New Delhi: The mission is a significant milestone in the field of interplanetary exploration despite the fact that the mission has completed only the first stage of its 300-day and 780 million kilometre long space odyssey. India has joined the big league – United States, Russia and France – with the successful launch of its most ambitious project the Mar Orbiter Mission ‘Mangalyaan’
In its first stage, the Mars Orbiter spacecraft was successfully placed in the elliptical orbit around Earth, 44 minutes after blast-off from the Sriharikota spaceport in Andhra Pradesh on November 5. The scientists are keeping their fingers crossed, as for them the quest of exploring the Red planet has just begun. In the next ten days, starting November 6, ISRO will carry out six crucial orbit raising operations.
The orbiter will stay in the Earth’s orbit for 20-25 days trying to build up necessary velocity to break free from our planet’s gravitational pull. On December 1, the second phase – the crucial trans-Mars injection would be carried out to enable the orbiter to leave Earth’s sphere of influence for a 300 day journey to Mars. This stage will be crucial as most satellites sent to Mars have failed to leave the Earth orbits. If everything goes as planned the orbiter will enter Mar’s orbit on September 24, 2014.
Bureau Report
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