India's 2013 Mars mission

[DocM]

They are now +4 kg on their propellant budget thanks to a better than expected orbital insertion by the booster. Next burn early AM the 16th. If all hoes well it should leave Earth orbit for Mars by the end of the month.

Fourth supplementary orbit raising manoeuvre of Mars Orbiter Spacecraft, starting at 05:03:50 hrs(IST) on Nov 12, 2013, with a burn Time of 303.8 seconds has been successfully completed.The observed change in Apogee is from 78276km to 118642km

[wrack]

Nice. So the last burn-off that failed to raise the orbit has been countered now. Seems like on track :)

[DocM]

That next scheduled burn on the 16th is set for 2 AM IST (local time.)

Starting the middle of next week through Nov. 30 ISRO will be firing up MOM to do payload testing.

Cross your fingers & toes :)

[DocM]

MOM update, and a bit on their Astrosat orbital telescope that will view in optical, UV and X-rays (!)

They've also cancelled a MOM course correction burn - apparently it's going hot & straigjt.

http://m.timesofindia.com/home/science/Isro-sets-eyes-on-stars-plans-a-mini-Hubble/articleshow/33247231.cms

SRIHARIKOTA: Intending to study the stars and other celestial bodies in the space, Indian Space Research Organization (Isro) is developing Astrosat, a smaller version of Hubble Space Telescope.

"Astrosat is nearly getting ready and it would be unique with three aspects UV rays, visible and X rays. Even Hubble does not have this aspect. Though Hubble is big, Astrosat will be a small one," Kiran Kumar, director, Space Application Centre, Ahmedabad told reporters here.

While the optics of Hubble was 2.4 metre diameter, Astrosat would have a optical diameter of 300mm, he said.

"The satellite is being developed and it is likely to be launched sometime next year," he said, flanked by Isro chairman K Radhakrishnan and other senior scientists.

When asked about the space agency's plan to send "Aditya" satellite around the Earth to study the Sun, he said work was progressing in that mission and the launch was expected in three to four years.

Aditya would study the corona emissions of the Sun and help space scientists in understanding the head of the Solar System.

Isro, which successfully launched a GSLV with indigenous cryogenic engine, would conduct an experimental launch of GSLV Mark III in June this year, Radhakrishnan said.

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Updating on the status of Isro's Mars Mission, launched last November, Kiran Kumar said, "Right now MOM is 35 million km away. We are regularly checking the health of the satellite and it is satisfactory."

He also said the second of the four trajectory correction manouvre (TCM) planned on the Mars Mission was not necessary and the next TCM was being planned in June. The mission is expected to reach the Mars orbit by September 24.

Governor of Chhattisgarh Shekhar Dutt, who witnessed the IRNSS 1B launch, said the mission was "extremely important for India and it provides the navigation to our assets."

"I heartily congratulate of all scientists of Isro", he said.

[DocM]

Going well, and they're prepping a crew capsule test.

Yes kiddies,India has a manned space program ramping up to crewed flights.

http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/mangalyaan-doing-well-will-reach-martian-orbit-on-september-24-isro-chairman-523085

Mangalyaan Doing Well, Will Reach Martian Orbit on September 24: ISRO Chairman

Thiruvananthapuram: India's maiden inter-planetary mission to Mars "Mangalyaan" was on course and the orbiter would reach the Martian orbit on September 24, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman K Radhakrishnan said on Monday.

Dismissing the skeptical views expressed by certain quarters over the mission, he said, "Mars mission is going well and will reach the orbit on September 24, 2014." This will make all in ISRO and also the people of the country proud "as it will be a major milestone for ISRO," Mr Radhakrishnan said at a felicitation function organised by The Institute of Engineers India (Kerala Chapter).

Now it took four minutes for a signal from the ground station to reach the spacecraft, launched from Sriharikota on November 5, he said.

Stating that many more missions were under different stages, Mr  Radhakrishnan said another major project in the coming months would be the experimental mission of GSLV-MARK 3 with the crew module for country's human space flight mission.

ISRO's rating among the countries with space missions had gone up, he said, adding a USA-based bench mark agency has put the Indian agency in the sixth place.

ISRO had 10 successful launches during the last one year, he said, adding, "ISRO uses its resources judiciously for the benefit of the society."

 

Space scientists M Chandra Dathan, Director LPSC, K Sivan, Project Director GSLV and P Kuhhikrishnan, Project Director PSLV were also felicitated. 

[T3X4S]

Well at least if they run into any trouble and have to call support, they will be able to understand the other person on the line.

LOL  -  Why cant I click "like this" on this post - its hilarious

Hope its not the same guys who built this:

[McKay]

They have a space agency... why is the UK giving aid to this country?  :huh:

[DocM]

They have a space agency... why is the UK giving aid to this country? :huh:

News flash: last year they also completed sea trials of their first Arihant-class nuclear ballistic missile submarine, the lead boat of a fleet. 112m (367 ft) long and 6,000 tonnes it carries 12 SLBM launchers.

