A high profile body like the parliamentary committee is expected to know the basics of the subjects and domains it oversees.

But the Standing Parliamentary Committee on Science, Technology, Environment and Forests, which visited the Isro Satellite Integration and Testing Establishment (ISITE) here on Wednesday, was completely at a loss about India’s space programmes and the recent Mars mission.

Committee chairman T Subbarami Reddy, in conversation with Isro chairman K Radhakrishnan at ISITE, asked him, ”What is the life span of the Mars orbiter? Isro chairman replied, “six months”. Reddy said, ”What? Only six months? I thought it would last six years. Very sad, I am very sad that it will live only six months.” The chairman replied, “We have fuel only for six months.” 

Another committee member asked, “Will it die after that? Will it plunge into water? Will it burn?” The Isro chairman responded that it would become part of space debris.