Few points and sources to draw your own conclusions: (with some interesting sources for record)^^^ Is the launch date above correct? Launch to happen In 6-7 months?
Seems aggressive for all the new technologies that need to be developed and tested.
- The launch date mentioned in the article is late 2024, but IMHO it seems ambitious to me too, as key components like the multi-instrument helicopter, sky crane, and supersonic parachute are still in development: ( From what I know)
- OTOH ..India's first Mars mission, Mangalyaan 1 (See old dhaga) , was a homegrown technology-demonstrating orbiter put together in 18 months that reached Mars in September 2014. Mangalyaan's success made India the fourth entity to get an orbiter to Mars, after the United States, the European Space Agency and the Soviet Union — but India did so on its first try, and on a shoestring budget of $74 million. For comparison, NASA's most recent Mars orbiter, MAVEN, has a price tag of about $670 million.
India's ambitious 2nd Mars mission to include a rover, helicopter, sky crane and a supersonic parachute (linked above)
Also from space.com ..
India plans to include a helicopter on its next Mars mission
- By Andrew Jones published in February 24, 2024 -- saying India's first-ever Mars surface mission could lift off in the early 2030s.
Those who have more information please add:
Per ISRO (from what I know): " It has planned various space missions for 2024, including the Mangalyaan-2 mission.
It's reasonable to expect the launch to take place in the second half of 2024 ( as announced by ISRO - but the exact date is yet to be confirmed)
(https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/ne ... 641023.cms.
What we do know: MOM -2 things which many are progressing rather well like
- hyperspectral camera, a high-resolution panchromatic camera, a radar, MODEX, RO, EIS, and LPEX etc..
- The mission will be launched by LVM3 (Bahubali), which will enable the orbiter to carry a payload about 7 times more than Mangalyaan-1.
- The orbiter will use aerobraking to lower its initial apoapsis and enter into an orbit suitable for observations.
Statistics: Posted by Amber G. — 22 May 2024 23:42