International Space Station Photo Quiz - History and Conception | Man in Space

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Prior to the construction of the International Space Station, which country launched the world's first space station programme - known as Salyut, in 1971?

Answer: Soviet Union

The Soviet Union, or USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics), was formed in 1922 and dissolved in 1991. The word "Salyut" means "salute" or "fireworks" in Russian. The Salyut programme was in operation from 1971 until 1986. The first flight, Salyut 1, was launched on 19 April 1971.

The Apollo 11 lunar landing in 1969 provided the impetus for the Soviet Union to launch the world's first space station programme.

2. In 1984, President Ronald Reagan of the United States approved a NASA project to construct a space station in low Earth orbit. However, the project ultimately did not materialize. What was the name of the proposed space station?

Answer: Freedom

When announcing the approval of the construction of Space Station Freedom, President Reagan commented, "We can follow our dreams to distant stars, living and working in space for peaceful economic and scientific gain."

Although approved in 1984, Space Station Freedom was never built. However, the concept and framework it provided served as the basis for the International Space Station project.

Among the incorrect options, Fermi refers to the last name of American physicist Enrico Fermi, who created the world's first nuclear reactor. Francium is a chemical element with an atomic number of 87. Foxtrot is the sixth code word used in the NATO phonetic alphabet.

3. The Space Station Intergovernmental Agreement, signed on 28th January 1998, outlined the rights and obligations of 15 countries participating in the ambitious International Space Station project. Which of the following countries was NOT one of them?

Answer: China

The international treaty was signed by 15 nations - Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Specifically, Article 1 of the treaty states "This Agreement is a long term international co-operative framework on the basis of genuine partnership, for the detailed design, development, operation, and utilization of a permanently inhabited civil Space Station for peaceful purposes, in accordance with international law."

4. Launched in November 1998, Zarya was the first module of the International Space Station. The name of the module symbolized the beginning of the international collaboration in space exploration. What does "Zarya" mean in Russian?

Answer: Dawn

Zarya, also referred to as Functional Cargo Block or FGB, was launched on 20 November 1998 using a Russian Proton rocket. The name "Zarya" was chosen to signify the dawn of a new era of the intergovernmental cooperation in space exploration.

As the very first module of the International Space Station (ISS), Zarya played a pivotal role in supplying electrical power during the initial assembly phase of the ISS.

5. Launched in December 1998, Node 1 is the first connecting module of the International Space Station. What is the fitting alternative name of this module?

Answer: Unity

The Unity module, constructed by Boeing in the US, was launched on 4 December 1998. The cylindrical-shaped module was equipped with six berthing locations to facilitate connections with other modules.

The second connecting module, Harmony, also known as Node 2, was launched in 2007. The third connecting module, Tranquility, also known as Node 3, was launched in 2010.

6. In November 2000, who became the first three crew members to live on the International Space Station?

Answer: Gidzenko, Krikalev, and Shepard

American astronaut William McMichael "Bill" Shepherd served as the commander of Expedition 1. He was accompanied by Russian cosmonauts Yuri Pavlovich Gidzenko and Sergei Konstantinovich Krikalev. They spent approximately 136 days on the International Space Station, from early November 2000 to mid-March 2001.

The footage recorded by the crew was later used in the production of "Space Station 3D" (2022), the world's first IMAX 3D movie filmed in space.

Among the incorrect options, Aldrin, Armstrong, and Collins were crew members of the Apollo 11 mission. Copernicus, Galileo, and Newton were famous scientists predating the era of space travel. Helms, Usachev, and Voss were crew members of Expedition 2.

7. In April 2001, American businessman Dennis Tito became the world's first self-funded space tourist to visit the International Space Station. Which space agency approved his space tourism candidacy?

Answer: Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos)

Tico's decision to visit the International Space Station was met with strong objection from NASA. The then-Administrator of NASA, Daniel Goldin, deemed space tourism inappropriate.

However, Tito proceeded with his plans and underwent training alongside Russian cosmonaut Yuri Baturin and Kazakh cosmonaut Talgat Musabayev. They boarded the Soyuz TM-32 spacecraft and docked at the International Space Station on 30 April 2001. Tico paid 20 million US dollars for the trip.

8. The future of the International Space Station was cast into uncertainty in 2003 following which incident, leading to a 2.5-year suspension of the US Space Shuttle program?

Answer: Space Shuttle Columbia disaster

The Space Shuttle Columbia disaster occurred on 1 February 2003. The spacecraft disintegrated upon re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere, killing all seven crew members. Following a 2.5-year suspension, the US Space Shuttle program resumed in July 2005 with the STS-114 mission, which saw the launch of Discovery with seven crew members.

9. In 2008, the European Space Agency launched a module that shares it names with a famous Italian explorer. What is the name of this module?

Answer: Columbus

The Columbus module was constructed in Turin, Italy, and its components were later integrated in Germany before being transported to the Kennedy Space Center. The module was launched on 7 February 2008, and successfully connected to Harmony (also known as Node 2) on 11 February 2008.

Christopher Columbus (1451 - 1506) was a noted Italian explorer who was best remembered for his various expeditions to the Americas.

10. In 2011, a permanent multipurpose module that was named after an Italian polymath was added to the International Space Station. What is the name of this module?

Answer: Leonardo

The Leonardo module was constructed by the Italian Space Agency and later transported to the Kennedy Space Center before being delivered to the International Space Station aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery.

The image depicts the famous painting "Mona Lisa" created by the Italian polymath Leonardo da Vinci (1452 - 1519).

Source: Author Matthew_07

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ponycargirl before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

International Space Station Trivia Quiz

History and Conception

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