On June 19, 2017 the Mars Orbiter Mission (MoM) has completed 1,000 Earth days, or 973.24 Mars Sols — Martian Solar Days, in orbit around the red planet. MoM has completed 388 orbits, and continues to take observations that has lead to the publication of several scientific research papers. The original planned mission duration was only six months. The Mars Colour Camera has captured more than 715 images of Mars, some of which were used to compile an Atlas of Mars.
MoM was part of the Mangalyaan mission, the first interplanetary mission by ISRO. The mission was hailed for the indigenous miniaturisation of the five scientific payloads, the short period over which the mission was realised, and enabling India be the only country to succeed in a maiden interplanetary spaceflight. The mission was realised at a low cost of $74 million, which is about a tenth of the cost of NASA's Maven spacecraft.
On 26 September 2016, MoM celebrated the second anniversary of the insertion maneuver into Mars orbit. All the scientific instruments on the spacecraft are in good health, and there is about 13 kg of propellant left for the remainder of the mission. ISRO has initiated studies into the options available for future interplanetary missions to our nearest neighbours in the solar system, Mars and Venus.
Published Date: Jun 19, 2017 05:33 pm | Updated Date: Jun 21, 2017 04:28 pm