Mangalyaan
The Mars Orbiter Mission
(MOM), informally called Mangalyaan (Sanskrit for "Mars-Craft"), is a Mars
orbiter launched into Earth orbit on 5 November 2013 by the Indian Space
Research Organization (ISRO).It is expected to enter orbit around Mars on 24
September 2014. The mission is a "technology demonstrator" project
aiming to develop the technologies required for design, planning, management,
and operations of an interplanetary mission
. The Mars Orbiter
Mission probe lifted-off from the First Launch Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR,
Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, using a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)
rocket C25 at 09:08 UTC (14:38 IST) on 5 November 2013. The launch window was approximately 20 days long
and started on 28 October 2013.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 the European Space
Agency. The spacecraft is currently being monitored from the Spacecraft Control
Centre at ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) in Bangalore
with support from Indian Deep Space Network (IDSN) antennae at Byalalu.
Objectives
The primary objective of
the Mars Orbiter Mission is to showcase India's rocket launch systems,
spacecraft-building and operations capabilities. Specifically, the primary
objective is to develop the technologies required for design, planning,
management and operations of an interplanetary mission, comprising the
following major tasks:
· design and realization of a Mars orbiter with a
capability to perform Earth-bound manoeuvres, 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.
The secondary objective
is to explore Mars' surface features, morphology, mineralogy and Martian
atmosphere using indigenous scientific instruments.
Payload
The 15 kg scientific payload consists of five
instruments:
Atmospheric studies
Ø Lyman-Alpha Photometer (LAP) – a photometer that measures the relative
abundance of deuterium and hydrogen from Lyman-alpha emissions in the upper
atmosphere. Measuring the deuterium/hydrogen ratio will allow an estimation of
the amount of water loss to outer space
Ø Methane Sensor For Mars (MSM) – will measure methane in the atmosphere
of Mars, if any, and map its sources.
Particle environment
studies
Ø Mars Exospheric Neutral Composition Analyser (MENCA) – is a quadrupole mass analyser capable
of analysing the neutral composition of particles in the exosphere.
Surface imaging studies
Ø Thermal Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (TIS) – will measure the temperature and
emissivity of the Martian surface, allowing for the mapping of surface
composition and mineralogy of Mars.
Ø Mars Colour Camera (MCC) – will provide images in the visual spectrum,
providing context for the other instruments.
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