Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) or Mangalyaan

• The Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) or Mangalyaan was launched on 5 November, 2013 on India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-C25 rocket from Sriharikota.

• The mission is conducted by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It is the cheapest mission to Mars till now. It cost only Rs. 450 crores or $ 67 mn.

• Nearly after 300 days of traveling, on 24th September, 2014 it inserted into the Martian orbit at 515 km away from the red planet's surface.

• India became the first country to achieve the success on its first attempt.

• Till now 51 missions attempted across the world so far but only 21 had succeeded. Till now only Soviet Union, United States and Europe have able to enter in Mars orbit.

• The 1,350 kg spacecraft is equipped with five instruments including a sensor to track methane or Marsh gas and to study the surface and mineral composition. The five payloads are :

• Mars Colour Camera (MCC)

• Thermal Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (TIS)

• Methane Sensor for Mars (MSM)

• Mars Exospheric Neutral Composition Analyser (MENCA)

• Lyman Alpha Photometer (LAP)

• After satellite separation from the launch vehicle, the Spacecraft operations are controlled from the Spacecraft Control Centre in Bangalore.

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