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ISRO Mars Orbiter Mission - Nov 2013 launch to September 2014 arrival - UPDATES by sanman on 15 Jul, 2012 00:24
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ISRO is getting ready for a 2013 mission to Mars:
http://www.indianexpress.com/video/national/6/mission-to-mars-in-2013-isro/10969
http://news.in.msn.com/national/india-all-set-to-give-go-ahead-for-mars-mission-1
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#1 by sfjcody_ on 15 Jul, 2012 10:07
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Very unlikely that this will launch in 2013. I'm going to say 2016 at the earliest.
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#2 by manboy on 16 Jul, 2012 12:19
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Very unlikely that this will launch in 2013. I'm going to say 2016 at the earliest.
I don't know why they're even claiming it would launch in 2013, hell the design isn't even finalized yet. -
#3 by baldusi on 16 Jul, 2012 15:15
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Is 2013 even a launch window to Mars?
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#4 by Drkskywxlt on 16 Jul, 2012 15:26
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2013 is a launch window. MAVEN is launching next fall.
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#5 by Phillip Clark on 18 Jul, 2012 08:59
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Maybe 2013 is when the next *phase* of the Indian Mars programme is started/launched?
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#6 by sanman on 23 Jul, 2012 01:36
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It's only supposed to be a 25-kg probe. There may not be a whole lot to finalize or design into it.
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#7 by plutogno on 23 Jul, 2012 05:17
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25 kg is the mass of the payload, not that of the whole probe!
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#8 by plutogno on 27 Jul, 2012 07:26
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a few more details
http://www.asianscientist.com/topnews/isro-prl-scientists-discuss-mars-venus-plans-at-cospar-2012/
looks like the payload has been more than halved at 10.5 kg -
#9 by sanman on 04 Aug, 2012 00:47
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Cabinet approval recieved:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-19110039
http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2012/08/03/India-gives-go-ahead-to-Mars-mission/UPI-52351344039610/
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article3723817.ece
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/cabinet-approves-mission-to-mars/articleshow/15343494.cms
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/indias-space-mission-to-send-a-satellite-to-mars/1/211722.html
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-india-space-marsbre8720qs-20120803,0,317295.story
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#10 by sanman on 28 Aug, 2012 12:52
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ISRO interested in Mars methane:
http://zeenews.india.com/news/space/india-aims-to-crack-methane-mystery-with-mars-mission_796271.html -
#11 by plutogno on 28 Aug, 2012 16:50
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apparently there was some harsh debate on the Mars mission in India
http://news.sciencemag.org/scienceinsider/2012/08/qualms-about-indias-plan-for-a-2.html
note also that the probe name should be Mangalyaan -
#12 by Star One on 28 Aug, 2012 20:18
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Do any of their launch vehicles actually have the throw capacity to put a significant & useful payload into orbit around Mars, as that second link certainly makes it sound like this isn't the case?
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#13 by Dalhousie on 29 Aug, 2012 01:34
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Do any of their launch vehicles actually have the throw capacity to put a significant & useful payload into orbit around Mars, as that second link certainly makes it sound like this isn't the case?
The PSLV can put 1.4 tonnes into a GTO and and the 1.3 tonne Chandrayaan 1 mission to the Moon. It is quite relaiable and should be more than adequate. -
#14 by Star One on 29 Aug, 2012 17:49
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Do any of their launch vehicles actually have the throw capacity to put a significant & useful payload into orbit around Mars, as that second link certainly makes it sound like this isn't the case?
The PSLV can put 1.4 tonnes into a GTO and and the 1.3 tonne Chandrayaan 1 mission to the Moon. It is quite relaiable and should be more than adequate.
But wouldn't it be better to wait for the GSLV MK III? -
#15 by plutogno on 29 Aug, 2012 17:54
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But wouldn't it be better to wait for the GSLV MK III?
normally yes. but I remain convinced that the haste with which the mission has been approved, in spite of the launch window opening practically tomorrow (in 14 months, which will require a very fast development and testing phase), has something to do with the fact that China will likely launch something to Mars in 2016 -
#16 by Star One on 29 Aug, 2012 18:47
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But wouldn't it be better to wait for the GSLV MK III?
normally yes. but I remain convinced that the haste with which the mission has been approved, in spite of the launch window opening practically tomorrow (in 14 months, which will require a very fast development and testing phase), has something to do with the fact that China will likely launch something to Mars in 2016
I agree that's why I fear that as a result of this undue haste there is far higher likelihood that the mission will end negatively. Something which will not stand any future Mars exploration by the country in good stead. -
#17 by sanman on 30 Aug, 2012 14:42
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Actually, the main reason for the haste is because of the fallout of a political corruption scam. One of the junior coalition partners upon which the govt is dependent for survival, was given control of the telecom ministry as a perk. They then promptly used their control over that ministry to set up a lucrative scam which would see satellite bandwidth sold off for next to nothing to a foreign interest. Actually, the foreign interest was a shell company set up on behalf of some American VIPs including former US SecState Madeleine Albright.
When news of the scam broke, the govt was in a panic, because it knew it couldn't prosecute its coalition partner without suffering a collapse of the govt, triggering fresh elections. They don't want to go for early elections at all costs, because they know they'd all lose badly. So they did the only thing they could - they put all the blame on the ISRO chief at the time of the scam, Dr G Madhavan Nair, for not exercising adequate oversight.
Well, Dr Nair protested very loudly, and was not a willing fall guy, and some senior colleagues even resigned in protest too. But the ruling politicians were determined to save their own necks at all costs, and blacklisted him from holding any govt positions, along with a few others. Dr Nair is most famous as the driving force behind India's Chandrayaan mission to the Moon, and of course is widely respected in Indian space circles and at ISRO.
The handling of the whole mess caused a lot of heartburn at ISRO, leaving a lot of people feeling demoralized. So the Prime Minister's Office has recently decided to throw up a Mars mission as a sop for ISRO's beleaguered scientists. That's why the whole Mars mission is going from conception to imminent launch in record time. When politicians worry about losing face, then money is quick to flow, and the normally lean-funded ISRO isn't going to turn it down.
Well, you know the old saying - "Found a horseshoe, so let's go buy a horse!"
Wag the dog, anyone? -
#18 by sanman on 08 Sep, 2012 22:44
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India's politically embattled Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is increasingly trying to associate himself with ISRO, hoping that the national pride it invokes will rub off on him
http://hillpost.in/2012/09/09/india-from-ferrying-rockets-on-cycles-to-eyeing-mars/50880/general/hp_bureau
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#19 by Salo on 09 Sep, 2012 11:35
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Mars mission aimed at scientific development, not space war: ISRO
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/science/article3877463.ece
