With reference to ‘Astrosat’, the astronomical observatory launched by India, which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. Other than USA and Russia, India is the only country to have launched a similar observatory into space.

2. Astrosat is a 2000 kg satellite placed in an orbit at 1650 km above the surface of the Earth.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

The correct answer is Neither 1 nor 2.

Let us analyze each statement step-by-step to understand why both statements are incorrect:

Analysis of Statement 1:

Statement 1 claims that other than the USA and Russia, India is the only country to launch a space observatory. This is incorrect. Before India launched Astrosat, several other space agencies and countries had launched space observatories, including Japan (e.g., ASTRO-H/Hitomi) and the European Space Agency (ESA) (e.g., Herschel Space Observatory, XMM-Newton). Therefore, India is not the only country besides the USA and Russia to launch a space observatory.

Analysis of Statement 2:

Statement 2 claims that Astrosat is a 2000 kg satellite placed in an orbit at 1650 km above the surface of the Earth. This is also incorrect. Astrosat has a lift-off mass of approximately 1513 kg (not 2000 kg) and was inserted into an orbit of about 650 km altitude above the Earth's surface (not 1650 km) at an inclination of 6 degrees by the PSLV-C30 rocket on September 28, 2015.

Since both statements 1 and 2 are incorrect, the appropriate choice is Neither 1 nor 2.