Bangalore (ISJ) ? India did it. Its Mars Mission entered the orbit of the Red Plant in the very first attempt ? the first country to achieve the rare feat and the fourth country joins the exclusive space-faring countries.
It was to text book perfection, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) achieved the impossible ? right from the launch to the insertion. ISRO built the spacecraft in just three years, at a cost of Rs. 450 crores, which Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described, ?is an example of what we are capable of?.
Launched from Satish Dhavan Space Centre at Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh on November 5, 2013, the Mars Orbiter Mission traversing a distance of 653 million kilometres or 65.3 crore kilometres in 322 days, entered the orbit of the Red Planet exactly as planned.
The mission was controlled by ground support from four continents ? Indian Deep Space Network, Goldstone – USA, Madrid ? Spain and Canberra in Australia.
From tense moments ahead of the start of the burn of Liquid Engine at about 0720 Hrs. turned to celebration after the announcement of successful insertion of the spacecraft in the orbit of the Red Planet. A gleaming ISRO Cheif Dr. Radhakrishnan, women scientists wiping their tears of happiness and an elated Prime Minister Narendra Modi exhorting Indians to celebrate the success of their scientists? described the mood at the space agency?s Telemetry Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) in Bangalore.
?The odds were stacked against us. Of the 51 missions attempted so far, a mere 21 have succeeded; but we have prevailed,? said an elated Modi, while addressing the scientists after the successful insertion of the spacecraft in Mar?s orbit.
NASA, the US space agency tweeted at the Indian success, ?We congratulate ISRO for its Mars arrival. Mars Orbiter joins the missions studying the Red Planet?.
