Indian Mars mission thrives on thrift

[GR!FF!N]

AHMEDABAD: Two spacecrafts will reach theMars orbit within days of each other in September 2014. Despite the same destination, they carry vastly different price tags.

The US craft MAVEN has been developed for $485 million while the Indian craft Mangalyaan has cost Isro just $69 million. The world's scientific community is now focusing on the Indian mission as it would set many benchmarks for the future.

"We took successful components from the Chandrayaan I moon mission and improvised and upgraded them for the Mars mission saving on cost and time," said Somya Sarkar, one of four principal investigators for the Mars mission at Isro's Space Application Centre (Sac), Ahmedabad.

Sarkar along with Kurian Mathew, Ashutosh Arya and R P Singh developed three of the five payloads of Mangalyaan.

The challenge was to keep the weight of the payload at 15 kg. Any extra weight would have meant India having to opt for a costlier launch vehicle instead of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). In the end, Sac Ahmedabad contributed just 7.5 kg to the payload.

But it is not just weight reduction and the price tag that has excited scientists. Many of the innovations are path-breaking. For instance, the methane sensors are equipped with a differential radiometer. Mangalyaan will be able to detect extremely low levels of methane gas around mars using this radiometer. The gas is seen as an indicator of the presence of microbial life on the Red Planet.

"My team is confident that the sensors will contribute significantly towards finding the source and amounts of methane gas around Mars, which is important towards understanding if the planet could support life," said Mathew. A thermal infrared imaging spectrometer developed by Singh's team will also be used by the craft.

ISRO's first high resolution colour camera developed by Arya's team will take images of Mars surface from the nearest and farthest point while orbiting Mars. So far Indian space scientists have only taken black-and-white images of celestial objects.


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...on-thrives-on-thrift/articleshow/24687134.cms

 

[Levina]

3 cheers to India!!!

Well just few minutes back i was reading a thread about 25 countries with most brainpower....with India listed nowhere in it.
Your thread proves that list wrong.....lol.

 

[duhastmish]

I hope it won't end up being dud. India had history of talking big and when the times walk doesn't match the talk.

 

[[Bregs]]

ISRO has performed remarkably well and all the best for mars mission too

 

[shiv]

3 cheers to India!!!

Well just few minutes back i was reading a thread about 25 countries with most brainpower....with India listed nowhere in it.
Your thread proves that list wrong.....lol.

Nobody gives a flying F to what you read i guess !

Ontopic : Go ISRO !! You have made india proud in Chandrayaan mission and you can do this time again !!

 

[GR!FF!N]

I hope it won't end up being dud. India had history of talking big and when the times walk doesn't match the talk.

Like what???Chandrayaan???IRNSS??

in Space Exploration,Failure is common.but even then,an entirely indigenous Mars Mission(Mars Mission has less than 30% success rate) is itself a success.you've to take a risk,or else,you'll stuck forever where you're now.Naysayers will always try to drag us behind.but who gives a Flying F to them??

read this.....

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com...for-the-country-isro/articleshow/24679899.cms

all we can do is prepare ourselves.rest,lies in the uncertainty and probability.

 

[Levina]

Nobody gives a flying F to what you read i guess !
!!

Whoa!!

Shiv shiv shiv shiv

:..........

 

[chhota bheem]

I hope it won't end up being dud. India had history of talking big and when the times walk doesn't match the talk.

And you are a senior member

 

[duhastmish]

Yes dear we do see isro as the most achieving government organisation but they too had lot of failures most importantly cryogenic engine. Btw Russian expertise are one of the biggest reason for us to Lead in space programme.