Exploration and Sacrifice: The Role of Robotic Probes in Space Science

What is one reason why robotic explorers are sent on one-way missions?

• They are easier to control than human missions.

• Their destruction can be part of the scientific experiment.

• They can survive in any environment.

• They are cheaper to build.

What was the significant achievement of the Venera 7 probe?

• First probe to orbit Venus.

• First man-made probe to land on another world.

• First probe to return to Earth.

• First probe to photograph Venus's surface.

What unexpected factor helped extend the missions of the Spirit and Opportunity rovers on Mars?

• Martian rain cleaning the panels.

• Martian wind cleaning the solar panels.

• Advanced battery technology.

• Assistance from other rovers.

Why was the Cassini spacecraft deliberately destroyed?

• To save costs on mission operations.

• To prevent it from crashing into Earth.

• To test new destruction technology.

• To protect Saturn's moons from potential contamination.

What was a major discovery made by the Cassini mission on Enceladus?

• Active volcanoes.

• Hydrothermal vents beneath the ice.

• Atmospheric oxygen.

• Presence of liquid water on the surface.

What was the primary goal of the Deep Impact mission?

• To land on a comet.

• To orbit a comet.

• To impact a comet and analyze the debris.

• To capture a comet and bring it to Earth.

Which spacecraft is already in interstellar space?

• Voyager 2

• Pioneer 10

• Voyager 1

• New Horizons

What is the fate of Voyager 1 after its power source depletes?

• It will crash into a distant planet.

• It will return to Earth.

• It will be captured by another star system.

• It will float indefinitely in interstellar space.

What was the main reason for the failure of the Philae lander during its comet mission?

• It was lost in space.

• It ran out of power.

• It failed to deploy its harpoons.

• It was destroyed by a comet impact.

What is the significance of the heliopause in the context of Voyager 1?

• It is the start of the interstellar medium.

• It marks the end of the solar system.

• It is the boundary of the Milky Way.

• It is where the sun's influence ends.