The budgetary allocation of Rs125 crore for the ambitious Mars mission has delighted the space agency.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro), which been more in news over the controversial Antrix-Devas deal and the subsequent banning of its top former space scientists, finally has a reason to cheer.
The budgetary allocation of Rs125 crore for the ambitious Mars mission has delighted the space agency. Scientists are looking forward to work on the mission to the Red planet planned in November 2013.
“Though the mission has not been approved by the government, the budgetary allocations have come at the right time when we were looking forward to launch the mission at the first opportunity in November 2013,” said Isro sources.
The first launch window for Isro is 2013 and second in 2016 and 2018.
Isro sources added that the preparations for the mission would begin soon and that the payloads would be decided at the earliest as it was looking at the first launch window.
Though the payloads are yet to be decided, the Mars orbiter is likely to be 25 kg.
Sources also said that no decision had been taken on collaborating with foreign space agencies.
“The PSLV will launch the Mars orbiter whose primary aim is to study the planet’s surface and atmosphere,” added sources in the space agency.
Earlier missions to the Red planet have also focused on the Martian atmosphere and to find out the presence of water.
The mission to Mars will be India’s second spacecraft mission beyond Earth’s orbit with the Chandrayaan-1 being the first.
The Mars mission is also likely to precede the Chandrayaan-1’s sequel Chandrayaan-2 whose launch date has not been finalised as Isro has not yet perfected its Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicles (GSLV) for injecting heavy satellites like the Chandrayaan-2.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}