Congratulations, India!

[Snowboarder_Bo]

For those of y’all not following this particular incident:
[

India triumphed in its first interplanetary mission, placing a satellite into orbit around Mars on Wednesday morning and catapulting the country into an elite club of deep-space explorers.

Scientists broke into wild cheers as the orbiter’s engines completed 24 minutes of burn time to maneuver the spacecraft into its designated place around the red planet.

<snip>

Scientists described the final stages of the Mars Orbiter Mission, affectionately nicknamed MOM, as flawless. The success marks a milestone for the space program in demonstrating that it can conduct complex missions and act as a global launch pad for commercial, navigational and research satellites.

<snip>

Getting a spaceship successfully into orbit around Mars is no easy task. More than half the world’s previous attempts - 23 out of 41 missions - have failed, including one by Japan in 1999.

](http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_INDIA_MARS_MISSION?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2014-09-24-00-42-45)
I’m very happy for all of India, but particularly for those folks at the ISRO who worked on this. It’s a truly amazing accomplishment and herald’s India’s return to major science player status.

Good job y’all!

[MEBuckner]

Indeed. Most countries have had to send a few probes careening off into deep space (or to the bottom of the ocean) before they successfully put something in orbit around another planet, so quite an accomplishment on India’s part.

This is also a record-setting day for the entire human race: We (Earthlings) now have seven active space probes on or orbiting Mars: the *2001 Mars Odyssey* and Mars Express orbiters, the Opportunity rover (which has way exceeded its warranty), the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, the Curiosity rover, and now MAVEN and MOM–more missions than we’ve ever had at Mars at one time before, collectively representing 22 countries.

I still kinda wish China’s Yinghuo-1 could have made it. Guess they should have hired a better mechanic.

[MEBuckner]

Also: With the earlier Mars Pathfinder mission (July 4, 1997-September 27, 1997, which included the little baby rover Sojourner) and Mars Global Surveyor (September 11, 1997-November 5, 2006, which overlaps with several later missions), the human race has had a presence at Mars (by proxy at least) continuously for over 17 years. I kind of like to think that we’re there to stay; that from now on, there will be some kind of emissary from Earth on or orbiting Mars and sending back data.

[swampspruce]

The really amazing thing is that they also managed to place it first time at 1/10 the cost. $75 Million is peanuts compared to some other countries’ programs. I guess having a large chunk of the world’s best engineers and fewer lawyers pays off sometimes…

[truthSeeker2]

Proud of ISRO scientists! I guess the best thing about the mission was that it was a success in the first attempt itself. It has light payload, that contributes to the low cost (besides the Dollar-INR difference).

Poverty in India is because of corruption and due to lack of proper distribution mechanism. Poverty-argument against the Mars mission was ridiculous, maybe those people were expecting space scientists to become crusaders against corruption!

[bldysabba]

@MEBuckner

Indeed. Most countries have had to send a few probes careening off into deep space (or to the bottom of the ocean) before they successfully put something in orbit around another planet, so quite an accomplishment on India’s part.

This is also a record-setting day for the entire human race: We (Earthlings) now have seven active space probes on or orbiting Mars: the *2001 Mars Odyssey* and Mars Express orbiters, the Opportunity rover (which has way exceeded its warranty), the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, the Curiosity rover, and now MAVEN and MOM–more missions than we’ve ever had at Mars at one time before, collectively representing 22 countries.

I really liked this. Gives me warm fuzzies.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/india-is-the-first-asian-nation-to-touch-mars-orbit-joins-elite-global-space-club/2014/09/23/b6bc6992-a432-4f1e-87ad-5d6fc4da3460_story.html

The official Twitter account of NASA’s Curiosity Rover — which has been on the Martian surface since Aug. 6, 2012 — tweeted, “Namaste, @MarsOrbiter! Congratulations to @ISRO and India’s first interplanetary mission upon achieving Mars orbit.”

To which MOM’s Twitter account replied, “Howdy @MarsCuriosity ? Keep in touch. I’ll be around.”

