📌 Topic 03 of 6 · Chapter 01 · Space Technology & ISRO
Mangalyaan & Aditya-L1
Mars Orbiter Mission and India’s first solar mission — complete notes for UPSC & PSC exams.
🔴 Mangalyaan — Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM)
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Launch Date | November 5, 2013 by PSLV-C25 |
| Mars Orbit Insertion | September 24, 2014 |
| Cost | ~₹450 crore (~$74 million) — cheapest Mars mission in history |
| Mission Duration | 8 years (lost contact in September 2022) |
| Orbit | Highly elliptical orbit around Mars (365 km × 80,000 km) |
| Scientific Instruments | 5 instruments: Methane Sensor, Thermal Infrared Imaging Spectrometer, Mars Colour Camera, Lyman Alpha Photometer, Mars Exospheric Neutral Composition Analyser |
🔴 Mangalyaan — Historic Achievements
- India = first Asian country to reach Mars
- India = first country in the world to succeed in its maiden attempt to Mars
- India = 4th space agency to reach Mars (after NASA, Soviet Union, ESA)
- Cost comparison: Mangalyaan (~₹450 crore) was cheaper than the Hollywood movie “Gravity” (~₹700 crore)
- Mangalyaan’s Mars Colour Camera sent back stunning images of Mars
- Detected methane in Mars atmosphere (important for potential life)
- Mission was planned and executed in just 15 months — a record
⭐ Mangalyaan vs Other Mars Missions:
• NASA’s Maven (2013) = $671 million; Mangalyaan = $74 million
• India achieved Mars orbit on its first attempt — USA, Soviet Union, ESA all failed on first attempts
• Mangalyaan used a slingshot manoeuvre around Earth to gain speed — innovative trajectory design
• The mission was designed and built by ISRO scientists in record time
• NASA’s Maven (2013) = $671 million; Mangalyaan = $74 million
• India achieved Mars orbit on its first attempt — USA, Soviet Union, ESA all failed on first attempts
• Mangalyaan used a slingshot manoeuvre around Earth to gain speed — innovative trajectory design
• The mission was designed and built by ISRO scientists in record time
☀️ Aditya-L1 — India’s First Solar Mission
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Launch Date | September 2, 2023 by PSLV-C57 |
| Destination | L1 Lagrange point (1.5 million km from Earth, between Earth and Sun) |
| Reached L1 | January 6, 2024 |
| Mission Duration | 5 years (planned) |
| Scientific Instruments | 7 payloads studying solar corona, solar wind, solar flares, CMEs |
| Name | “Aditya” = Sun in Sanskrit |
☀️ Why L1 Lagrange Point?
- L1 point = gravitational equilibrium point between Earth and Sun = 1.5 million km from Earth
- From L1, Aditya can continuously observe the Sun without any eclipses
- Provides uninterrupted view of solar activity
- Studies: solar corona, solar wind, solar flares, coronal mass ejections (CMEs)
- CMEs can disrupt Earth’s power grids, satellites, and communication systems
- Early warning of solar storms can protect Earth’s infrastructure
📌 Key Exam Points:
• Mangalyaan launched = November 5, 2013; reached Mars = September 24, 2014
• India = first Asian country to reach Mars; first country to succeed in maiden attempt
• Mangalyaan cost = ~₹450 crore = cheapest Mars mission in history
• Aditya-L1 = India’s first solar mission = launched September 2, 2023
• Aditya-L1 reached L1 = January 6, 2024
• Mangalyaan launched = November 5, 2013; reached Mars = September 24, 2014
• India = first Asian country to reach Mars; first country to succeed in maiden attempt
• Mangalyaan cost = ~₹450 crore = cheapest Mars mission in history
• Aditya-L1 = India’s first solar mission = launched September 2, 2023
• Aditya-L1 reached L1 = January 6, 2024