Magical run of ISRO

Resounding success kisses ISRO as the Mars Orbiter for Mars (MOM) makes its rendezvous with the Red Planet. With Prime Minister witnessing the event live from the ISRO’s mission control centre, scientists erupted in joy at the ISRO’s Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network received signals travelling 680 million kilometres. MOM switched into mission mode and started orbiting around Mars by 7:47 IST and the signals reached the ground station after 12.5 minutes. This is a glorious day of Indian science. With this India has become first country in the World to place spacecraft in the Martian Orbit in its maiden effort. Till now 51 missions have been attempted by various countries, 21 have succeeded. ISRO has entered the elite club of three agencies which include the European Space Agency of European Consortium, National Aeronautics Space Administration of the US and Roscosmos of Russia.

MOM began its odyssey to the red planet when the work horse PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) successfully lifted off from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, on November 5th, 2013. The journey of the satellite has been near perfect and it left the earth’s sphere of influence on December 5th 2013. It has been idling in the space for 300 days and entered the Mars gravitational sphere of influence on September 22nd when the engine was fired briefly for four seconds. The success of crucial test firing indicated a healthy state of spacecraft, boosting the confidence of the scientists. On Wednesday, the Orbiter first reoriented itself and the speed was brought down to 4.4 km per second. This was followed by firing of engine for crucial 24 minutes. All the commands preloaded 10 days back were executed perfectly facilitating the entry of the spacecraft into its designated elliptical orbit of 423km at its nearest point from Mars and 83,000 km at its farthest point from Mars. The 450 crore unostentatious satellite will deploy five instruments all of them indigenously built to study the Martian atmosphere, its mineral composition and to detect the presence of methane gas. The 15-kg payload comprises of a methane sensor, thermal infrared sensor, Lyman Alpha Photometer, Martian Exospheric Neutron Composition Analyser or MENCA and a Mars colour Camera. During its eventful stay of 6 months, Mars Mission will have two unique opportunities of major study. These include a study of Mars satellite Phobos and a comet expected to pass by Mars at a distance of 50,000km.

MOM, a brain child of ISRO, was built indigenously and designed in a record time with a frugal budget and costs roughly a ninth of the NASA’s Mars space mission Maven that entered Mar’s Orbit on September 21st. ISRO has embarked on the challenging mission of interplanetary space voyage for not executing some exotic experiments but to prepare ground for future missions. The purpose of the mission was to test India’s ability to send a satellite which can go way beyond Mars and orbit around the planet. This glorious event has rekindled the spirits and bolstered the confidence of youngsters in the magic Indian science. It also spurred the need to develop scientific temper and outlook. India’s resilience and steady progress in space exploration is a befitting reply to all critics who ridiculed the government’s decision of allotting public funds for space research.

Till now, MOM mission received an uncharacteristic attention and the presence of PM Narendra Modi during the momentous climax caught the public eye. In his exuberant congratulatory note, he stressed the need to inculcate the scientific spirit and gave a clarion call to explore the unknown. MOM mission has expanded the realm of ISRO to expand its scientific aspirations and technological capabilities.

ISRO’s true test of scientific acumen lies in constructing cryogenic engines, the crucial component of the GSLV (Geo Stationary Launch Vehicle) launch vehicle which can carry pay loads of 1500 kg and more. India successfully test-fired indigenously developed cryogenic engine in January 2014 holding a great promise for more space explorations. MOM mission has become a harbinger of new hope and Indian spirits soared high and chest welled with pride with its success.