INVC NEWS
New Delhi,
India’s Mars Orbiter Spacecraft, which successfully completed one year in orbit around Mars on September 24, 2015, was launched on November 05, 2013, exactly two years to this day. On the second anniversary of the launch of the spacecraft, a technical meet was organised today at Mission Operations Complex, the location of Spacecraft Control Centre in the ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC), Bangalore.
The meet deliberated on the mission challenges during the past one year of spacecraft operations around Mars and also on the data received from the five payloads of the spacecraft.
A few weeks after its successful insertion into the planned orbit around Mars, the spacecraft operations team successfully managed the challenging task of safely maintaining the Mars Orbiter Spacecraft during the passage of Comet Siding Spring in October 2014 near Mars. Besides, the robust design, incorporation of full scale autonomy, extensive ground simulation tests and the operations strategy adopted by ISRO enabled the spacecraft to successfully survive during the month long solar conjunction around June 2015. During this period, communication with the Earth was not possible due to the blockage of radio signals by the Sun.
During its journey around Mars, the spacecraft has sent hundreds of Mars images including numerous full disc images of Mars, because of the unique elliptical orbit in which it was placed. Data sent by other four payloads (scientific instruments) of the spacecraft is being systematically analysed.
Mars Orbiter Spacecraft is now circling the Red Planet in an orbit with a periareion (nearest point to Mars) of 311 km and an apoareion (farthest point to Mars) of 71,311 km. The spacecraft health is normal.
Also on the occasion of the second anniversary of the launch of Mars Orbiter Spacecraft, a book “From Fishing Hamlet to Red Planet” was released by Prof U R Rao, Chairman, PRL Council and former Chairman, ISRO, in the presence of Mr A S Kiran Kumar, Chairman, ISRO, Dr K Radhakrishnan, former Chairman, ISRO and many distinguished dignitaries of ISRO. This comprehensive compendium traces the evolution of India’s satellite, launch vehicle and application programmes from a historical perspective. Many pioneers of the Indian space programme, who contributed to this compendium, were present during the function. Speaking on the occasion, Mr A S Kiran Kumar said the book places on record the innovative approach adopted by ISRO right from the beginning to develop space technologies for national development. He stressed the need for ISRO to shoulder new responsibilities in the contemporary times.
The e-version of the book is made available on ISRO Website for free download.
