Saturday 17 May 2014

Mars Orbiter Mission -India (2013 Recap)

The year 2013 was quite an eventful year. Many important projects, space missions, satellites were launched and initiated and also observable sky events took place.
One of the most important event that took place in 2013 was the Mars Orbiter Mission of India.
Small basic information and details about the mission :
India, on 5th November 2013, launched its mars orbiter, casually called “MANGALYAN” via PSLV- C25 rocket from the First Launch Pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

It is India's first interplanetary mission and, if successful, ISRO would become the fourth space agency to reach Mars, after the Soviet space program, NASA, and European Space Agency.
It is expected to enter orbit around Mars on 24th September 2014.

Travelling at a speed of 1.55 km per second, Mangalyan crossed half way to Mars on 11 April 2014.

One of the main objectives of the first Indian mission to Mars is to develop the technologies required for design, planning, management and operations of an interplanetary mission. 
Following are the major objectives of the mission:
      A.     Technological Objectives:
     ·    Design and realization of a Mars orbiter with a capability to survive and perform Earth bound maneuvers, cruise phase of 300 days, Mars orbit insertion / capture, and on-orbit phase around Mars.
·         Deep space communication, navigation, mission planning and management.
·         Incorporate autonomous features to handle contingency situations.

B.      Scientific Objectives:
·         Exploration of Mars surface features, morphology, mineralogy and Martian atmosphere by indigenous scientific instruments.


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