NASA believes in sharing its scientific findings openly. The information from its satellites is used by people all over the world to watch over the environment, deal with disasters, and study our climate. By being open and sharing what it learns with everyone, NASA helps make sure science is fair and benefits people everywhere. In this detailed article, we will learn about the STS-70 Discovery TDRS-G Deployment mission which will travel to Earth (orbital flight), aiming to examine its operational features, onboard systems, and relevance for international collaboration.

• The launch of STS-70 Discovery TDRS-G Deployment on July 13, 1995 signified the beginning of a new chapter in scientific discovery.  
• The scientific community has identified a pressing need, and thus, the primary objective of this endeavor is to Deploy Tracking and Data Relay Satellite-G (TDRS-G). The anticipated results are expected to be transformative.  
• The decision to go ahead with this Crewed satellite deployment flight was made only after thorough safety checks and many practice runs.  
• The success of the entire mission depended on the Space Shuttle (Discovery OV-103) working without any problems and providing enough power. 
• Liftoff occurred at Kennedy Space Center, LC-39B, kicking off the mission. 
• The mission was carried out over a period of 8 days, 22 hours, 20 minutes, 5 seconds. 
• The operation was carried out under the leadership of NASA. 
• The final outcome of the mission was Completed (Successful). 

Featuring TDRS-G satellite with IUS upper stage, STS-70 Discovery TDRS-G Deployment aims to collect unprecedented data and enable more autonomous mission operations.

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NASA STS-70 Discovery TDRS-G Deployment Space Mission Overview 

Also, Checkout Sunita Williams’ Missions to the International Space Station

STS-70 Discovery TDRS-G Deployment Space Mission Global Contributions

• By involving TRW (TDRS), Boeing (IUS), NASA leveraged commercial capabilities for hardware design, satellite manufacturing, and launch logistics. 
• The global significance of STS-70 Discovery TDRS-G Deployment was reflected in its role as Completed TDRS constellation for NASA communications, influencing the way nations coordinate and plan space missions. 

Challenges & Risk in STS-70 Discovery TDRS-G Deployment Space Mission

Despite initial complications stemming from Launch delayed due to woodpeckers drilling holes in ET foam, the mission team behind STS-70 Discovery TDRS-G Deployment acted quickly to mitigate the risks, preserving scientific integrity and mission functionality throughout the duration of operations.

• Mitigating risks like Woodpecker damage to ET foam before launch was essential to ensuring the missions success and preserving scientific goals. 

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Mission Timeline of STS-70 Discovery TDRS-G Deployment NASA Space Mission

• On July 22, 1995 (Landing at KSC), the spacecraft reached its designated target, transmitting valuable data back to Earth. 
• On July 22, 1995, mission control confirmed that all key milestones were achieved, closing the primary phase of the mission. 

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UPSC Relevance of STS-70 Discovery TDRS-G Deployment

• Scientific advancements and innovations by NASA are a recurring theme in the UPSC Prelims, reflecting their global significance. 
• NASA’s contributions to global space policy and governance can be discussed under international relations in GS Paper 2.
• UPSC CSE GS Paper 4 (Ethics) may include questions around how organizations like NASA prioritize scientific advancement for public good over commercial interests, offering a lens to evaluate ethical service orientation.
• Optional papers such as Anthropology, Geography, and Philosophy can use NASA’s deep space missions to examine human adaptability, technological ethics, and questions of existential risk and sustainability in modern science.

Also, Learn about International Space Station (ISS)

Past UPCS Mains PYQs on NASA Space Missions

Q1. Launched on 25th December 2021, the James Webb Space Telescope has been much in the news since then. What are its unique features which make it superior to its predecessor space telescopes? What are the key goals of this mission? What potential benefits does it hold for the human race? (2022, GS Paper 3) 

Q2. How does the Juno Mission of NASA help to understand the origin and evolution of the Earth? (2017, GS Paper 1)

Q3. The safe landing of the ‘Curiosity’ Rover under NASA’s space programme has sparked many possibilities. What are those and how could humankind benefit from them? (2012, GS Paper 2)

Past UPCS Prelims PYQs on NASA Space Missions

Q1 [2022]: Which one of the following statements best reflects the idea behind the “Fractional Orbital Bombardment System” often talked about in the media?

