The accomplishment of MOM has made every Indian proud. A developing nation had successfully built
the spacecraft and launched it into the Mars Orbit in its first attempt. World wide 51 attempts were made and only 22
succeeded in this endeavour. India
is the first Asian country and fourth in the world (US, Europe
and Russia –
the first three) to be able to insert Mangalyaan into Mars orbit and created
history. 1000 scientists under ISRO
chairman Shri. K. Radha Krishnan have worked diligently and created history in
world space research.
Mars also known as red planet is the second smallest
celestial body in the solar system is believed to be similar to earth in many
ways and is hospitable. Mars is moving
and even earth moves. The space craft
weighing 1350 KM equipped with five instruments – a sensor to track methane
(possible sign of life), color camera, thermo imaging spectrometer to map
surface and mineral wealth of Mars was lifted off by Polar Satellite Launch
Vehicle (PSLV) from First Launched Pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre,
Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. The space
vehicle traveling for 680 million KM reached the tiny circle of less than 2 KM,
the right time to insert into the orbit.
MOM employed accurate navigation modeling and precision hardware to
execute Mars Orbit Insertion with 440 Newton
engine that restarted after being idle for 300 days (since the trans Martian
insertion burn on 15 November 2013 ).
It takes about 25 minutes for a radio
signal to reach MOM and return ground station which makes real time control and
communication impractical. MOM built
with its own intelligence to manage crucial operation like Mars Orbiter
Insertion, fault detection, isolation and reconfiguration of systems and
operations during non-visible periods worked out successfully and created
history in the world.
The Mars Orbiter Mission is 100% indigenous. The cost of the mission is 454 crores which
is less than the amount spent for the production of a Hollywood
movie. India
has produced a car for $2500, a tablet for $30 and now succeeded in Mangalyaan spending
just at $74.million.
The nation is indebted to all the sincere workers who
achieve unbelievable targets with limited resources and make every Indian
proud.
Mera Bharat Mahaan.
Image Source : 1) ISRO Images and photos of Mars Orbiter Mission.
2) Space.com