Question 52 from UPSC CSE 2014 - Current Affairs

Question

Which of the following pairs is/are correctly matched?
1. Cassini-Huygens - Orbiting Venus and transmitting data to Earth
2. Messenger - Mapping and investigating Mercury
3. Voyager 1 and 2 - Exploring the outer solar system
Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: B. 2 and 3 only

Strategy: Evaluate each mission's target planet. Identify that 'Cassini-Huygens' is linked with Saturn, not Venus, making Statement 1 incorrect. Confirm 'Messenger' is correctly matched with Mercury and 'Voyager 1 and 2' are associated with the outer solar system. Select only the options containing the correct matches for 2 and 3.

Key Info: **Cassini-Huygens** was a flagship collaborative mission by NASA, ESA, and ASI to study Saturn and its system, including its rings and moons. Launched in 1997, it entered Saturn's orbit in 2004 and deployed the Huygens probe to Titan in 2005.

**Messenger** was a NASA mission dedicated to Mercury. Launched in 2004, it orbited the planet from 2011 until 2015, providing the first detailed mapping of Mercury's surface and environment.

**Voyager 1 and 2**, launched by NASA in 1977, were designed for long-term exploration beyond the main planets. Both flew by the outer solar system giants—Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune—and continue transmitting data from interstellar space, having provided foundational information on the outer planets and the heliosphere.

Answer

Option A: 1 only

Answer

Option C: 1 and 3 only

Answer

Option D: 1, 2, and 3

Which of the following pairs is/are correctly matched? Cassini-Huygens - Orbiting Venus and transmitting data to Earth Messenger - Mapping and investigating Mercury Voyager 1 and 2 - Exploring the outer solar system Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Which of the following pairs is/are correctly matched?

Cassini-Huygens - Orbiting Venus and transmitting data to Earth

Messenger - Mapping and investigating Mercury

Voyager 1 and 2 - Exploring the outer solar system
Select the correct answer using the code given below.