Image Source India Today
1. ISRO is currently developing its second Mars mission.
2. This mission will include both a rover and a helicopter.
3. The launch will take place using the heavy-lift LVM3 rocket.
ISRO Reveals Ambitious Plans for Second Mars Mission
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is setting its sights on an impressive second mission to Mars following the resounding success of Mangalyaan. With this mission, ISRO aims to join an elite group, currently comprised of the United States and China, as the third nation to successfully land a spacecraft on the Red Planet.
During a presentation on National Technology Day at the Space Application Centre, ISRO disclosed exciting details about its forthcoming Mars endeavor. This mission will feature a cutting-edge rover and helicopter combination, akin to NASA’s Perseverance rover. ISRO is actively developing innovative technologies including a supersonic parachute and sky-crane system to ensure a precise and controlled landing on Mars.
The spacecraft will be launched using the heavy-lift Launch Vehicle Mark-III (LVM3), underscoring ISRO’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of space exploration. The sky-crane deployment system, pioneered by NASA for the Perseverance rover, will allow the Indian rover to touch down safely and ready to commence its scientific mission, even in challenging Martian terrain.
Notably, ISRO engineers are also engineering a fully operational helicopter tailored for flight in the thin atmosphere of Mars. This rotorcraft, still in the conceptual phase, will carry a suite of instruments, including the Martian Boundary Layer Explorer (Marble), designed for aerial exploration of Mars.
To ensure seamless communication with the Mars mission, ISRO plans to launch a relay communication satellite prior to the mission’s departure. This satellite, deployed via the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, will serve as a crucial link between Mars and Earth, facilitating uninterrupted data transmission.
Communication with Mars poses unique challenges due to varying distances between the planets. During opposition (when Mars is closest to Earth), signals can take between 3 to 22 minutes to travel one way. Conversely, during conjunction (when Mars is on the opposite side of the Sun), signal travel times can extend to 6 to 44 minutes one way.
ISRO’s innovative approach and technological advancements are poised to elevate India’s space program to new heights, furthering our understanding of Mars and inspiring future generations of scientists and engineers. With each mission, ISRO continues to expand the horizons of space exploration, showcasing India’s prowess in the cosmos.
India’s Mangalyaan spacecraft has recorded a video of the Martian moon Phobos passing in front of the Red Planet.
Image Source India Today
India’s Mars Orbiter Mission, also known as Mangalyaan, continues to make headlines with its latest achievement—capturing a breathtaking video of Phobos, one of Mars’ two moons, passing over the Red Planet. The footage, processed and shared by space enthusiast Andrea Luck from Mangalyaan’s scientific data archive on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), provides a rare and captivating view of this celestial event.
Launched in 2013 by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Mangalyaan marked India’s inaugural interplanetary mission. The successful insertion into Mars’ orbit in 2014 positioned ISRO as the fourth space agency globally to achieve this feat, following Roscosmos, NASA, and the European Space Agency. Designed to test key technologies for interplanetary exploration and study Mars’ surface and atmosphere, Mangalyaan’s five science instruments have significantly contributed to our understanding of the Red Planet.
The spacecraft, operational from 2014 to 2022, provided a wealth of data about Mars and its moons during its tenure. Recently, in September 2022, ISRO held a national commemoration meeting to mark eight years of Mangalyaan’s successful operation in Martian orbit.
Phobos, the larger moon featured in the video, completes an orbit around Mars approximately every 7 hours and 39 minutes, at a remarkably close distance of just 5,989 km above the planet’s surface. Scientists have observed that Phobos’ orbit is decaying by 1.8 cm per year, leading to predictions that it may eventually collide with Mars or disintegrate to form a ring around the planet within the next 100 million years.
The video highlights Phobos’ most notable feature—the 6-mile Stickney crater, a result of a significant impact that has left distinct streak patterns across the moon’s surface. As Phobos glides over Mars, the planet’s cloudy atmosphere provides a striking backdrop, enhancing the visual spectacle captured by Mangalyaan.
This remarkable footage not only underscores the success of Mangalyaan but also symbolizes its profound contribution to our comprehension of Mars and its natural satellites. Despite reaching the end of its operational life, Mangalyaan continues to deliver valuable data to scientists and space enthusiasts, enriching our exploration of the Martian system and paving the way for future interplanetary missions.
The legacy of Mangalyaan’s achievements serves as a testament to India’s growing prowess in space exploration and the enduring spirit of scientific discovery that transcends boundaries and inspires generations worldwide.
