Mangalyaan & Beyond: India's Mars Missions
The Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) shook the world when ISRO achieved Martian orbit insertion on its very first attempt, setting a global standard in interplanetary efficiency.
1st
Attempt Success
India became the first nation ever to reach Mars orbit on its maiden attempt.
$74M
Total Budget
Famously cited to cost less than the production of the Hollywood movie "Gravity".
The Triumph of MOM (2013-2022)
Launched on November 5, 2013, aboard the trusty PSLV-C25, the Mangalyaan spacecraft spent nearly a year travelling to the Red Planet. Upon its arrival on September 24, 2014, it successfully entered Martian orbit and provided unparalleled full-disc images of Mars. Although originally designed for an operational life of merely six months, the orbiter functioned phenomenally for over eight years, vastly expanding ISRO's knowledge base of Martian exospheric sciences and topography.
MOM-2 (Mangalyaan-2): The Next Horizon
Encouraged by the incredible longevity and success of the first mission, ISRO is currently preparing for Mangalyaan-2. Set to feature a significantly upgraded scientific payload, MOM-2 will likely include increased orbital maneuvers, potentially aero-braking techniques, and vastly improved optical and radar imaging systems. While MOM primarily focused on proving the technology for deep-space missions, MOM-2 is positioned entirely as a heavy-science mission to unveil Mars' deepest secrets.