(a) A hypersonic missile is launched into space to counter the asteroid approaching the Earth and explode it in space.

(b) A spacecraft lands on another planet after making several orbital motions.

(c) A missile is put into a stable orbit around the Earth and deorbits over a target on the Earth.

(d) A spacecraft moves along a comet with the same speed and places a probe on its surface.

Answer: (c) A missile is put into a stable orbit around the Earth and deorbits over a target on the Earth.

Explanation: While this question pertains to a military concept, NASAs research into orbital mechanics and space trajectories contributes to the broader understanding of such technologies.

Q2 [2020]: “The experiment will employ a trio of spacecraft flying in formation in the shape of an equilateral triangle that has sides one million kilometres long, with lasers shining between the craft.” The experiment in question refers to:

(a) Voyager-2

(b) New Horizons

(c) Lisa Pathfinder

(d) Evolved LISA

Answer: (d) Evolved LISA

Explanation: Evolved LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) is a space-based gravitational wave observatory developed by ESA with contributions from NASA.

Q3 [2017]: What is the purpose of ‘evolved Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (eLISA)’ project?

(a) To detect neutrinos

(b) To detect gravitational waves

(c) To detect the effectiveness of missile defence system

(d) To study the effect of solar flares on our communication systems

Answer: (b) To detect gravitational waves

Explanation: Evolved Laser Space Interferometer Space Antenna (ELISA) project was widely in the news due to the discovery of gravitational waves by the LIGO detector and the subsequent success of the LISA pathfinder project. The European Space Agency is leading the ELISA mission. The project is initiated to detect and accurately measure gravitational waves.

Q4 [2016]: What is ‘Greased Lightning-10 (GL-10)’, recently in the news?

(a) Electric plane tested by NASA

(b) Solar-powered two-seater aircraft designed by Japan

(c) Space observatory launched by China

(d) Reusable rocket designed by ISRO

Answer: (a) Electric plane tested by NASA
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Explanation: GL-10 is a remotely piloted plane similar to an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). It is designed and developed in such a way that it can take off like a helicopter and fly like an airplane. It is a battery-powered 10-engine with a wingspan of 3.05 meters. Eight electric motors are mounted on the wings. 2 electric motors are mounted on the tail. It weighs a maximum of 28.1 kilograms at takeoff. Due to its versatile vertical takeoff and landing ability, it produces less noise. It can be used as a UAV for small package delivery or vertical takeoff and landing, as well as long-endurance surveillance for agriculture, mapping, and other applications. Its modified scaled-up version can be used as a persons air vehicle.

Q5 [2015]: The term ‘Goldilocks Zone’ is often seen in the news in the context of:

(a) The limits of habitable zone above the surface of the Earth

(b) Regions inside the Earth where shale gas is available

(c) Search for the Earth-like planets in outer space

(d) Search for meteorites containing precious metals

Answer: (c) Search for the Earth-like planets in outer space

Explanation: The Goldilocks Zone is the livable zone around a star where the temperature is not too hot and not too cold for liquid water to exist on a planet. It is a metaphor for the childrens story Goldilocks and the Three Bears, in which a young girl selects from sets of three objects, eschewing the extremes (such as those that are enormous or small, hot or cold) and fixing on the one that is just right in the middle. The Goldilocks zone of the Sun surrounds the Earth. All of Earths water would freeze if it were found where the dwarf planet Pluto is; however, all of Earths water would boil out if it were found where Mercury is.

Also, Get to Know What was NASA's Parker Solar Probe Mission

UPSC Practice Questions on NASA Space Missions

Q1. Which of the following statements is are correct regarding the Perseverance Rover
1. It is a mission developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation
2. The mission is designed to better understand the geology of Mars and seek signs of ancient life
3. It is the most advanced, most expensive and most sophisticated mobile laboratory sent to Mars
Select the correct answer by using the codes given below
1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: 2 and 3 only
Solution:
In News:
NASA's Perseverance rover has successfully collected its first rock sample for return to Earth.
NASA has called it a perfect core sample.
NASA plans to launch more spacecraft to retrieve the samples collected by Perseverance.
Perseverance arrived in February 2021 at Mars Jezero Crater, the site on an ancient lake - in search of rocks that might hold evidence of ancient life.
Key Points
Perseverance Rover:
Launched by National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
The mission is designed to better understand the geology of Mars and seek signs of ancient life. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
Perseverance is the most advanced, most expensive and most sophisticated mobile laboratory sent to Mars. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
It is different from previous missions because it is capable of drilling and collecting core samples of the most promising rocks and soils, and setting them aside in a cache on the surface of Mars.
Launch: 30th July 2020
Landing: 18th February 2021

