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Isro's Mars mission all set to enter final phase

Last Updated 27 November 2013, 20:17 IST

The Indian Space Research Organisation’s (Isro) ambitious Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) is all set to enter its final phase as the spacecraft, which entered the final orbit around the earth on Wednesday, will be prepared for the trans-mars injection soon.

At 12:49 am on December 1, Isro will fire the Orbiter’s engines to propel it towards the Mars trajectory. After a crucial journey of 1,346 seconds (22.43 minutes), the spacecraft will exit the earth’s atmosphere and be absorbed by the sun’s orbit to begin its journey towards Mars.

Isro organised a press visit to a Mars mission control room at Isro Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC), Peenya and the Indian Deep Space Network at Byalalu on Wednesday to familiarise the public about the key events. 

Mars Programme Director M Annadurai told reporters that the spacecraft would require fuel of 190 kg and time of 1,346 seconds to achieve trans-Mars injection. “Sixteen hours before firing, we will pre-load all commands to the spacecraft and six hours ahead of firing, we will verify whether all processes and commands are accurate.”

On December 1, the Orbiter will be above the Mauritius station, which will give a command to fire its engine following instructions from ISTRAC, Bangalore. “Right now, it is hovering between Madrid and India and will later cross Mauritius at which point engine is fired for the spacecraft to be freed from the earth’s atmosphere, which will happen after 22.43 minutes,” the official said.

The speed of the spacecraft after firing would be 32.5 km per second and later, it will travel at varying speeds along its journey to Mars. The fuel it has consumed so far is 338 kg. The total fuel spent by the time it reaches mars will be 832 kg, leaving 20 kg for rest of the activity of the spacecraft.

As soon as the Orbiter leaves the earth’s atmosphere, it will be in a heliocentric orbit and circle around the sun in one big loop and, finally, latch on to the Mars trajectory. It will reach the “red planet” after a journey of 300 days. 

Annadurai said when the Orbiter approaches the Mars orbit, its velocity would be reduced to ensure that it gets in the right orbit around Mars.  It will be injected into the Mars orbit on September 24, 2014, at 0714 hours as per present calculations.

Isro Scientific Secretary B Koteshwara Rao said the resolution of images to be offered by the camera aboard Orbiter would be as good as the images taken on November 19 of the earth and India from a distance of 70,000 km.

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(Published 27 November 2013, 20:17 IST)

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