On 24th September 2014, India
has created space history by successfully placing its low-cost Mangalyan
spacecraft in orbit around the Red Planet. With this, India became the first
nation to reach Mars on its maiden attempt. Our Mangalyaan
spacecraft successfully entered orbit around the Red Planet after a 10-month
journey. The success of the mission, which is designed to search for evidence
of life on the Red Planet, is a huge source of national pride for India as it
leaves its Asian rivals, including China, in the shade. It is a
significant achievement after Chandrayaan.
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| India's Mars Orbiter Mission / Mangalyaan |
Now Mangalyaan has
reached Mars, it is expected to study the planet's surface and scan its
atmosphere for methane, which could provide evidence of some sort of life form.
Important points about MOM / Mangalyan
o
The Mars Orbiter
Mission (MOM), also called as Mangalyaan (Mangalyan is an unofficial
name)
o
This program is run by
ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization)
o
Manufactured by Indian
Space Research Organisation Satellite Centre (ISAC)
o
Launched into Earth
orbit on 5th November 2013
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| Mangalyaan |
o
It was launched from Sriharikota
in Andhra Pradesh.
o
This project is aimed
as a "technology demonstrator". It will showcase and prove the
capability for inter-planetary missions
o
The launch was made
using PSLV-XL C25 rocket
o
The orbiter will have
a life of 6 to 10 months in the orbit
o
While orbiting Mars
the orbiter will study surface features, minerals and atmosphere on Mars
o
There are 5 main
instruments on the orbiter
o
Lyman-Alpha Photometer
(LAP)
o
Methane Sensor For
Mars (MSM)
o
Mars Exospheric
Neutral Composition Analyser (MENCA)
o
Thermal Infrared
Imaging Spectrometer (TIS)
o
Mars Colour Camera
(MCC)
o
It was successfully
inserted into orbit of Mars on 24 September 2014
o
India the first
Asian nation to reach Mars orbit.
o
The Mars Orbiter
Mission was achieved on a budget of $74 million, nearly a tenth of the
amount the US space agency Nasa spent on sending the Maven spacecraft to Mars.
o
This mission has been
executed without any association with any foreign country. ..its completely
indigenous.
o
The spacecraft has
traveled more than 650 crore kilometers in around 300 days to complete
this journey.
Team Members worked on Mangalyaan
Mission
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K Radhakrishnan
o
Chairman of ISRO,
secretary in department of space.
o
Responsible for
leading the mission and overall activities of Isro.
o
M Annadurai
o
Programme director,
Mars Orbiter Mission
o
Responsible for budget
management, direction for spacecraft configuration, schedule and resources.
o
S Ramakrishnan
o
Director of Vikram
Sarabhai Space Centre and Member Launch Authorisation Board.
o
Responsible for
realising the rocket (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) that would ferry the Mars
orbiter.
o
SK Shivakumar
o
Director, Isro
Satellite Centre.
o
Responsible for
developing satellite technology and implementing satellite systems for
scientific, technological and application missions.
o
P Kunhikrishnan
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Project director, PSLV
programme; ninth time as mission director.
o
Responsible for seeing
the rocket completes its mission successfully and that the satellite is
correctly injected in the designated orbit.
o
Chandradathan
o
Director, Liquid
Propulsion system.
o
Made rich contribution
to the realisation of solid motors for sounding rockets
o
AS Kiran Kumar
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Director, Satellite
Application Centre
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Responsible for
designing and building three of the orbiter payloads - Mars Colour Camera,
Methane Sensor and Thermal Infrared Imaging Spectrometer.
o
MYS Prasad
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Director, Satish
Dhawan Space Centre, Chairman, Launch Authorisation Board
o
Responsible for range
safety and schedules, overall in-charge at rocket port.
o
S Arunan
o
Project director, Mars
Orbiter Mission.
o
Responsible for leading
a team to build the spacecraft.
o
B Jayakumar
o
Associate project
director, PSLV project
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Responsible for the
rocket systems, testing till the final lift-off.
o
MS Pannirselvam
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Chief general manager,
range operation director at Sriharikota Rocket port.
o
Responsible for
maintaining launch schedules without any slippages
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Team Members worked on Mangalyaan Mission |