Q2. The term MUSE is talked about in the context of
1. genes introduced in the genetically modified crops for the expression of pest resistant properties
2. a constellation of nine spacecraft that will capture the first multiscale in-space measurements of fluctuations in the magnetic field and motions of the solar wind known as solar wind turbulence
3. AI induced technique of identification of paw print of wildlife tigers under CA|TS
4. forces driving the heating of the Sun's corona and the eruptions in that outermost region that are at the foundation of space weather
Answer: option 4
Solution:
In News:
Recently, NASA has selected two science missions - the Multi-slit Solar Explorer (MUSE) and HelioSwarm - to help improve our understanding of the dynamics of the Sun, the Sun-Earth connection, and the constantly changing space environment.
Key Points
MUSE mission
The MUSE mission will help scientists understand the forces driving the heating of the Sun's corona and the eruptions in that outermost region that are at the foundation of space weather. Hence, option 4 is correct.
The mission will offer deeper insight into the physics of the solar atmosphere by using a powerful instrument known as a multi-slit spectrometer to observe the Sun's extreme ultraviolet radiation and obtain the highest resolution images ever captured of the solar transition region and the corona.

Q3. Which of the following celestial bodies does NASA plan to explore through its mission Dragonfly
1. Proxima Centauri
2. Sun
3. Uranus
4. Titan
Answer: Titan
Solution:
Key Points
The largest and most organically rich moon of Saturn, Titan, will be visited by an 8-bladed rotorcraft as part of NASA's most recent solar system exploration project.
Dragonfly, scheduled for launch in 2027 and arrival in 2034, will boost our hunt for the elements of life by sampling and inspecting dozens of intriguing sites surrounding Saturn's frozen moon.
Dragonfly will explore Titan's diverse environments and take advantage of its dense nitrogen-based atmosphere.
Dragonfly's instruments will help advance astrobiology and study how far pre-life chemistry may have progressed.

Q4. Which of the following witnessed the birth of black holes for the five hundredth time in May 2022
1. NuSTAR
2. Astrosat
3. AstroSat-2
4. Aditya-L1
Answer: Astrosat
Solution:
Key Points
Astrosat, India's first dedicated astronomy mission, witnessed the birth of black holes for the five hundredth time on 20 May 2022.
Astrosat with a lift-off mass of 1,515 kilograms was launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, on 28 September 2015.
It is the most sensitive space telescope in the world consisting of five instruments.

Q5. Who is the record holder for single longest space flight by NASA astronaut abroad the International Space Station
1. Anton Sheaplerov
2. Pyotr Dubrov
3. Mark Vande Hei
4. None of the above
Answer: Mark Vande Hei
Solution:
Key Points
NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei completed a single mission aboard the International Space Station of 355 days on 30 March 2021.
Mark T. Vande Hei
He was selected by NASA in 2009.
Born in Virginia then raised in New Jersey and Minnesota, Vande Hei earned a Bachelor of Science in Physics from Saint John's University and a Master of Science in Applied Physics from Stanford University.
He was commissioned in the U.S. Army through the ROTC program and served as a combat engineer.
In 1999, he became an assistant professor of physics at the United States Military Academy in West Point.
After extending the record for the longest single spaceflight in history by an American to 355 days, NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei returned to Earth on Wednesday, March 30.

