Mars Orbiter Mission 2 (MOM 2) is also called Mangalyaan 2, It is ISRO’s (Indian Space Research Organisation) 2nd mission to Mars after Mangalyaan 1 (MOM 1) launched on November 2013 and successfully inserted into Martian orbit in September 2014 in its 1st attempt. Mangalyaan 1 was India’s first interplanetary mission. MOM 2 will be an orbiter mission and it is expected to launch around 2028 LVM 3 rocket.
Objective of Mangalyaan 2
Using indigenous scientific instruments, explore the characteristics of the surface, mineralogy, geomorphology, and atmosphere of the planet Mars.
In addition, the mission also conducted investigations of Mars’ moon Phobos and analyzed the orbits of small celestial bodies encountered during the journey from Earth to Mars.
Specification of Mangalyaan 2
MOM 2 or Mangalyaan 2 was approved by the Indian government in 2017 to build a 100 kg orbiter that will have a life span of 1 year. This orbiter will use aerobraking technology so it can be placed in the inner orbit of Mars.
The payloads of the orbiter are as follows
(1) ARIS (Advanced Retarding Potential Analyser for Ionospheric Studies): It will measure the ion and electron energy distribution in atmosphere of the Mars. It consists of two independent sensors to measure simultaneously electron and ion flux. The objective of ARIS is to monitor whether of Mars. It is built by IIST (Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology) with the help of various centers of ISRO.
(2) Hyperspectral camera: It captures hyperspectral images across the electromagnetic spectrum and analyzes these images for finding objects, identifying materials from the spectrum of each pixel of an image scene.
(3) Panchromatic camera: A panchromatic camera captures images as they appear to the human eye, although with no colors. Almost like a black-and-white image.
(4) SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar): SAR can penetrate clouds and darkness to produce high-resolution images of the surface of Mars. It means it can collect data in any weather.
(5) Mars Orbit Dust Experiments (MODEX): This payload will help to understand the origin, abundance, distribution, and flux at high altitudes
(6) Radio occultation instruments play a crucial role in capturing neutron and electron density profiles, enhancing our comprehension of the atmospheric traits of the Mars planet.
(7) The Langmuir Probe and Electric Field Experiments (LPEX) are like scientific detectives on Mars. They can measure things like how many electrons are in the air, how hot they are, and even the electric waves around them. By studying all of this, scientists can paint a detailed picture of Mars’ unique atmosphere and understand it better.
Some other important payloads will also be added in the future, once it is officially announced by ISRO.
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Read also Shukrayaan 1: India’s next mission to Venus
Challenges for Mangalyaan 2
(1) To escape Earth’s gravitational pull, a spacecraft needs to accelerate with sufficient speed, use the right trajectory for a distant destination, and then slow down adequately to enter orbit around the planet Mars. In simple terms, it’s like a carefully planned journey involving going faster at the beginning, navigating through space using proper angles, and finally slowing down when approaching Mars.
(2) The spacecraft needed to be capable of autonomous operation because it could take several minutes for communication signals to travel from the ground stations on Earth to the spacecraft. In simpler terms, the spacecraft had to be able to operate on its own because there could be a delay of a few minutes in communication with ground stations.
Unveiling the Ambitious Mangalyaan 3 Mission
Manglayaan 3 is expected to consist of a Lander, Rover, and Orbiter. It will be the first time Indian spacecraft land on the Surface of Mars and it is expected to launch in 2030. The design of Mangalyaan 3 will be based on a modified version of the Chandrayaan 3 lander and rover.
Currently, NASA’s Perseverance rover running on the surface of Mars, and a mini helicopter Ingenuity is flying on Mars.
Read also Chandrayaan 3:Contribution of private companies to the mission
What is the launch date of Mangalyaan 2
Mangalyaan is expected to launch around 2028.
