Magellan Spacecraft Quiz

How long was the Magellan spacecraft's cruise before reaching Venus?

• 15 months

• 10 months

• 18 months

• 12 months

What will happen on August 10th as the spacecraft dips behind Venus?

• It will speed up

• A solid rocket motor will ignite

• It will land on Venus

• It will send data back to Earth

What is the purpose of the first 20 days in orbit for Magellan?

• To collect data

• To test the spacecraft and trim its orbit

• To communicate with Earth

• To land on Venus

How long is one Venus day in Earth days?

• 200 days

• 243 days

• 100 days

• 365 days

What technology will Magellan use to map Venus' surface?

• Optical camera

• Infrared sensor

• Ultraviolet scanner

• Synthetic aperture radar (SAR)

How often will Magellan orbit Venus?

• Every 2 hours

• Every 3 hours and 9 minutes

• Every 4 hours

• Every 5 hours

How long is the data gathering period during each orbit?

• 37 minutes

• 30 minutes

• 45 minutes

• 20 minutes

Why is Venus considered our closest planetary neighbor?

• It has the same atmosphere as Earth

• It has the same gravity as Earth

• It has a similar size and mass to Earth

• It is the closest in distance

What can studying Venus help us understand better?

• Jupiter

• The Moon

• Mars

• Earth

What is the main goal of the Magellan mission?

• To land on Venus

• To map the surface of Venus

• To explore Mars

• To study the Sun