The Indian Space Research Organisation launched it's Mars Orbiter Mission from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre on Tuedsday 5 November 2013. This is India's first space mission intended to move beyond Earth orbit, and is intended to study the mineralogy and morphology of the planet's surface as well as Martian atmosphere. The probe has a remarkably low budget, only US$72 million, and if successful will make the Indian agency the fourth to complete a Mars mission; though this is a big if, more than 50% of previous missions to Mars have failed.
The Mars Orbiter Mission has a fairy simple design. Indian Space Research Agency.
The orbiter will not take a direct route to Mars, but will instead use a Hohmann Transfer Orbit; it will enter orbit around Earth and then use a series of engine burns to nudge it into larger and larger orbits, until it moves onto an trajectory so large it carries it to Mars, where a breaking maneuver will move it into a Mars orbit.
The intended path of the Mars Orbiter Mission towards Mars. Indian Space Research Agency.
See also Possible ancient volcanoes on Arabia Terra, Mars, India plans mission to Mars, Curiosity about to set down on Mars, Dutch team plan colony on Mars, Martian Dust Devils and Fobos-Grunt crashes into the Pacific Ocean.
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