Author Topic: ISRO Mars Orbiter Mission - Nov 2013 launch to September 2014 arrival - UPDATES  (Read 787004 times)

Offline vineethgk

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Which brings me to the question - what were the factors that limited the payload mass in MOM to 15kg? Considering that we used a standard I-1K satellite bus, was the bus a bit over-weight for the job? Or maybe it was the greater number of redundant systems that ISRO had to build into the spacecraft to ensure success?

Initial plan was to carry 25 kg of payload, but later non-availability of some of the the instruments on schedule led to reduction of total payload to 15 kg. So some space remained unutilized on MOM.

Thanks antriksh. So I guess PSLV is perfectly capable of sending a greater orbital payload to Mars, and more so if the spacecraft were to follow a more exotic, time-consuming path to Mars like Nozomi did. Maybe not as much as MAVEN, but atleast half as much. (EDIT: for a similar orbit)
« Last Edit: 09/25/2014 12:55 pm by vineethgk »

Offline Prober

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http://www.thenewsminute.com/lives/311

Yeah, but they'll demand 900 crores to go to Mars. Why? Because they won't get a return fare

To the world space community: Can we PLEASE start work on sample return already? Not a(nother) study, but cutting metal. Please?

who needs to return samples when we should be sending people?
2017 - Everything Old is New Again.
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Offline vyoma

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http://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/q-a-with-isro-chairman-114092500794_1.html

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What are the key learnings from this Mission?

One big learning is our ability to calculate Trans Mars Injection (TMI) and our ability to propagate and see what could be the arrival point has been quite successful. Our ability to understand the influence of the Sun and other planets on the spacecraft as it travels through the heliocentric arc. The other one is precious determination of the position using the deep space station that we have.

At Chandrayaan times we had spacecrafts with four lakh kms, but here we are looking at spacecraft which would have reached 227 million kms (on September 24). We have upgraded or deep space stations for MOM and now we are clear and confident about its performance.

In the spacecraft we have built several levels of autonomy. Most of these provisions have been exercised and they are working. These attorney will be useful if we adopt them for future communication and remote sensing satellites.

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What is the life of Mangalyaan?

It would be about six months if you look at it, but may also go for a longer period than expected. We have around 40 kgs of propellant in the spacecraft.

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The comet, Siding Spring (which was named after the Australian Siding Spring Observatory, which discovered the comet on January 3, 2013) is expected to pass through on October 19. Will it have any impact on MOM?

Radhakrishnan: The Science team will meet tomorrow [26 Sep] to have a view on the details of it.

Kiran Kumar (who replied for this question) We are getting unique opportunity on October 19, when the Siding Spring comet's tail would touch the Mars. Originally it was thought that tail will cover, but as time changed it is expected that the tail will touch the Mars.

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When are you planning to set up Joint Mars Working Group with US space agency NASA?

During Prime Minister's visit to the US, you will hear some news. Soon you will see that happen.

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@MarsOrbiter

A shot of Martian atmosphere. I'm getting better at it. No pressure.

Altitude of 8449 km according to ISRO FB
« Last Edit: 09/25/2014 02:24 pm by sultanofhyd »

Online Blackstar

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The 2020 rover is supposed to be the first step towards MSR

Are we soothing ourselves with that now? I know the 2020 rover's caching samples... but come on. There's nothing in the pipeline to go bring them back.

But that's how it works. You do it one step at a time.

But if you would like to contribute, you can write a check to the US Treasury and write "For NASA Mars sample return mission" at the bottom...

Offline vineethgk

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@MarsOrbiter

A shot of Martian atmosphere. I'm getting better at it. No pressure.

Thanks for posting.. Somehow I seem to like this photo more than the first..  ;D

Offline atnanda

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It definitely looks like that MCC is not calibrated as it is having ghost or double images. Looks at images captured of Earth during earth bound maneuvers. I hope that MCC has not got impacted during the journey and it is just a calibration issue. The concern is also due to the fact that ISRO claims that MoM had taken 5 pics in first 2 hours and they took around 24hrs to release these first 2 pics which seems to be out of focus and not compensating for MoM's motion in the orbit. What happened to other 3 images ? I hope all is well with MCC?

