GDS KUMBAKONAM: MANGALYAAN IN MARTIAN ORBIT

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

MANGALYAAN IN MARTIAN ORBIT

ISRO's Mars Orbiter Insertion is a resounding success, making India the first country to be successful on its maiden Mars mission. Nicknamed 'Mangalyaan', the success of the Mars Orbiter Missionwill boost India's five-decade-old space programme. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated ISRO's scientists and addressed the country on the historic occasion.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulating ISRO scientists (Photo: video grab)

Bengaluru: India created history with its maiden Mars mission – Mangalyaan or MOM (Mars Orbiter Mission) successfully injected into the Martian orbit on Wednesday. ISRO became the fourth space agency in the world and first in Asia to successfully launch and execute an interplanetary mission to Mars after the Soviets, NASA and the European Space Agency.

Launched on November 5, 2013 onboard PSLV-C25 from Satish Dhawan Space Center, SHAR, Sriharikota in costal Andhra Pradesh. The spacecraft entered the red planet’s orbit on September 24, 2014. The insertion was conducted by the Spacecraft Control Centre at the agency’s Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) based in Peenya, Bengaluru with support from Indian Deep Space Network (IDSN) antennae at Byalalu.

Here are the highlights:

08:02 AM: Happy faces can be seen, scientists and mission control officers congratulate each other for the successful Insertion of Mangalyaan into the Martian Orbit

08:00 AM: The occultation of the Mangalyaan spacecraft is successfully over, Medium Gain Antenna has now faced Earth and confirmed!

07:59 AM: We are into the 27th Minute of the occultation of the Mangalyaan spacecraft, eagerly awaiting the Medium Gain Antenna to face Earth. When the spacecraft is in burn-on the Medium Gain Antenna is not facing the Earth

07:54 AM: Less than one minute left for the end of burn out

07:51 AM: Occultation is now behind us! Telemetry must have activated. Allow it another tense 12.5 minutes.

07:50 AM: We are into 21 minutes left for the confirmation of the complete of occultation of Mangalyaan

Tense moments at the ISRO Center

07:44 AM: The firing must have been completed by now and Mangalyaan must be turning towards Earth to resume communication, yes confirmation only after 6.25 minutes

07:36 AM: 14 minutes left to complete the eclipse of Mangalyaan

07:31 AM: All engines of the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) are going strong. Burn start has been confirmed

07:30 AM: The MOM has been eclipsed by the red planet Mars, the spacecraft is being now operated on the Lethium-ion battery

07:25 AM: The Mangalyaan Spacecraft is going after Mars! Fingrrs crossed, confirmation after 12.5 minutes

07:23 AM: Less than 5 minutes left for ignition of the LAM Engines

07:18 AM: Burn must have started. All engines must have started firing by now. confirmation will be after 12.5 minutes

07:14 AM: Mangalyaan is now in the shadow of Mars.

07:11 AM: Start of forward rotation is confirmed

07:08 AM: Forward Rotation must have begun, it is required to align the direction of firing for effective braking.

Do You Know?: The success rate of Mars Missions have been 46%

Do You Know?: It takes almost 12.5 minutes to complete one circle communication with Mangalyaan!

04:49 AM: Medium Gain Antenna takes over/ After the launch of Mangalyaan, the orbit insertion will be the fourth stage of the mission after six Orbit raising manoeuvres, trans-Mars injection and three Trajectory corrections.