MANGALYAAN • Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) a.k.a Mangalyaan is a space probe studying Martian atmosphere. • It’ s India’s first interplanetary mission. • ISRO became the 4th space agency to reach Mars, after Soviet space program, NASA and European Space Agency. • India became the 1st Asian nation to reach mars and the 1st to do so in its maiden attempt. • MOM is designed to look for methane (a possible indicator of life), Deuterium-Hydrogen ratio and other constants. MISSION OBJECTIVES • To develop the technologies required for design, planning, management and operations of an interplanetary mission • Deep space communication, navigation, mission planning and management • Incorporate autonomous features to handle contingency situations • Exploration of Mars surface features, morphology, mineralogy and Martian atmosphere by indigenous scientific instruments PROJECT TRIANGLE • SCOPE: MOM is a ‘Technical Demonstrator’ to attract space projects from other countries leading to more employment to local talents. • TIME: Build duration was a record 15 months, the designed mission duration was 6 months but has surpassed its limits and is still going strong. • COST: World’s cheapest Mars mission with a cost of 450 cr ($74 mn) which is cheaper than the cost of Hollywood movie gravity and is a ride cheaper than auto rickshaw with ₹7 a km! PROJECT INITIATION AND PLANNING • 23 Nov 08 public announcement of MOM was made by Madhavan Nair (former Isro chairman). • 2010 concept began with a feasibility study by Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology after Chandrayaan’s success. • 3 Aug 12 govt. approved the project with a budget approximation of ₹454 crore • Launch was planned on 28 Oct 13 but was later postponed 5 Nov due to technical difficulties. PROJECT INITIATION AND PLANNING • Hohmann transfer orbit set a deadline to launch MOM between oct and nov 13, with next window in 2016. • Domestic industries were chosen to meet the deadline with TOT. • All on-board instruments where planned to be manufactured indigenously from centres at Ahmedabad, Bangalore and Trivandrum. • To achieve in its first attempt and to gain world recognition was one of its objectives. EXECUTION • PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP enabled the build phase to be completed in 10 months and is also a reason for low mission cost. • A total of 130 firms were involved with 48 of them in development of spacecraft and the rest in launch vehicle development. • Non – readiness of the larger GSLV forced ISRO to light lift, low cost liquid engine powered PSLV. HAL delivers MOM’s basic structure to ISRO • 5 Nov 13 probe was successfully launched and put into Earth’s orbit. MISSION PHASES: • Geocentric Phase: Orbit raising manoeuvres to attain enough momentum to inject the probe into Hohmann transfer orbit. • Heliocentric Phase: Tangential departure from earth’s gravity and a trajectory is set to enter Martian orbit • Martian Phase: Looping around mars in a hyperbolic orbit and collecting intended intel. 24 Sept 14 orbit insertion successful. DIFFICULTIES FACED • Launch delay : Ships carrying telemetry antenna couldn’t reach the location on time due to bad weather over pacific ocean. • Deciding between cryogenic GSLV and solid propelled PSLV. • Communication Black out: Development of on board autonomy. • Radiation: Design inculcated measures to protect on board systems. • Firing the engine after 300 days. (More than 2000 simulations conducted on earth). • Criticism. • Underperformance of engine during 4th orbit raising manoeuvre, fuel constraints. • Navigation: Star mapping, ancient explorers and sailors. ANY QUESTIONS?