Journalism of Courage
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Having diverted its attention over the past week towards the Siding Spring comet which passed by Mars on October 19, the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (Isro) Mars Orbiter Spacecraft will once again gaze upon the red planet next week in continuance of its primary objective of studying the planet’s atmosphere.
Since being inserted into Mars’ orbit on September 24, Isro scientists have primarily been involved in testing the instruments on board to prepare and put into action a plan to capitalise on the rare opportunity of seeing a comet pass by Mars at a distance of merely 135,000 km.
The Mars Color Camera, which has been taking pictures of the planet’s surface so far, clicked images of the comet while it made its pass around Mars on October 19. The spacecraft also turned its methane sensor and heat measuring instruments towards the comet in the hope of obtaining valuable data.
“The data collected by the instruments, including the camera and the methane sensor, have been downloaded and will be processed over the next week. We hope to get an understanding of the effect the comet has on Mars,” the mission’s director V Kesava Raju said.
“All five spacecraft currently in orbit were more or less at the same distance from Mars when the comet passed. The Mars Orbiter Spacecraft would have been the closest if we were in the originally intended orbit. But because it was adjusted, we had a view of the comet like all the other spacecraft,” Raju added.
On October 19, after the comet passed, the orbiter’s twitter handle had posted: “Phew! Experience of a lifetime. Watched the #MarsComet # SidingSpring Whizzing past the planet. I’m in my orbit, safe and sound..’’
Now that the comet has passed without damaging the spacecraft, Isro is set to resume with its original purpose — to look for Methane, which could be an indicator of biological life on Mars.
“The process of receiving data from the instruments regarding the methane atmosphere started ahead of the passage of the comet. It will continue now. Scientists will deliver the outputs from the data provided,” Raju said.
Meanwhile, Isro is also in the process of reaching an agreement for a working group with Nasa to study Mars.