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@MarsOrbiter

A shot of Martian atmosphere. I'm getting better at it. No pressure.

Altitude of 8449 km according to ISRO FB

Offline Gaganaut

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Quote from: atnanda
It definitely looks like that MCC is not calibrated as it is having ghost or double images. Looks at images captured of Earth during earth bound maneuvers. I hope that MCC has not got impacted during the journey and it is just a calibration issue.

I found the same issue with the first image, in-fact I de-blurred the image before figuring out the location in my earlier post. Hope it is just a calibration issue and all is well with MCC.

Crosschecking with MGS MOC Atlas..the MOMs first mars image coordinates are 5°N 300°W to 15°S 285°W.

Wish-list to MOM: Olympus Mons, Valles Marineris .. :)

Offline ss1_3

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So I tried my hand at photoshopping the pics. I know Emily @planetary.org can do a far better job, but I couldn't wait any longer  ;)

Offline antriksh

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Which brings me to the question - what were the factors that limited the payload mass in MOM to 15kg? Considering that we used a standard I-1K satellite bus, was the bus a bit over-weight for the job? Or maybe it was the greater number of redundant systems that ISRO had to build into the spacecraft to ensure success?

Initial plan was to carry 25 kg of payload, but later non-availability of some of the the instruments on schedule led to reduction of total payload to 15 kg. So some space remained unutilized on MOM.

Thanks antriksh. So I guess PSLV is perfectly capable of sending a greater orbital payload to Mars, and more so if the spacecraft were to follow a more exotic, time-consuming path to Mars like Nozomi did. Maybe not as much as MAVEN, but atleast half as much. (EDIT: for a similar orbit)

Yes PSLV allows 25 kg of payload to be carried to Mars on the trajectory taken my MOM.

My understanding is PSLV cannot be the first choice for a scientific Mars mission (MOM is technology demonstration). Ideally, a launcher should impart sufficient velocity to the spacecraft to attain TMI directly, so that when the spacecraft reaches Mars it will have sufficient fuel for a long mission (ideally >2 years). This is not possible with PSLV.
Nasadiya Sukta:
Srishti se pehle sat nahin thaa, asat bhi nahin | Antariksh bhi nahin, aakaash bhi nahin thaa | chhipaa thaa kyaa, kahaan, kisne dhakaa thaa | us pal to agam, atal jal bhi kahaan thaa ||

From: 1st verse of 129th Hymn of the 10th Book of Rig Veda

Offline antriksh

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Mars Orbiter Mission looks to sniff methane on comet


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A committee headed by former Isro chairman U R Rao will decide what kind of study should be carried out. But MOM will definitely examine if the comet has methane. "We all know there is enough water and methane on comets. So that will be one thing we will look for it

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We'll know the exact details only when MOM completes the entire orbit/ellipse. We know the position of the comet on October 19, but we can only determine what we can do based on where our spacecraft is

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MOM has 40kg of fuel left as against the 20 kg that was thought necessary for its predicted six-month life span. This indicates that the orbiter may have a longer life than thought. if MOM can weather the solar eclipse expected to occur in the Martian orbit in April-May 2015, and maintain its health and course, its life expectancy will increase by a few weeks, allowing India to probe more

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MAVEN reached there before us and has completed the orbit around the Red Planet. I have received mails about what they are going to do, and we know what we should. But MOM has to ascertain its position. It will be known in 2-3 days
Nasadiya Sukta:
Srishti se pehle sat nahin thaa, asat bhi nahin | Antariksh bhi nahin, aakaash bhi nahin thaa | chhipaa thaa kyaa, kahaan, kisne dhakaa thaa | us pal to agam, atal jal bhi kahaan thaa ||

From: 1st verse of 129th Hymn of the 10th Book of Rig Veda

Offline AJA

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The folks over at UMSF's forum seem to have a fix on the location in the second image. Syrtis Major with the first, and Indus Vallis with the second? AppropriatenessScore++

I'm not so sure about the pictures being degraded by motion blur, but I'm not an expert. It's a snapshot imager, and that LPSC paper mentions Earth pictures taken with 0.4 msec integration times. Both these photos weren't taken from anywhere close to peri-apsis. As for being out of focus, that'd depend on whether the resolution in those pictures is the best the camera can do. Of course, they've still to commission the payload...

