Stargazers' Delight: Understanding Astronomy Satellites Quiz

The satellite that played a significant role in the discovery of exoplanets is the Kepler Space Telescope. Launched by NASA, the Kepler Space Telescope operated from 2009 to 2018 and focused on the observation of a specific region of the Milky Way to identify and study exoplanets by detecting their transits, or the periodic dimming of a star's light when a planet passes in front of it. 

The purpose of the Gaia satellite is to create a detailed map of our Milky Way galaxy. Gaia, a mission by the European Space Agency (ESA), is designed to precisely measure the positions, distances, and motions of a large number of stars in the Milky Way. It aims to construct a three-dimensional map of our galaxy, providing valuable data for understanding its structure, formation, and evolution. This ambitious mapping project helps astronomers study the distribution and movements.

The space agency that launched the Juno mission to study Jupiter is NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration). Juno was launched on August 5, 2011, aboard an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The mission is dedicated to studying Jupiter's composition, gravity field, magnetic field, and polar magnetosphere. Juno has been providing valuable data to enhance our understanding of the largest planet in our solar system.

The space agency that launched the Rosetta spacecraft that visited a comet is the European Space Agency (ESA). Rosetta was launched on March 2, 2004, aboard an Ariane 5 rocket from the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana. The spacecraft performed a historic mission, including the deployment of the Philae lander to comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in 2014, providing valuable data about comets and the early solar system.

The satellite responsible for the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) radiation map is the Planck satellite. Launched by the European Space Agency (ESA) in 2009, the Planck satellite was designed to study the CMB, which is the afterglow of the Big Bang. Planck's observations have provided detailed maps and measurements of the temperature fluctuations in the CMB, contributing significantly to our understanding of the early universe, its composition, and the processes that led to the formation of galaxies and large-scale structures.

The XMM-Newton X-ray telescope was launched by the European Space Agency (ESA). XMM-Newton, standing for X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission, was launched on December 10, 1999, from the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana. This space telescope is designed to observe X-rays from celestial objects, providing valuable data for astronomers to study a wide range of phenomena, including black holes, galaxies, and clusters of galaxies.

The Cassini spacecraft, launched by NASA, provided significant evidence for the rings of Saturn. Cassini captured extraordinary ring-moon interactions, observed the lowest ring temperature ever recorded at Saturn, discovered that the moon Enceladus is the source for Saturn’s E ring, and viewed the rings at equinox when sunlight strikes the rings edge-on, revealing never-before-seen ring features and details. The mission examined data and provided evidence that Saturn’s rings are both young and ephemeral. So, the Cassini spacecraft played a crucial role in studying and providing evidence for the rings of Saturn.

The Curiosity rover, operated by NASA, has provided detailed images and valuable data about the geology and environment of the planet Mars.

The country that launched the Hayabusa2 spacecraft to collect samples from an asteroid is Japan. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) led the Hayabusa2 mission, which aimed to study the asteroid Ryugu and return samples to Earth. Hayabusa2 was launched on December 3, 2014, and it successfully completed its primary mission, including the collection of asteroid material, with the sample return capsule landing on Earth in December 2020.