Mars Orbiter Mission

The Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) is a space probe that has been orbiting Mars since 24 September 2014.^[8] It was launched on 5 November 2013 by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).^[9] It is India's first interplanetary mission. India is both the first Asian nation to reach Mars orbit and the first nation to reach Mars on its first try.^[10] Another name for the probe is Mangalyaan.

Mars Orbiter Mission

Mars Orbiter Mission Spacecraft (illustration)
Names	Mangalyaan
Mission type	Mars orbiter
Operator	ISRO
COSPAR ID	2013-060A
SATCAT no.	39370
Website	www.isro.gov.in/pslv-c25-mars-orbiter-mission
Mission duration	Planned: 6 months[1] Elapsed: 11 years, 2 months, 26 days
Spacecraft properties
Bus	I-1K[2]
Manufacturer	ISAC
Launch mass	1,337.2 kg (2,948 lb)[3]
BOL mass	≈550 kg (1,210 lb)
Dry mass	482.5 kg (1,064 lb)[3]
Payload mass	13.4 kg (30 lb)[3]
Dimensions	1.5 m (4.9 ft) cube
Power	840 watts[2]
Start of mission
Launch date	5 November 2013, 09:08 (2013-11-05UTC09:08) UTC[4]
Rocket	PSLV-XL C25[5]
Launch site	Satish Dhawan FLP
Contractor	ISRO
Mars orbiter
Orbital insertion	24 September 2014, 02:00 UTC[6] MSD 50027 06:27 AMT 4104 days / 3995 sols
Orbit parameters
Periareon	421.7 km (262.0 mi)[7]
Apoareon	76,993.6 km (47,841.6 mi)[7]
Inclination	150.0°[7]
Instruments MCC Mars Colour Camera TIS Thermal Infrared Imaging Spectrometer MSM Methane Sensor for Mars MENCA Mars Exospheric Neutral Composition Analyser LAP Lyman Alpha Photometer
Indian missions to Mars Mars Orbiter Mission 2 →

Mission goals

The main goal of the mission is to develop the technologies needed for interplanetary missions. The other goal is to explore Mars' surface, rocks, and atmosphere.^[11] Scientists want to know how much CO₂ and methane is in the atmosphere of Mars. They also want to know how the solar wind and radiation affect Mars. Scientists also want to learn more about Mars's moons, Phobos and Deimos.

Related pages

• List of Mars orbiters
• List of missions to Mars