Q6. Which of the following is are correctly Matched
1. Hope Probe - Israel
2. Ingenuity Helicopter - NASA USA
3. Lunar Polar Exploration LUPEX - India
4. Tianwen-1 - China
Select the correct answer from the codes given Below
1. 1, 2 and 3 only
2. 2, 3 and 4 only
3. 1, 3 and 4 only
4. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: 1, 2 and 3
Solution:
Explanation: LUPEX
India and Japan are working together on a joint lunar polar exploration LUPEX mission that aims to send a lander and rover to the Moon's South Pole around 2024.
The Chinese experiment Tianwen-1
The Chinese National Space Agency arrived at Mars with lessons learned from a successful string of Chang'e missions to the Moon. Notably, the Chang'e 4 rover was able to survive more than 25 lunar nights each night stretches to 14 Earth days - this is a remarkable engineering feat since temperatures can go down to -170 degrees C. The Chang'e 5 mission was able to successfully bring back rock samples to Earth in December 2020.
Tianwen-1, the first mission to Mars from China, successfully underwent orbital insertion on February 10. Tianwen-1 carries an orbiter, a lander, and a rover. China's approach to landing a rover is somewhat different. Unlike NASA rovers, Tianwen-1 will orbit Mars for a few months before attempting to land in May this year. The spacecraft has a suite of instruments to address a range of scientific questions. Interestingly, it has a ground-penetrating radar instrument to look for water under the Martian surface. The rover is scheduled to land at Utopia Planitia, a location with possible ancient groundwater deposits.
Perseverance rover and Ingenuity helicopter
National Aeronautics and Space Administration NASA has launched its Mars 2020
Perseverance rover aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V.
The launch took place from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
This is the third launch to Mars this month, following the UAE's Hope and China's Tianwen-1 spacecraft.
Key facts:
1. The rover's Mars arrival is set for March 18, 2021.
2. The mission is planned to last for at least one Mars year, which works out to about 687 days on Earth it takes longer for Mars to go around the sun.
3. Landing site: Jezero crater.
4. Perseverance is loaded with seven instruments chosen to help it achieve its mission objectives.
Why is this mission significant
1. Perseverance will carry a unique instrument, MOXIE or Mars Oxygen ISRU Experiment which for the first time will manufacture molecular oxygen on Mars using carbon dioxide from the carbon-dioxide-rich atmosphere ISRU means In Situ Resource Utilization or the use of local resources to meet human needs or requirements of the spacecraft.
2. It will carry Ingenuity, the first-ever helicopter to fly on Mars. This is the first time NASA will fly a helicopter on another planet or satellite.
3. It is the planned first step to bring back rock samples from Mars for analysis in sophisticated laboratories on Earth with the goal of looking for biosignatures or signatures of present or past life.
Hope Probe
Known as the Hope Probe, the Arab world's first mission to Mars which took off in July last year is about seven hours away from its destination. Traveling at a speed of 77,000 mph, the spacecraft called Amal, Arabic for Hope, will need to fire its brake engines for about 27 minutes so that it is captured by the planet's gravity.
If it is successful, scientists will be able Hope Probe to carry out the objectives of the mission, which include understanding the climate dynamics on the planet and characterizing the lower atmosphere of Mars.
Hope was developed by UAE scientists in the US. It was launched in July 2020 from the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan aboard a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries H-II A rocket and its launch became the 45th for H-II A. Carrying three instruments, including a high-resolution camera and a spectrometer, the spacecraft is on an orbital mission to collect data on Martian climate dynamics and help scientists understand why Mars's atmosphere is decaying into space.
Hope is the UAE's fourth space mission and first interplanetary one. The previous three were all Earth-observation satellites. Once it is successfully able to reach the planet, it will start orbiting the planet. Its overall mission life is one Martian year, which is about 687 days on Earth.
Why Mars
Apart from the UAE, the US and China also launched missions to Mars during the brief launch window which was available in July. During this launch window, Earth and Mars were aligned at their closest points in two years, which means using less fuel to reach the planet. Launch windows are significant since if a spacecraft is launched too early or too late, it will arrive in the planet's orbit when the planet is not there.
The growing number of missions to Mars by different space agencies across the world is part of the competitive space race, a bid to establish themselves as a leader in space exploration. Not only national space agencies but aerospace manufacturers such as Elon Musk's SpaceX too harbor ambitious missions to the Red planet. SpaceX, for instance, sees Mars as an alternative to living on Earth since it is its closest habitable neighbor.
What makes scientists and researchers curious about Mars is also the possibility that the planet was once warm enough to allow water to flow through it, which means life could have existed there too. This question makes the planet more intriguing for scientists since almost everywhere we find water on Earth, we find life as NASA puts it.
However, no human has set foot on Mars yet because the atmosphere on Mars is very thin, consisting of mostly carbon dioxide with no breathable oxygen, making it difficult for astronauts to survive there. Further, the landscape of Mars is freezing, with no protection from the Sun's radiation or passing dust storms. Therefore, more research, technology and testing are required to be able to send humans to Mars. NASA plans to do so by the 2030s.

