The Indian Space Organization (ISRO) has been doing well in space exploration. One of its achievements is the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM). Here are things you should know about the orbiter.
Beyond What's Intended
MOM, or Mangalyaan, was only expected to last for eight to ten months. However, it managed to orbit the red planet for eight years instead. According to Space.com, the spacecraft has a 4.6 x 6 ft. solar array wing, which consists of three panels that are mounted on one side. The array is capable of generating 800 watts of power. And charges the spacecraft's lithium-ion battery.
The orbiter was launched on November 5, 2013. It took the spacecraft ten months before it reach orbit. A member of India's space commission, Dr. K Radhakrishnan, said that it was an enormous feat to reach Mars' orbit successfully on their first try.
The End of the Orbiter
Sadly, the ISRO lost contact with the spacecraft. It may have died out due to the back-to-back eclipses it experienced. An official stated that the spacecraft can only go through an eclipse for an hour and 40 minutes.
However, one of the eclipses it endured lasted for seven and a half hours, draining the orbiter beyond the safe limit. MOM had 1,880 pounds of fuel for its main thruster and eight smaller ones for altitude, and the fuel has run out.
Success in Space
MOM was the first interplanetary mission of the ISRO. They are the fourth space agency to achieve this. It was mentioned in CBS News that 41 attempted such a mission and 23 failed. The US conducted a successful flyby back in 1964, the Soviet Union in 1971, and the European Space Agency in 2003.
It was so successful, that the data acquired by the orbiter is in high demand globally. The ISRO claimed that 7,200 users registered to download the data. Among those 7,200 users, 400 are international users coming from 50 different countries.
What Has the Orbiter Observed?
MOM using its color camera, thermal infrared sensor, and ultraviolet spectrometer, was able to study deuterium and hydrogen found in Mars' upper atmosphere. It collected information about the planet's surface features, morphology, atmosphere, and exosphere.
The orbiter also observed a dust storm. Because of that, scientists understand the dust on the planet better. It also snapped a photo of the far side of one of Mar's natural satellites, Deimos. This in turn helped scientists study the landslides that happen on Mars.
Cheaper But Just as Functional
India developed the Mars Orbiter Mission for around $75 million. That may sound like a big spend, but compared to NASA's Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution mission, it is actually cheaper. NASA's Maven cost $671 million. That's almost nine times more expensive than ISRO's MOM.
They launched around the same time, and both have successfully done their missions. According to reports, MOM lasted for eight years in space, and Maven lasted for 8 years and 10 days. This shows how impressive the Mars Orbiter Mission actually is.
