The ground stations lost contact with the Indian Mangalyaan spacecraft, which was engaged in research of the Red Planet. This means the completion of the mission. According to representatives of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), it will not be possible to restore contact with the device.
Mangalyaan (also known as the Mars Orbiter Mission) went into space in November 2013. It became the first ever Indian spacecraft launched to Mars. Mangalyaan successfully entered the areocentric orbit in September 2014.
The Indian device was designed for a nominal service life of six months. But in the end, it worked for eight years. “Mangalyaan” made a number of color images of the Martian surface, and also engaged in atmospheric research, in particular, the search for traces of methane.
Contact with the device was lost on September 27, 2022. At the moment, it is unknown what exactly led to the termination of communication. According to one version, Mangalyaan could have run out of fuel. According to another, the probe’s batteries ran out due to a maneuver performed when it was in the shadow of Mars. But whatever the reasons, according to ISRO representatives, communication with the device will no longer be restored, and its mission is officially terminated.
In any case, Mangalyaan has become an important milestone for ISRO. The success of the spacecraft demonstrated India’s ability to launch missions into interplanetary space and conduct research on other bodies of the Solar System. ISRO is already working on the creation of the next Mars station, which will receive a set of more complex instruments. Its launch is scheduled for 2024.
Earlier we told that the launch of the lunar vehicle “Chandrayaan-3” is likely to be postponed to 2023.
According to https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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