New Delhi: President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday morning congratulated Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientists for creating history by becoming the first country to place ‘Mangalyaan', India's Mars-bound spacecraft, successfully into the Martian orbit on its maiden attempt.
In his message to the team ISRO, the President said, “Hearty congratulations & best wishes to ISRO Team on Mangalyaan's success; nation proud of this historic achievement.”
With the success of Rs 450 crore mission, India has now become the first country to enter the Mars orbit on a maiden mission. India has also become the first Asian country and ISRO the fourth space agency to send a satellite to the Red Planet. European, US and Russian probes have managed to orbit or land on the planet, but after several attempts.
Scientists today morning fired the 440 Newton Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) engine, the main engine of the spacecraft, along with eight smaller liquid engines for about 24 minutes.
The insertion operation of the spacecraft was performed at 07 hours 17 minutes and 32 seconds. The confirmation about its insertion into the orbit was received at 8.15 am.
The 1.3-tonne Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) was launched on November 5, 2013 by India's workhorse Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) from the spaceport of Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.
