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India's first Mars satellite 'Mangalyaan' enters orbit | India's first Mars satellite 'Mangalyaan' enters orbit |
(about 1 hour later) | |
India has successfully put a satellite into orbit around Mars, becoming the fourth country to do so. | India has successfully put a satellite into orbit around Mars, becoming the fourth country to do so. |
The Mangalyaan robotic probe, one of the cheapest interplanetary missions ever, will soon begin work studying the Red Planet's atmosphere. | The Mangalyaan robotic probe, one of the cheapest interplanetary missions ever, will soon begin work studying the Red Planet's atmosphere. |
A 24-minute engine burn slowed the probe down enough to allow it to be captured by Mars' gravity. | A 24-minute engine burn slowed the probe down enough to allow it to be captured by Mars' gravity. |
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the country had achieved the "near impossible". | Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the country had achieved the "near impossible". |
Speaking at the mission control centre in the southern city of Bangalore he said: "The odds were stacked against us. Of 51 missions attempted in world only 21 have succeeded. We have prevailed." | Speaking at the mission control centre in the southern city of Bangalore he said: "The odds were stacked against us. Of 51 missions attempted in world only 21 have succeeded. We have prevailed." |
Only the US, Europe and Russia have previously sent missions to Mars, but India is the first country to succeed on its first attempt. | Only the US, Europe and Russia have previously sent missions to Mars, but India is the first country to succeed on its first attempt. |
The latest US satellite, Maven, arrived at Mars on Monday. | The latest US satellite, Maven, arrived at Mars on Monday. |
US space agency Nasa congratulated its Indian counterpart, the Indian Space and Research Organization (Isro), on Wednesday's success. | US space agency Nasa congratulated its Indian counterpart, the Indian Space and Research Organization (Isro), on Wednesday's success. |
"We congratulate @ISRO for its Mars arrival! @MarsOrbiter joins the missions studying the Red Planet," the agency tweeted. | "We congratulate @ISRO for its Mars arrival! @MarsOrbiter joins the missions studying the Red Planet," the agency tweeted. |
At the scene: Sanjoy Majumder, Bangalore | At the scene: Sanjoy Majumder, Bangalore |
From early in the morning, there was an atmosphere of excitement and tension at the Indian Space Agency's Mission Tracking Centre in Bangalore. | From early in the morning, there was an atmosphere of excitement and tension at the Indian Space Agency's Mission Tracking Centre in Bangalore. |
Scientists, many of them women and several of them young, were seated in front of their computer monitors tracking the progress of Mangalyaan. | Scientists, many of them women and several of them young, were seated in front of their computer monitors tracking the progress of Mangalyaan. |
Giant screens above their heads fed a steady stream of data, graphics and sequence of operations. The first whoops broke out when Mangalyaan successfully fired up its liquid engine, the first in a series of critical moves to make sure that the spacecraft was able to launch into the planet's gravitational pull. | Giant screens above their heads fed a steady stream of data, graphics and sequence of operations. The first whoops broke out when Mangalyaan successfully fired up its liquid engine, the first in a series of critical moves to make sure that the spacecraft was able to launch into the planet's gravitational pull. |
Then there was an agonising 20 minutes, when Mangalyaan disappeared behind Mars and beyond contact. | Then there was an agonising 20 minutes, when Mangalyaan disappeared behind Mars and beyond contact. |
But there was no mistaking the moment, when the scientists all rose as one, cheered, clapped, hugged each other and exchanged high fives - confirmation that Mangalyaan was now on an elliptical orbit around Mars. | But there was no mistaking the moment, when the scientists all rose as one, cheered, clapped, hugged each other and exchanged high fives - confirmation that Mangalyaan was now on an elliptical orbit around Mars. |
After PM Modi's congratulations, they poured out into the open and the bright sunlight, beaming as they took in the adulation. | After PM Modi's congratulations, they poured out into the open and the bright sunlight, beaming as they took in the adulation. |
"Thrilled to be a part of history," one young scientist told me. "It's like hitting a golf ball from Bangalore to London and getting it into the hole in one go," deputy operations director, BN Ramkrishna said. "It's got to be that precise." | "Thrilled to be a part of history," one young scientist told me. "It's like hitting a golf ball from Bangalore to London and getting it into the hole in one go," deputy operations director, BN Ramkrishna said. "It's got to be that precise." |
'Better than cricket' | 'Better than cricket' |
Mr Modi congratulated the scientists and said: "Today all of India should celebrate our scientists. Schools, colleges should applaud this." | Mr Modi congratulated the scientists and said: "Today all of India should celebrate our scientists. Schools, colleges should applaud this." |
"If our cricket team wins a tournament, the nation celebrates. Our scientists' achievement is greater," he said. | "If our cricket team wins a tournament, the nation celebrates. Our scientists' achievement is greater," he said. |
The total cost of the Indian mission has been put at 4.5bn rupees ($74m; £45m), which makes it one of the cheapest interplanetary space missions ever. Nasa's recent Maven mission cost $671m. | The total cost of the Indian mission has been put at 4.5bn rupees ($74m; £45m), which makes it one of the cheapest interplanetary space missions ever. Nasa's recent Maven mission cost $671m. |
The Mangalyaan probe will now set about taking pictures of the planet and studying its atmosphere. | The Mangalyaan probe will now set about taking pictures of the planet and studying its atmosphere. |
One key goal is to try to detect methane in the Martian air, which could be an indicator of biological activity at, or more likely just below, the surface. | One key goal is to try to detect methane in the Martian air, which could be an indicator of biological activity at, or more likely just below, the surface. |
Nasa has put four robot rovers on Mars since 1997 - the latest and biggest of them all, the one-tonne vehicle known as Curiosity, landed on the Red Planet in August 2012. Unlike Curiosity, the Indian probe will not land on Mars. | |
Mangalyaan - more formally referred to as Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) - was launched from the Sriharikota spaceport on the coast of the Bay of Bengal on 5 November 2013. | Mangalyaan - more formally referred to as Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) - was launched from the Sriharikota spaceport on the coast of the Bay of Bengal on 5 November 2013. |