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Question

Chronologically arrange the following Indian-origin astronauts on the basis of their flying into space starting with the first :

1. Sunita Williams

2. Rakesh Sharma

3. Sirisha Bandla

4. Kalpana Chawla

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

This question was previously asked in
CDS II 2021 General Knowledge Previous Year Paper (14-Nov-2021)
The correct answer is

2 - 4 - 1 - 3

Chronological Ordering of Indian-Origin Astronauts by First Space Flight

This question asks us to arrange four Indian-origin astronauts based on the date of their first flight into space, starting with the earliest flight.

Let's look at the first space flight dates for each of the listed astronauts:

  • Rakesh Sharma: He was the first Indian citizen to go into space. He flew aboard the Soviet spacecraft Soyuz T-11 in 1984.
  • Kalpana Chawla: She was the first woman of Indian origin to go into space. Her first space flight was aboard the NASA Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-87) in 1997.
  • Sunita Williams: A NASA astronaut, her first space flight was aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-116) to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2006.
  • Sirisha Bandla: She flew on a suborbital spaceflight with Virgin Galactic's VSS Unity mission (Unity 22) in 2021.

Determining the Chronological Order

Now, let's arrange these astronauts based on the year of their first space flight from earliest to latest:

  1. Rakesh Sharma (1984)
  2. Kalpana Chawla (1997)
  3. Sunita Williams (2006)
  4. Sirisha Bandla (2021)

Mapping these back to the numbering given in the question:

  • Rakesh Sharma is number 2.
  • Kalpana Chawla is number 4.
  • Sunita Williams is number 1.
  • Sirisha Bandla is number 3.

Therefore, the correct chronological arrangement based on the provided numbering is 2 - 4 - 1 - 3.

Final Chronological Sequence

Based on their first space flights, the correct chronological order is:

\(\text{Rakesh Sharma (1984) } \rightarrow \text{ Kalpana Chawla (1997) } \rightarrow \text{ Sunita Williams (2006) } \rightarrow \text{ Sirisha Bandla (2021)}\)

Corresponding to the numbers given in the question: 2 - 4 - 1 - 3.

Revision Table: Indian-Origin Astronauts and First Space Flights

Astronaut Number in Question Year of First Space Flight Spacecraft/Mission
Rakesh Sharma 2 1984 Soyuz T-11
Kalpana Chawla 4 1997 Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-87)
Sunita Williams 1 2006 Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-116) / ISS
Sirisha Bandla 3 2021 Virgin Galactic VSS Unity (Unity 22)

Additional Information on Indian-Origin Astronauts

India has a rich connection to space exploration, and these astronauts represent significant milestones.

  • Rakesh Sharma: His journey in 1984 was a proud moment for India, making it the 14th nation to send a citizen to space. He spent about 8 days in space aboard the Salyut 7 space station.
  • Kalpana Chawla: A true pioneer, her first flight was in 1997. Tragically, she was part of the crew on STS-107 in 2003, which broke up during re-entry, resulting in the loss of all crew members.
  • Sunita Williams: She holds several records for women in space, including spacewalk duration. She has undertaken multiple long-duration missions aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
  • Sirisha Bandla: Her flight with Virgin Galactic was a suborbital trip, part of the emerging commercial spaceflight industry. She served as a researcher on the flight.

These individuals have inspired many and continue to be important figures in the history of space travel linked to India.

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