Orbiter likely to outlive lifespan: K. Sivan

With 40 kg of fuel left on board after its injection into the Martian atmosphere, India’s Mars Orbiter is expected to operate for a period of one year, double its predicted lifespan of six months.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is looking at the prospect of using the spacecraft to take a close look at a comet passing by the red planet, Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) Director K. Sivan said here on Friday.

Addressing a function organised by the Thiruvananthapuram Press Club to felicitate scientists from the LPSC on the success of the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), Mr. Sivan said the MOM team would now try to use the remaining propellant to keep the orbiter active rather than maintaining a precise orbit.

He said the injection of the spacecraft into a precise orbit around Mars was made possible by the Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) and eight on-board thrusters developed at the LPSC.

Highlighting the challenges of developing the propulsion system for the MOM, he said the LAM engine had to work at a great distance from Earth in deep space at the precise time after being in idle mode for 300 days.

Mr. Sivan said the relevance of the mission was beyond the pictures beamed from Mars. “It is an inspiration for youngsters; understanding the reasons for the extinction of life on Mars could help us protect life on Earth.”

He said ISRO was gearing up for a manned mission to the moon. “We are working on a more reliable launch vehicle and a space module with life-support systems.”

B.K. Venkataramu, Associate Director, LPSC, Bangalore, said the excellent performance of the LAM had obviated the need to put into operation ISRO’s Plan B to inject the craft into the Mars orbit.

Lauding the tireless efforts of the MOM team, N.R. Vishnu Kartha, Associate Director, LPSC, Valiamala, said it was already working on a semi-cryogenic engine using liquid oxygen and kerosene capable of handling higher payloads.

As many as 30 scientists attached to various groups at the LPSC were felicitated at the function.

Press Club president P.P. James and secretary C. Jayan Menon addressed the gathering.