India launching first #Mars mission #Mangalyaan

After the successful mission to Moon (Chandrayaan-I), India is heading to Mars!

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is launching  Mangalyaan using the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). The planned launch date is Nov 5th, 2013.   The Mangalyaan will carry five scientific payloads which include: 

1. Methane Sensor For Mars (MSM), 
2. Mars Color Camera (MCC), 
3. Mars Exospheric Neutral Composition Analyzer (MENCA), 
4. TIR Spectrometer (TIS), and 
5. Lyman-Alpha Photometer (LAP). 

It will also use Indian Deep Space Network (IDSN), as well as NASA deep space network for navigation and tracking during its mission. The spacecraft is expected to take nearly 300 days to reach the Martian orbit.

It is quite impressive that ISRO has pulled it up in such a short time. The next fuel-saving Hohmann transfer orbit opens  in 2016. If successful, ISRO would become the fourth space agency to reach Mars, after Roscosmos, NASA, and ESA.

ISRO in Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/pages/ISROs-Mars-Orbiter-Mission/1384015488503058?directed_target_id=0

Read more...

• http://www.nbcnews.com/science/india-plans-launch-first-mars-mission-test-large-rocket-year-6C10714150
• http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2013/04011229-isros-mars-mission-now.html
• http://iipdigital.usembassy.gov/st/english/texttrans/2013/03/20130322144724.html#axzz2PF1pO4Vc