khoji parkSpace · Sriharikota · 2014
India’s First Mars Mission Reached Orbit on Its First Attempt
ISRO's Mangalyaan successfully enters Martian orbit on its maiden attempt.
Read in slides1. Developing an Interplanetary Ambition
Following the success of the Chandrayaan-1 lunar mission, ISRO undertook feasibility studies for an uncrewed mission to Mars. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh formally approved the project in August 2012. Engineers fast-tracked spacecraft development, completing the entire assembly in a record fifteen months. This rapid progress relied heavily on reconfigured hardware from previous lunar bus designs.
Preparations shifted to launch integration at Sriharikota.
2. Lifting Off from Sriharikota
The Mars Orbiter Mission lifted off on November 5, 2013, using a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre. Because the launch vehicle lacked the power for a direct trajectory, the spacecraft entered an elliptical Earth orbit. During the initial weeks, controllers executed a series of seven apogee-raising maneuvers. These burns utilized the Oberth effect to increase velocity for the interplanetary journey.
The spacecraft prepared for trans-Mars injection.
3. Beginning the Trans-Mars Journey
On November 30, 2013, a twenty-three-minute engine firing successfully transferred the probe out of Earth orbit and onto a heliocentric trajectory toward Mars. The spacecraft traveled across millions of kilometers of deep space over a 298-day transit period. Ground stations belonging to the Indian Deep Space Network tracked the vessel throughout its voyage. NASA's Deep Space Network provided supplementary navigation and communication support.
Mission operators monitored telemetry data during the long transit.
4. Executing Martian Orbit Insertion
On September 24, 2014, the spacecraft executed a crucial reverse maneuver, firing its main liquid engine and thrusters to decelerate. This braking burn allowed the gravity of Mars to capture the probe into an elliptical orbit. With this successful insertion, India became the first Asian nation to reach Martian orbit. ISRO also achieved orbit on its maiden attempt, a feat accomplished by very few space agencies.
Controllers verified the health of all onboard instruments.
5. Studying Martian Atmosphere and Surface
Mangalyaan carried five scientific payloads as it began observing Mars from orbit. The Mars Colour Camera returned images of the planet, including views used to examine surface features and atmospheric activity. Other instruments were intended to investigate the upper atmosphere and its constituents. The mission’s published results included measurements from MENCA, its neutral-particle analyser, alongside the camera’s image record.
Images and atmospheric measurements reached the mission’s research teams.
6. Surpassing Designed Mission Life
Although initially designed as a six-month technology demonstrator, the spacecraft continued operating far beyond its planned lifespan. ISRO extended the mission multiple times as systems remained healthy and propellant reserves proved adequate. Global researchers registered to download extensive scientific data from the mission portal. The orbiter survived several solar conjunctions and eclipse periods without sustaining permanent damage.
The mission marked several years of continuous orbital operation.
7. Encountering a Long Eclipse
ISRO lost communication with the orbiter following a long eclipse in April 2022. The spacecraft had been operating for years beyond its planned six-month mission. Ground teams assessed whether contact could be recovered. The agency’s subsequent account linked the loss to the eclipse and said the spacecraft could not be recovered for further operations.
The final mission update came during its eight-year commemoration.
8. Paving the Way for Future Exploration
ISRO reported in 2022 that contact with the Mars Orbiter Mission had been lost and that the spacecraft could not be recovered. It had operated for about eight years after reaching Mars on its first attempt in 2014, beyond the planned six-month mission. The later loss of contact ended operations without changing the earlier achievement of entering orbit and returning images and measurements.
The six-month mission operated for about eight years.