CDS (II) 2024 General Knowledge · Question 29 of 120

Correct — D, use of rocket to destroy an orbiting satellite. Mission Shakti was India's anti-satellite (ASAT) test, in which a DRDO interceptor destroyed a satellite in low Earth orbit.

• (a)Launch of multiple satellites using a single rocket — Launching many satellites on one rocket is a routine ISRO capability demonstrated by the PSLV, not Mission Shakti.
• (b)Launch of heavy satellites — Heavy-satellite launch is the role of the GSLV and LVM3 families.
• (c)Use of high power rockets in launching of satellites — This describes launch capability in general rather than the specific interception Mission Shakti performed.

An anti-satellite weapon destroys a satellite in orbit, usually by kinetic impact rather than an explosive warhead — the closing speed alone is enough to obliterate the target.

Mission Shakti was conducted on 27 March 2019, when a DRDO interceptor destroyed an Indian satellite in low Earth orbit at roughly 300 km. The low altitude was chosen deliberately so that debris would decay quickly rather than persist and threaten other spacecraft. India became the fourth country to demonstrate the capability, after the United States, Russia and China.

• Conducted 27 March 2019 by DRDO.
• Target was an Indian satellite in low Earth orbit at about 300 km.
• Kinetic kill — destruction by impact, not by explosive.
• The low test altitude limited long-lived orbital debris.

• Confusing Mission Shakti with a launch-vehicle achievement.
• Assuming an explosive warhead rather than kinetic impact.

Defence-technology items typically offer several genuine national achievements and test whether you can attach the right name to the right one.

No directly related past PYQ was found.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  Mission Shakti was conducted in which year?

  • (a)2017
  • (b)2018
  • (c)2019
  • (d)2020

  Answer(c) 2019 — the test took place on 27 March 2019.