Astronomy current events question: UARS crash

Astronomy 210L, fall semester 2011
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Students are assigned to read online articles on current astronomy events, and take a short current events quiz during the first 10 minutes of lab. (This motivates students to show up promptly to lab, as the time cut-off for the quiz is strictly enforced!)

Alan Boyle, "Satellite's Doom Coming Sooner," September 15, 2011
http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/09/15/7782656-satellites-doom-coming-sooner

NASA's defunct Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite is expected to fall to Earth sooner than expected, because of increased drag from the upper atmosphere caused by:
(A) smoke from the Texas wildfires.
(B) multiple hurricanes.
(C) failure to retract its solar sails.
(D) greenhouse gases.
(E) increased solar activity.

Correct answer: (E)

Student responses
Sections 70178, 70186, 70200
(A) : 0 students
(B) : 3 students
(C) : 9 students
(D) : 3 students
(E) : 37 students