Final answer:
The statement is false; the absence of craters on a satellite often indicates a younger surface modified by geological activity rather than an old, inactive one.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that satellites lacking craters are generally old, inactive bodies is false. In planetary science, the presence of craters is used to determine the relative ages of surfaces on planets and moons. The more heavily cratered a surface is, the older it is assumed to be, because there has been more time for impacts to occur.
A lack of craters typically indicates a younger surface that has been reshaped by geological activity such as lava flows or tectonic movements which can erase preexisting craters. For example, Earth has relatively few visible craters despite its age because its active geology and atmosphere have erased most evidence of past impacts. Conversely, the Moon, which is geologically inactive, retains a significant number of craters.