AsterX

Why in news?

• France launched its first military exercise in space codenamed AsterX.

About AsterX

•  Objective is to evaluate its ability to defend its satellites and other defense equipment from an attack.
• They are first of first of its kind for the French army and even a first in Europe.
• The exercise is codenamed "AsterX" in memory of the first French satellite from 1965.
• It will be based on 18 simulated events in an operations room.
• During the drill, the French military will monitor a potentially dangerous space object as well as a threat to its own satellite from another foreign power possessing a considerable space force.
• The new US Space Force and German space agencies are taking part in the French exercises which began on Monday and will last until Friday.
• The French Space Forces Command, Commandement de l'Espace (CdE) was created in 2019 and is set to have 500 personnel by 2025.

Prelims Question

AsterX, a space defence exercise was recently launched by:
(a)Australia 
(b)France
(c)United Kingdom
(d)Japan

Answer to the Prelims Question