After Moon, India Eyes Mission To Mars

On Nov 17, 3:37 pm, wrote:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/A...s_Mars_mission...

Times Of India
18 Nov 2007

After Moon, India eyes Mars mission
By Srinivas Laxman

MUMBAI: With India heading for the moon, can Mars be far behind? The
answer is a no.

On Friday, the Indian mission to Mars got a fillip with ISRO's 11th
plan including the flight to the Red Planet as a part of the
document.

India's decision assumes significance in the background of Mars
becoming a favourite target after the moon for the US, Russia and the
European Space Agency. In fact this week Russia began preparations for
a manned mission to Mars.

With Japan and China also expected to join the race to Mars, Indian
space scientists feel that India cannot afford to lag behind.

On Saturday, confirming the country's plans to embark on a mission to
Mars, director of the Ahmedabad-based Physical Research Laboratory
(PRL), J N Goswami, told TOI that if the project is finally approved
"India will carry out scientific activities on Mars in the
international context."

Said Goswami: "Our plan envisages imaging Mars only through an
orbiter. We have no immediate plans for a landing mission."

Goswami is the principal scientific investigator for the
"Chandrayaan-1" mission, India's maiden flight to the moon, slated for
lift off either on April 9 or April 23, 2008.

He said the Indian Mars mission will focus on basic science like
studying the Martian atmosphere, the ionosphere, the magnetic field,
the dust storms and the weather. The project also includes searching
for water, he said.

Contacted at Bangalore, ISRO officials said a lot of analysis needs to
be done before the mission becomes a reality.

"The logical extension after the moon is Mars." an official added. The
moon mission has been described as a precursor to more ambitions
interplanetary flights to be undertaken by India. Former President A P
J Abdul Kalam had stated that a Mars mission will have economic
value.

Though a precise time line for the ambitious six-to-eight month flight
to Mars has yet to be worked, indications are that if the Centre
endorses the project, the mission could lift off around 2015 using the
three-stage Geo-Synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) which is
already operational. The Mars orbiter that has to be designed and made
is expected to weigh around 500 kgs.

The cost of the mission will be Rs three billion. The mission to moon
has a price tag of Rs 386 crore. ISRO chairman, G Madhavan Nair, has
said, "Mars is emerging on our horizon."