[FloatingFatMan]

They have a space agency... why is the UK giving aid to this country?  :huh:

 

Guilt money.

[Duffydemon]

They have a space agency... why is the UK giving aid to this country?  :huh:

Because UK took lots of our gold and wealth during colonial period and left us in poverty and riots?

[DocM]

Because UK took lots of our gold and wealth during colonial period and left us in poverty and riots?

I think the term is 'reparations'

[DocM]

http://www.ptinews.com/news/4772163_Trajectory-correction-of-Mars-mission-.html

Chennai, Jun 2 (PTI) - Indian Space Research Organisation is likely to perform its next trajectory correction manoeuvre on its Mars Orbiter mission on June 11.

As its Mars mission is "on intended track" and was proceeding towards the red planet with "good health," ISRO had earlier announced that the trajectory correction manoeuvre scheduled for April was not necessary and postponed it for this month.

[Beittil]

 

ISRO ?@ISROOFFICIAL  10m

No correction manoeuver in August, MOM on track pic.twitter.com/ej8LZ0Phyo

 

Apparently still going strong, another correction burn cancelled.

[DocM]

Yup. They're showing good precision. A good sign for its orbital insertion and the other missions they're planning for the next couple of years.

[DocM]

GO-GO-GADGET MANGALYAAN!!

http://www.spacenews.com/article/civil-space/41864indian-probe-schedule-to-begin-orbiting-mars-sept-24

Indian Probe Schedule To Begin Orbiting Mars Sept. 24

BANGALORE, India ? After a trouble-free journey through space lasting nearly 10 months, India?s first interplanetary probe, Mangalyaan, is set to enter into orbit around Mars Sept. 24 ? two days after the scheduled arrival of NASA?s Maven mission.

The Indian Space Research Organisation announced Sept.15 that the Mangalyaan spacecraft, weighing 445 kilograms not including fuel, is in excellent health and that commands required for its insertion into Mars orbit have been uploaded to its onboard computer.

Designed and developed by ISRO at a cost of $69 million, Mangalyaan was launched into an initial parking orbit around Earth Nov. 5, 2013, by ISRO?s PSLV rocket. The spacecraft was injected into a heliocentric trajectory toward the red planet Dec. 1 following a series of orbit-raising maneuvers.

ISRO said Mangalyaan?s 440-newton liquid-fueled engine will be fired early Sept. 24 ? when the spacecraft is 423 kilometers from the martian surface ? to slow its velocity from 22.2 kilometers per second to 2.14 meters per second, allowing it to be captured into martian orbit. ISRO said the spacecraft will be placed in an elliptical orbit with a perigee of 423 kilometers, an apogee of 80,000 kilometers and an orbital period of 3.2 Earth days.

Confirmation of a successful orbital insertion will come via ground stations operated by ISRO in Byalalu near Bangalore; NASA in Goldstone, California; and the European Space Agency in Madrid.

?Bringing the liquid engine alive after 297 days of sleep is the next big challenge,? ISRO spokesman Deviprasad Karnik told SpaceNews. He said the engine will be test fired for four seconds Sept. 22 to gauge its readness for the orbital-insertion maneuver.

Should there be an issue with the main engine, ISRO has a backup plan that involves firing the Mangalyaan spacecraft?s eight 22-newton thrusters, Koteeswara Rao, ISRO scientific secretary, told SpaceNews.

During its planned six-month mission in Mars orbit, Mangalyaan, which carries five scientific payloads, will measure methane in the planet?s atmosphere, map the surface composition and mineralogy, and gather data to help scientists understand why and when Mars lost the liquid water that once flowed there.

If all goes well, India will become first Asian country to deliver a probe to Mars. In doing so, it will join a club that currently includes only Russia, the United States and Europe.

[neo1911]

The Mars Orbiter has successfully entered the Mars Orbit today.
 

Things you need to know why Indian Mars Mission is different

 

The whole Mars mission has cost less than making of the 2013 movie Gravity.  :rofl:

[DocM]

Congrats to India on succeeding at Mars on its first try!!

:clap: :clap:

Twitter feed: @MarsOrbiter

deltaV only 0.3m/s from the target (wow!)

http://news.yahoo.com/indian-spacecraft-course-enter-mars-orbit-102341448.html

NEW DELHI (AP) India has triumphed in its first interplanetary attempt by successfully putting a satellite into orbit around Mars.

Scientists broke into wild cheers Wednesday morning as the orbiter's engines completed 24 minutes of burn time and maneuvered into its designated place around the red planet.

The success of India's Mars Orbiter Mission, affectionately nicknamed MOM, brings India into an elite club of Martian explorers that includes United States, the European Space Agency and the former Soviet Union.

The Indian Space and Research Organisation described the mission as flawless.

[DesiSpark]