India’s Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) has come a long way since its launch in 2013.
Last Monday, June 19, the Indian Mars orbiter completed 1,000 Earth days in orbit, with no signs of fatigue from expectations that it will last only six months or 180 days.
MOM Continues Mars Probe
“The Orbiter is working and we are still getting inputs from the payload,” Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) chair A.S. Kiran Kumar told the paper.
MOM is believed to have surpassed expectations, continuing to beam back images and data that could contribute to a better understanding of planet Mars. It was launched back in Nov. 5, 2013 onboard the PSLV-C25 rocket, journeyed to the red planet for nine months, and entered its orbit on Sept. 24, 2014 in its first attempt.
According to Dr. K. Sivan of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Center, the vehicle remains in good health, left with 13 to 14 kilograms (27 to 31 pounds) of fuel from its original 852-kilogram (1,878 pounds) fuel load.
Its long life, he added, signals the lack of a fuel leakage as well as the orbiter’s ability to withstand the challenges of its hazardous journey.
India is also preoccupied with its moon and solar missions. The Chandrayaan-2 mission is slated for launch in the first quarter of 2018, while the Aditya or sun mission is scheduled for 2018 to 2019.
Joint Mission With NASA
ISRO has also started work with NASA on their joint mission called the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite, which will deliver an unprecedented view of Earth via advanced radar imaging.
A senior official from ISRO confirmed that the deal is on track for a 2021 launch from India through a Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV).
NISAR will observe and measure some of the planet’s most intricate processes, from ecosystem disturbances to natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. Data collected from it will lend insight on the state and evolution of Earth’s crust, helping scientists better understand changing climate and manage future hazards.
Microwave data from the L and S band radars, for instance, will help monitor ice sheet collapses and assess mangroves and coastal erosion and assist in the mapping and monitoring of natural resources.
According to Gen. Larry D. James, deputy director of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), they have begun assembling the hardware and working with the Indian space agency on the satellite’s different components.
Hot on the heels of discovering 219 new planets, 10 of which are Earth-like size, NASA also plans to build a next-gen telescope for observing exoplanets and searching for signs of alien life.
“There are about 26 planets in habitable zone that may support life, but Kepler doesn’t study the planet. It only classifies whether the planet is in the habitable zone or not,” James said.
James added that they are also keen on working with ISRO on future Mars orbiter missions, expressing NASA’s intent to put a payload on India’s future Mars probes.
The international Mars mission agenda remains robust, with NASA, private companies like SpaceX, and other countries such as India and China mounting their own Red Planet probes.
