Correct Answer: Option A) 1 and 2 only
The question concerns India's Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) and its first use of cryogenic technology.
Statement 1: "It happened in 2001." - This is correct. India's first GSLV flight with a cryogenic upper stage took place on April 18, 2001, when GSLV-D1 successfully launched the GSAT-1 satellite.
Statement 2: "India became the sixth country to use cryogenic technology." - This is correct. With this achievement, India joined an elite group of countries mastering cryogenic technology for space applications, becoming the sixth country after the United States, Russia (former Soviet Union), France, Japan, and China.
Statement 3: "The engine was developed by the European Space Agency." - This is incorrect. The cryogenic engine used in India's first GSLV flight was actually supplied by Russia, not the European Space Agency. India had initially planned to develop its own cryogenic engine, but due to technology transfer restrictions imposed by the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), India purchased seven cryogenic stages from Russia for its early GSLV flights while simultaneously working on developing indigenous cryogenic technology.
