ladakh. The project is developed by Protoplanet with technical and financial support from Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It aims to study human psychological, physiological, and epigenetic responses in extreme isolation. It supports India’s long-term space goals including a crewed lunar mission by 2040 and a space station by 2035.
3. Which two crops from Ladakh are part of NASA’s Crew-11 experiment on the International Space Station (ISS)?
[A] Barley and maize
[B] Seabuckthorn and Himalayan tartary
[C] Mizuna mustard and Black eyed pea
[D] None of the Above
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Seabuckthorn and Himalayan tartary]
Notes:
Seeds of seabuckthorn and Himalayan tartary buckwheat grown in Ladakh’s cold desert are part of NASA’s Crew-11 experiment on the International Space Station (ISS). The seeds were sourced by Indian space start-up Protoplanet based in Bengaluru. The mission launched on August 1, 2025, from Florida and docked at ISS on August 2, 2025. The experiment aims to test how seeds react to space stress and microgravity before germination. It focuses on gene activation and metabolic processes vital for space agriculture. Himalayan tartary buckwheat and seabuckthorn are rich in nutrients and suitable for long-duration space missions.
4. Pneumococcal disease, that was recently seen in news, is caused by which agent?
[A] Virus
[B] Bacteria
[C] Fungus
[D] Protozoa
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Bacteria]
Notes:
Pfizer recently launched its 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV20) for adults in India. PCV20 protects against 20 serotypes causing most pneumococcal diseases. Pneumococcal disease is caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae. It can cause mild infections like ear infections and severe ones like pneumonia, meningitis, and bloodstream infections. Around 90 serotypes exist globally; few cause most diseases. It is a major global health issue, especially affecting young children and the elderly in developing countries.
5. What is “Ideonella sakaiensis” that was recently seen in news?
[A] Bacterium
[B] Invasive weed
[C] Fish
[D] Traditional medicine
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Bacterium]
Notes:
Researchers have identified Ideonella sakaiensis, a bacterium that can degrade polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic. It belongs to the genus Ideonella and family Comamonadaceae. It uses polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as both a carbon and energy source, breaking it into harmless building blocks. These by-products can be consumed by I. sakaiensis and other organisms. It is discovered by researchers in Japan from PET-contaminated soil. It is Gram-negative, rod-shaped, motile, non-sporing, non-pigment-producing, and monotrichous.
6. Which company became the first in India to secure the ISCC CORSIA certification for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)?
[A] Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL)
[B] Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (HPCL)
[C] Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (Indian Oil)
[D] None of the Above
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (Indian Oil)]
Notes:
Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (Indian Oil) became the first company in India to secure International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC) CORSIA for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) at its Panipat Refinery. The certification is mandatory for commercial SAF production and aligns India with global aviation fuel standards. Certificate was handed over by Cotecna to Indian Oil Chairman A.S. Sahney in New Delhi. ISCC CORSIA, developed under Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), ensures sustainability and lifecycle carbon standards.
7. Where was the Pasang Wangchuk Sona ISRO Space Laboratory inaugurated?
[A] Arunachal Pradesh
[B] Mizoram
[C] Tripura
[D] Nagaland
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Arunachal Pradesh]
Notes:
Arunachal Pradesh Education Minister Pasang Dorjee Sona inaugurated a state-of-the-art space laboratory at Mechuka in Shi-Yomi district. The lab is named Pasang Wangchuk Sona ISRO Space Laboratory in honour of his late father. It was set up at Mechuka Government Higher Secondary School in collaboration with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Muskaan Foundation. The lab will provide students hands-on experience in space science and technology. It aims to foster curiosity, innovation, and scientific thinking among youth.
8. Deep Ocean Mission was launched by which ministry?
[A] Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
[B] Ministry of Jal Shakti
[C] Ministry of Earth Sciences
[D] Ministry of Science and Technology
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Ministry of Earth Sciences]
Notes:
Two Indian aquanauts recently conducted deep-sea dives in the Atlantic Ocean under Samudrayaan Project. They collected over 100 kg of cobalt-rich polymetallic nodules from 1,173 meters depth in the Andaman Sea. Deep Ocean Mission was launched by Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) on 7 September 2021 with ₹4,077 crore for 5 years. The mission develops technologies for exploring and using deep ocean resources sustainably. It supports India’s Blue Economy with potential to push maritime economy beyond ₹100 billion. It aligns with United Nations Decade of Ocean Science (2021–2030).
9. Which space organization has launched “Surya”, an artificial intelligence (AI) model to improve space weather forecasting?
[A] European Space Agency (ESA)
[B] National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
[C] Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
[D] China National Space Administration (CNSA)
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)]
Notes:
NASA has launched “Surya”, an artificial intelligence (AI) model to improve space weather forecasting. Surya was developed in collaboration with IBM and trained on over nine years of data from NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). It analyses massive streams of solar activity to detect early signs of solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). Solar storms can disrupt satellites, communication systems, aviation, GPS navigation, and power grids on Earth. Surya generates visual forecasts up to two hours in advance with higher accuracy than traditional methods. The model is open-source to enable global researchers to improve space weather defense.
10. What does “Blue Carbon” refer to?
[A] Carbon from fossil fuels
[B] Carbon in freshwater lakes
[C] Carbon captured and stored by the ocean in vegetated coastal ecosystems
[D] Carbon in the atmosphere
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Carbon captured and stored by the ocean in vegetated coastal ecosystems]
Notes:
Seaweed farming has emerged as a potential Blue Carbon strategy, but empirical estimates of carbon burial from these farms are still limited. Blue Carbon refers to organic carbon captured and stored by oceans in vegetated coastal ecosystems such as mangrove forests, saltmarshes, and seagrass meadows. The term “Blue” highlights the watery nature of this carbon storage. Most blue carbon is carbon dioxide dissolved directly into the ocean. These ecosystems cover 2% of the ocean surface but account for 50% of the ocean’s carbon absorption. Blue carbon ecosystems are crucial for global climate change mitigation.