India is gearing up for a historic leap in space exploration with Mangalyaan-2, a mission set to make its mark by landing a spacecraft on Mars for the first time. Here’s how ISRO plans to achieve this ambitious goal.
Mangalyaan-2: A Major Step for ISRO
India’s space agency, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), is preparing for a breakthrough with Mangalyaan-2, the second mission to Mars following the success of the Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan-1). This next step will not just be about sending a spacecraft into Mars’ orbit — it’s about landing a craft on the surface, a first for the country. The mission is expected to push the boundaries of what ISRO has achieved so far, drawing upon the lessons and successes from the earlier Mangalyaan-1, which made history in 2013 by reaching Mars on its first attempt.
Mangalyaan-1 exceeded all expectations, operating far beyond its planned six-month mission, lasting over eight years. Now, ISRO is ready to make another leap with the second mission, but this time, with a more complex goal — safely landing a spacecraft on the Martian surface.
Mangalyaan-2’s Mission Design
The Mangalyaan-2 spacecraft is an engineering marvel that will be launched aboard ISRO’s LVM3 rocket. It will be placed in an elliptical Earth orbit, which spans between 190 km and 35,786 km, before it starts its long journey to Mars. At around 4,500 kg, Mangalyaan-2 is split into two main components: the Cruise Stage and the Descent Stage.
The Cruise Stage will handle the long journey through space, keeping the spacecraft on course with its engines, solar panels, communication systems, and necessary equipment. It’s the first stage, ensuring the spacecraft gets to Mars.
Once it approaches Mars, the spacecraft will perform an innovative maneuver. Unlike past missions that enter Mars’ orbit first, Mangalyaan-2 will go for a direct entry. This means that the spacecraft won’t orbit the planet but will directly plunge into the Martian atmosphere.
Such a direct entry strategy is a huge leap forward for ISRO and presents significant technological challenges that the agency is confident in overcoming.
The Seven Minutes of Terror
As Mangalyaan-2 approaches Mars, the spacecraft will enter the thin Martian atmosphere, about 100 times thinner than Earth’s. This phase, often referred to as the “seven minutes of terror,” is when the spacecraft must survive extreme conditions — intense heat, high speeds, and rapidly changing atmospheric pressure. The Descent Stage will enter this critical phase with a series of calculated moves to slow it down and protect it from the harsh conditions.
It all starts with aerobraking, where atmospheric drag will slow the spacecraft. Next, supersonic parachutes will deploy, followed by a heat-resistant aeroshell that will shield the spacecraft from the scorching temperatures.
At around 1.3 kilometers above the Martian surface, powered descent engines will kick in, precisely controlling the final stages of the landing. This combination of technologies is meant to guide the spacecraft safely to the surface.
Adding a Mini Helicopter to Explore Mars
Mangalyaan-2 will take things up a notch by adding a mini-helicopter to its payload, which will be used to explore the Martian landscape. The helicopter is designed to survey Mars from the air, expanding the mission’s exploration capabilities. This addition could significantly enhance our understanding of Mars’ surface and help gather data in ways that previous land missions have not been able to.
By including a helicopter, Mangalyaan-2 will not just land and study the surface, but actively explore it from the air. This adds another layer of innovation to the mission, marking it as a key milestone for India in planetary exploration.
Key Milestones and Challenges Ahead
With such a high-risk, high-reward mission, ISRO is gearing up for challenges along the way. Landing on Mars isn’t easy. It’s fraught with risks, from the entry into the atmosphere to the precise landing itself. Yet, ISRO has already demonstrated its capabilities with its earlier missions, particularly the successful Mars Orbiter Mission, and it’s hoping to take those lessons forward.
Mangalyaan-2’s mission will not only serve as a technological showcase for ISRO but will also be a major step for India on the global space exploration stage. As the country’s space agency continues to grow, this mission could open up more doors for future interplanetary explorations.
