UPSC Prelims 2009 Q128: Science & Technology – Space Technology & Astronomy
India has recently landed its Moon Impact Probe on the Moon. Among the following
countries, which one landed such probe on the Moon earlier ?
- (a) Australia
- (b) Canada
- (c) China
- (d) Japan
Answer: (d) Japan
Explanation
Which country landed a Moon Impact Probe before India
India's Chandrayaan-1 Moon Impact Probe (2008) was a significant milestone, but not the first such lunar impact.
| Option | Verdict | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| (a) Australia | Incorrect | Australia has no independent lunar probe programme |
| (b) Canada | Incorrect | Canada also has no independent lunar probe programme of this kind |
| (c) China | Incorrect | China's Chang'e-1 deliberately impacted the Moon in March 2009, which came after India's November 2008 MIP, so China doesn't count as earlier here |
| (d) Japan | Correct | Japan's Hiten probe crashed onto the Moon back in 1993, well before India's 2008 Moon Impact Probe |
Lunar impact timeline:
| Mission | Country | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Hiten probe | Japan | 1993 |
| Chandrayaan-1 MIP | India | 2008 |
| Chang'e-1 impact | China | 2009 (after India) |
Answer: (d) Japan.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Australia has no relevant independent lunar probe mission.
- (b) Incorrect. Canada also has no such mission.
- (c) Incorrect. China's Chang'e-1 impact came in 2009, AFTER India's 2008 MIP, so it doesn't count as earlier.
- (d) CORRECT. Japan's Hiten probe impacted the Moon in 1993, well before India's 2008 mission.
Key point
Japan's Hiten probe crashed onto the Moon in 1993 — well before India's Chandrayaan-1 Moon Impact Probe (2008). China's own lunar impact (Chang'e-1) actually came AFTER India's, in 2009.
Remember
Japan landed a Moon Impact Probe before India (Hiten probe, 1993) — China's came after India's, in 2009.
Common mistakes
- Assuming China, as a major space power, must have landed a probe before India, missing the precise timeline (China's came after).
- Not knowing Japan's 1993 Hiten mission as an early lunar impact precedent.
- Confusing countries with no relevant lunar missions (Australia, Canada) as possible answers.
Exam tip
Japan's Hiten probe (1993) impacted the Moon well before India's 2008 MIP — China's own lunar impact actually came AFTER India's, in 2009.
Sources
- Indian Space Research Organisation — Chandrayaan-1: Moon Impact Probe (14 November 2008)
- Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency — Hiten (MUSES-A) lunar probe (1990–1993)