Q7. has successfully launched the pulsar navigation satellite XPNAV-1
1. India
2. China
3. USA
4. Japan
Answer: China
Solution:
Key Points
China successfully launched the pulsar navigation satellite XPNAV-1 in 2016.
The satellite XPNAV-1 stands for X-ray pulsar navigation.
It was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.
The weight of the satellite is more than 200 kg and it operates in a Sun-synchronous orbit.

Q8. The spacecraft launched by NASA to study the Sun is
1. Parker Solar Probe
2. Probing Sun
3. Mission on Sun
4. Hawking Solar Probe
Answer: The correct answer of above Question is option 1
Solution:
Key Points
Parker Solar Probe:
Launched by NASA on August 12, 2018, the Parker Solar Probe's mission is to study the outer corona of the Sun.
Named after physicist Eugene Parker, pioneer in heliophysics and solar wind research.
Utilizes a custom heat shield made of carbon-carbon composite to withstand extreme solar temperatures.
Designed to approach the Sun within 3.83 million miles 6.16 million kilometers, closer than any previous spacecraft.
Carries four instrument suites to measure magnetic fields, solar wind particles, and image the solar corona.
The mission aims to solve two key solar mysteries how the solar wind accelerates and why the Sun's outer atmosphere corona is hotter than its surface.
Data from the probe is helping to improve forecasts of space weather that affects life and technology on Earth.
As of 2023, it's still operational, providing unprecedented information about the Sun's activity.
The mission is slated to end in 2025, after 24 planned orbits and seven gravity assists from Venus.

Q9. Curiosity rover, of which organisation, found new evidence of an ancient lake in the form of rocks etched with the ripples of waves in the foothills of a Martian mountain
1. ESA
2. NASA
3. Roscosmos
4. JAXA
Answer: NASA
Solution:
In News
US space agency NASA's Curiosity rover found new evidence of an ancient lake in the form of rocks etched with the ripples of waves in the foothills of a Martian mountain.
Key Points
The rover has found some of the clearest evidence of ancient waters.
The evidence was found at an area called the sulfate-bearing unit.
The Curiosity rover has been exploring the Martian surface since 2012.
The sulfate-bearing unit is a region previously identified by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter as containing salty mineral deposits just beneath a 5,500-meter mountain called Mount Sharp.
According to NASA, Curiosity has attempted to extract samples from some of the rocks, but they proved too hard for the rover's drill.

Q10. Consider the following statements regarding Multi-Angle Imager for Aerosols Mission MAIA
1. It is a joint mission between NASA and the Italian Space Agency
2. It aims to investigate the health impact of air pollution
3. The duration of the mission is three years
Which of the above statements are correct
1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: 1, 2 and 3
Solution:
In News
The Indian Express: Recently, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration NASA announced on Wednesday that it is partnering with the Italian Space Agency ASI to build and launch the MAIA mission.
Key Points
Multi-Angle Imager for Aerosols mission
It is a joint mission between NASA and the Italian Space Agency ASI. Hence statement 1 is correct.
This will investigate the health impacts of air pollution in the world's most populated cities. Hence statement 2 is correct.
Its primary goal is to benefit societal health. Epidemiologists and public health researchers will be directly working on the development of a satellite mission.
It will consist of the PLATiNO-2 satellite, which will be provided by ASI, and a science instrument that will be built at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory JPL.
The MAIA mission will collect and analyze data from the observatory, sensors on the ground, and atmospheric models.
The JPL hosts a pointable spectropolarimetric camera that captures images from multiple angles in the ultraviolet, visible, near-infrared, and shortwave infrared portions of the electromagnetic spectrum.
During the course of the three-year mission. Hence statement 3 is correct.
MAIA will focus on 11 primary target areas that include major urban centres across the world: Los Angeles, Atlanta, Boston, Rome, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Barcelona, Spain, Beijing, Johannesburg, New Delhi, Taipei, Taiwan; and Tel Aviv.
The MAIA observatory is set to launch before the end of 2024.

Also, Read about Axiom 4 Mission (Ax-4) for UPSC