Mangalyaan successfully enters Mars' orbit; Narendra Modi congratulates ISRO's scientists

September 24, 2014

Mangalyaan successfully enters Mars' orbit; Narendra Modi congratulates ISRO's scientists

ISRO's Mars Orbiter Insertion is a resounding success. India has become the first country to be successful on its maiden Mars mission.

The Mars Orbiter Mission is India's first interplanetary mission. It was launched on November 5, 2013 from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh and is expected to enter the planet's atmosphere on September 24. The mission was approved by the Indian government in August 2012 and was executed in 15 months at a cost of Rs. 450 crore ($74 million).

Today's mission was to manoeuvre the spacecraft and slow its speed using the 440 Newton Liquid Apogee Motor engine aboard the spacecraft to help it enter Mars' orbit. The engine has been idle for almost 300 days and will be fired up today for 24 minutes to reduce its speed from 22.1 km per second to 4.4 km per second . According to Reuters report, the challenge is in getting the probe's trajectory right and slowing it down to enter the orbit.

The liquid engine is crucial in controlling the velocity of the craft as it enters Mars' orbit. If this attempt had not worked, ISRO would have made another attempt using eight fuel powered thrusters.

Live Updates

8:13 IST Wednesday, 24 September 2014
Narendra Modi: History has been created, we have dared to reach out to the unknown. India has created history today, We have reached which was nearly impossible.

8:10 IST Wednesday, 24 September 2014
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses ISRO scientists and the country on the success of Mangalyaan. He congratulates the scientists and the country on the historic ocassion.

8:06 IST Wednesday, 24 September 2014
ISRO maintains its sense of humour in the face of its success.

What is red, is a planet and is the focus of my orbit? pic.twitter.com/HDRWjOcPus

— ISRO's Mars Orbiter (@MarsOrbiter) September 24, 2014

8:02 IST Wednesday, 24 September 2014
Applause all around at the Control Centre as the message is received that the Mars Orbiter has succesfully entered the planet's orbit.

7:58 IST Wednesday, 24 September 2014
The orbiter is out of Mars' shadow right now. ISRO will start to recieve signal from Mangalyaan in a few minutes.

7:47 IST Wednesday, 24 September 2014
As the Mars Orbiter turns to face the Earth again, ISRO is now looking to resume communication with the craft.

7:42 IST Wednesday, 24 September 2014
The crucial move of starting the liquid engine has been a success. ISRO scientists must be breathing a huge sigh of relief right now given that engine's functioning would have determined the success of the mission today.

#ISRO bursts into a loud clap on confirmation of burn start! Congratulations India! #Mangalyaan pic.twitter.com/1zcbuqNazW

— Doordarshan National (@DDNational) September 24, 2014

7:31 IST Wednesday, 24 September 2014
Engines of the Mars Orbiter go strong and burn start has been confirmed. Slowing the spacecraft to 1098 metre per second is underway.

7:29 IST Wednesday, 24 September 2014
The radio link between the ISRO engineers and the Mars Orbiter has been blocked.

7:27 IST Wednesday, 24 September 2014
#MarsOrbiter Going behind Mars pic.twitter.com/TFaFOJ1Omp