India launches first mission to Mars

"India on Tuesday launched its first spacecraft bound for Mars, a
complex mission that it hopes will demonstrate and advance
technologies for space travel.

Hundreds of people watched the rocket carrying the Mars orbiter
take off from the east-coast island of Sriharikota and streak across
the sky. Many more across the country watched live TV broadcasts.

Officials at the space center described it as a "textbook launch."
If the mission is successful, India will become only the fourth
nation to visit the red planet after the Soviet Union, the United
States and Europe."

See:

http://news.yahoo.com/india-launches...092752981.html

In article ,
says...

"India on Tuesday launched its first spacecraft bound for Mars, a
complex mission that it hopes will demonstrate and advance
technologies for space travel.

Hundreds of people watched the rocket carrying the Mars orbiter
take off from the east-coast island of Sriharikota and streak across
the sky. Many more across the country watched live TV broadcasts.

Officials at the space center described it as a "textbook launch."
If the mission is successful, India will become only the fourth
nation to visit the red planet after the Soviet Union, the United
States and Europe."

See:

http://news.yahoo.com/india-launches...092752981.html

Anyone familiar with the history of (unmanned) space travel knows that
Mars is a very harsh mistress. Of course, this mission is an orbiter,
not a lander, so the challenges aren't nearly as great as prior
(lander/rover) missions by other countries.

Jeff
--
"the perennial claim that hypersonic airbreathing propulsion would
magically make space launch cheaper is nonsense -- LOX is much cheaper
than advanced airbreathing engines, and so are the tanks to put it in
and the extra thrust to carry it." - Henry Spencer

On Thursday, November 7, 2013 1:43:12 AM UTC+13, Jeff Findley wrote:
In article ,

says...



"India on Tuesday launched its first spacecraft bound for Mars, a

complex mission that it hopes will demonstrate and advance

technologies for space travel.



Hundreds of people watched the rocket carrying the Mars orbiter

take off from the east-coast island of Sriharikota and streak across

the sky. Many more across the country watched live TV broadcasts.



Officials at the space center described it as a "textbook launch."

If the mission is successful, India will become only the fourth

nation to visit the red planet after the Soviet Union, the United

States and Europe."



See:



http://news.yahoo.com/india-launches...092752981.html



Anyone familiar with the history of (unmanned) space travel knows that

Mars is a very harsh mistress. Of course, this mission is an orbiter,

not a lander, so the challenges aren't nearly as great as prior

(lander/rover) missions by other countries.



Jeff

--

"the perennial claim that hypersonic airbreathing propulsion would

magically make space launch cheaper is nonsense -- LOX is much cheaper

than advanced airbreathing engines, and so are the tanks to put it in

and the extra thrust to carry it." - Henry Spencer

All great and honourable actions are accompanies with great difficulties and both must be enterprised and overcome with answerable courage
- William Bradford 1630
At the founding of the Plymouth Bay Colony

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zY2kCJYL1vQ

http://news.rice.edu/2012/08/30/jfks...0-years-later/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGL2lcaRYqk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdpPd5aSyw0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoiVej1rccs

http://large.stanford.edu/courses/2012/ph241/klein2/

http://www.ted.com/talks/george_dyso...ect_orion.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRp3S8OOeZc

http://ykbcorp.com/downloads/Bae_pho...irculation.pdf

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_9ac-w4DW8