The crucial test of India's Mars Orbiter Mission is successful. The main liquid engine on Mars Orbiter spacecraft was fired successfully today. According to the Indian Space Research Organisation, ISRO, they had a perfect burn for 4 seconds, as programmed and the Orbiter's trajectory has been corrected. The Mars Orbiter Mission will now go ahead with its plan for Mars Orbit Insertion on Wednesday. The test was conducted as the motor had not been used for nearly 10 months after the initial orbit raising maneuvers and trans-planet movement. The motor will now be fired for nearly 24 minutes on Wednesday morning and the spacecraft will be inserted into the intended orbit having a diameter of 423 kms by 80,000 kms around Mars. The five instruments on the satellite will study the Martian surface with special focus on finding the presence of methane in the red planet.
Meanwhile Prime Minister will witness the historic event of inserting Mars orbiter spacecraft into the Martian orbit on Wednesday morning. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is reaching Bangalore tomorrow on a two visit. If successful, India will become the first country in the world to insert a spacecraft around Mars in the first attempt. Mr. Modi will also inaugurate 110 acre food park near Tumkur which is around 100 Kms from Bangalore. This is his first visit to Bangalore after assuming office. The Karnataka BJP has organized a felicitation programme in his honour tomorrow.
