India all set to be first country to enter mars orbit on maiden mission
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India will be the first country to enter the Mars orbit on a maiden mission if it succeeds. It will also be 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. Given the high rate of failures --only 21 of the total of 51 missions
sent to Mars by various countries being successful-- the success of MOM in the very first shot would boost India's global standing in Space. After the crucial manoeuvre yesterday, ISRO
Chairman K Radhakrishnan said the spacecraft was "healthy" after completing 98 per cent of its 666 million km journey. "....we are now prepared for that crucial operation to
take place on September 24 morning." The MOM entered the Mars Gravitational Sphere of Influence yesterday. The spacecraft had escaped the earth gravity pull on December 1 last. As US
NASA's MAVEN spacecraft began orbiting the Red Planet for the second day today, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory has conveyed its best wishes to ISRO for Mars Orbit Insertion tomorrow.
"Good Luck MOM! From your JPL family!" said the message.