Mangalyaan Completes One Revolution Around Mars, Data To Help Answer Questions On Life

Stating that the country's Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), also called Mangalyaan, has completed one revolution around the Red Planet, Ritu Karidhal, deputy operation director of Bengaluru-based MOM ISRO Satellite Centre said studies based on analysis of data being sent by the orbiter would soon answer different queries related to life on the planet.

Mars Orbiter Mission got into orbit around September 2014 to closely study Mars¡¯s atmospheric composition. It was a mission that successfully demonstrated India¡¯s technological capability for interplanetary exploration.

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"The span of two years on Earth nearly equals to one year on Mars. The Mangalyaan, which entered into the orbit of Mars around two years ago, has completed one revolution. The data being sent by it over a period of last two years is being studied by ISRO for analysing atmospheric configuration," said Karidhal.

Also Read: Mangalyaan's Cost Wasn't Rs 450 Crore, Austere ISRO Returned Rs 2.61 Crore

Delivering fourth keynote address as a part of Yeshwant Inspirational Talk Series here on Saturday, she said the analysis of the data sent by MOM could reveal presence of carbon content, if any, in atmosphere of Mars.

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"The question still exists that whether life existed on Mars and can it be possible in future. The atmospheric studies of Mars using data sent by MOM would help in knowing whether the remote planet has methane or any form of carbon in its atmosphere. If such traces are found, the planet can have life like it is hoped to have had in the past," Karidhal said.

The ISRO scientist said the MOM could last in the space further for at least 5 to 10 years. "The Mangalyaan does not have any fuel system to support its existence while orbiting Mars but is being purely driven by its different components. The life of these components would decide the future life of MOM," Karidhal said.

Also Read: ISRO Begins Preparations For Mangalyaan-II, Seeks Proposals For Its Interplanetary Mission

Listing down some of the many firsts associated with MOM at the international level, including the mission that was successful in the first attempt, she said the greatest achievement of Mangalyaan was to infuse confidence among countrymen that India was second to none.

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"India's Mars Mission has basically empowered 1.2 billion countrymen. The Mission has not only inspired citizens but also instilled confidence that they are second to none," she said.

Later, while answering a student query in the interactive session, the ISRO scientist said studies also need to be done to ascertain whether any correlation exists between astrology and astronomy. "There may be some linking between both these fields, but scientific studies need to be done focussing on cosmic energy," Karidhal said.

ISRO¡¯s Mangalyaan completes first revolution around Mars in two years https://t.co/HeIBjlVw7n

¡ª The TeCake (@TheTeCake) November 27, 2016

To another query, asking why Venus was not considered by ISRO for space mission instead of Mars, she said the second planet from the Sun has relatively harsher atmosphere. Also there are no indications so far that any form of life existed on Venus, which is not the case with Mars, she added.

Started in the memory of late Yeshwant L Garde, one of the founder members of Chamber of Marathwada Industries and Agriculture and former head of Aurangabad Co-operative Industrial Estate, Yeshwant Inspirational Talk Series has been initiated since the past four years with the focus on sharing knowledge among youth.