But if you would like to contribute, you can write a check to the US Treasury and write "For NASA Mars sample return mission" at the bottom...

I thought NASA was barred from receiving donations. After reading your post, I googled, and found this federal regulation, whose expiration date is April 28, 2015 which, deriving its authority from 42 U.S.C.2473(c)(4), National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, as amended - says:

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The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) may accept and utilize monetary gifts, donations, or bequests given as cash, check, or money order, provided they are unsolicited and offered without conditions on their use.
...
These monetary gifts will not be attributed to or associated with any contractual or other legal instruments for performing work or services for the donor or for the donor's interest.

So, if I did write "For MSR" on the cheque, they'd be obligated to reject it.

Anyone know if ISRO's also bound by similar regulations?

who needs to return samples when we should be sending people?

All for that, but no one wants to send them on a one-way trip just yet, do they? There are volunteers sure, but again, no agency backing.

Offline antriksh

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Isro contemplates extending MOM's life

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There are two options. The first is to use the fuel to extend the life of the spacecraft beyond six months to one year or more. The second option is to finetune the orbiter’s trajectory to obtain more data.

The decision on utilisation of fuel will be taken in the next few days with scientists waiting for the orbiter to revolve around Mars at least twice so that there is adequate data to be examined. Each revolution will take 3.2 earth days.
Nasadiya Sukta:
Srishti se pehle sat nahin thaa, asat bhi nahin | Antariksh bhi nahin, aakaash bhi nahin thaa | chhipaa thaa kyaa, kahaan, kisne dhakaa thaa | us pal to agam, atal jal bhi kahaan thaa ||

From: 1st verse of 129th Hymn of the 10th Book of Rig Veda

Offline vineethgk

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The folks over at UMSF's forum seem to have a fix on the location in the second image. Syrtis Major with the first, and Indus Vallis with the second? AppropriatenessScore++

If it is indeed Indus Vallis, I greatly appreciate its appropriateness - very symbolic!! Did they really choose the location on purpose?  ;)
« Last Edit: 09/26/2014 04:01 am by vineethgk »

Offline Gaganaut

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It is indeed Indus vallis :)

Okay here goes one for this forum ( thanks to Machi of UMSF forum to crack this)
Cross check MOMs 2nd mars image with Google Mars.

Offline vyoma

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Images from MOM (including hi-res versions) are being uploaded here:
http://isro.org/pslv-c25/Imagegallery/mom-images.aspx

Offline Steven Pietrobon

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The above website says the second photo is at 20.01N, 31.54E. According to Google, Indus Vallis is at 19.1N, 38.7E.
Akin's Laws of Spacecraft Design #1:  Engineering is done with numbers.  Analysis without numbers is only an opinion.

Offline Ohsin

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The above website says the second photo is at 20.01N, 31.54E. According to Google, Indus Vallis is at 19.1N, 38.7E.

Those coordinates would be for farthest point on horizon curve.
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Offline Gaganaut

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One more thing to notice is that the Mars images released by ISRO so far are upside-down, any specific reason for that?

Offline vineethgk

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One more thing to notice is that the Mars images released by ISRO so far are upside-down, any specific reason for that?

On a lighter vein, it isn't as bad as the last time during Chandryaan-1 when an image of earth got flipped horizontally;)

Maybe this is just a slight quirk in processing the data as mentioned by Emily in the link, and it may be corrected in subsequent pictures.
« Last Edit: 09/26/2014 12:13 pm by vineethgk »

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