[OneCentStamp]

@swampspruce

The really amazing thing is that they also managed to place it first time at 1/10 the cost. $75 Million is peanuts compared to some other countries’ programs. I guess having a large chunk of the world’s best engineers and fewer lawyers pays off sometimes…

NPR pointed out this morning that for $75 million, less than the budget of the film Gravity, India put an actual spaceship into orbit around another planet. :smack:

[Gorsnak]

@bldysabba

I really liked this. Gives me warm fuzzies.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/india-is-the-first-asian-nation-to-touch-mars-orbit-joins-elite-global-space-club/2014/09/23/b6bc6992-a432-4f1e-87ad-5d6fc4da3460_story.html

The official Twitter account of NASA’s Curiosity Rover — which has been on the Martian surface since Aug. 6, 2012 — tweeted, “Namaste, @MarsOrbiter! Congratulations to @ISRO and India’s first interplanetary mission upon achieving Mars orbit.”

To which MOM’s Twitter account replied, “Howdy @MarsCuriosity ? Keep in touch. I’ll be around.”

…and around, and around, and around, and around…

[Spud]

Put space probe in orbit around Mars… Check.

Working sewage systems throughout country… ummm what else is on the list?

[ElvisL1ves]

We don’t quite have that in the US either. So?

[Snowboarder_Bo]

The US also didn’t already have about 1/6 of the world’s population when the toilet was invented. It’s gotta be easier to start small and grow the infrastructure along with the population than it is to suddenly impose infrastructure on an enormous population that already has cities and streets, etc. built.

[bldysabba]

@Spud

Put space probe in orbit around Mars… Check.

Working sewage systems throughout country… ummm what else is on the list?

The conflation of these two issues strikes me as mean spirited. I can only hope you have a better attitude when people are being nice to each other IRL. Going up to someone who’s gotten a compliment for a nice haircut and going “Aha. Now if only you can lose the 30 extra pounds” would be quite jerkish don’t you think?

@Snowboarder_Bo

The US also didn’t already have about 1/6 of the world’s population when the toilet was invented. It’s gotta be easier to start small and grow the infrastructure along with the population than it is to suddenly impose infrastructure on an enormous population that already has cities and streets, etc. built.

Infrastructure is a factor, sure(though almost all urban areas have sewage systems. It’s the rural areas which are a challenge). Ingrained cultural practices in rural areas is another. In my (reasonably well informed) opinion though, it was the early turn towards socialism that really did us in. Government got involved in the things that the private sector can and should be doing(heavy industries, banking, tertiary education), and thus distracted, was able to ignore public goods that only government can take care of(law and order, sanitation, infrastructure, primary education). India’s currently in the process of turning away from those disastrous 40 years. It’s a process that started 20 years ago, then got mired in messy politics, and we’re hopeful that it’ll pick up pace again soon. The noises emanating from the current government are almost uniformly good, we have to hope their actions match their words.

[Urbanredneck]

So what does it do? Does it take readings on the Martian atmosphere?

[MEBuckner]

@Urbanredneck

So what does it do? Does it take readings on the Martian atmosphere?

Studies of the Martian atmosphere and also surface mapping (photography) and studying the surface composition and mineralogy.

[bldysabba]

@Urbanredneck

So what does it do? Does it take readings on the Martian atmosphere?

I’m not sure it will do any ‘new’ science. It may, I don’t know. Here’s what instruments it has on board.
http://www.business-standard.com/article/specials/the-five-instruments-of-mangalyaan-114092400728_1.html

First instrument - Mars Colour Camera (MCC) will provide images of the planet’s surface features and weather patterns such as dust storms. It will also capture images of the red planet’s two moons - Phobos and Deimos.

Second instrument - Methane Sensor (MS) will look for the gas in the Martian atmosphere, which could be an indication if life can be sustained on the planet

Third instrument - Mars Exosphere Neutral Composition Analyser (MENCA) will study neutral gas atoms found in the outermost part of the Martian atmosphere.

Fourth instrument - Lyman Alpha Photometer (LAP) will measure relative abundance of two isotopes of hydrogen

Fifth instrument - Thermal Infrared Imagery Spectrometer (TIIS) will map the surface temperature to understand the composition and mineralogy of Mars.

[armedmonkey]

@MEBuckner

Also: With the earlier Mars Pathfinder mission (July 4, 1997-September 27, 1997, which included the little baby rover Sojourner) and Mars Global Surveyor (September 11, 1997-November 5, 2006, which overlaps with several later missions), the human race has had a presence at Mars (by proxy at least) continuously for over 17 years. I kind of like to think that we’re there to stay; that from now on, there will be some kind of emissary from Earth on or orbiting Mars and sending back data.

This may give you warm fuzzies, but do you realize what it means? There is now a planet in our solar system populated entirely by robots, and the population is increasing. You have to ask yourself, how much do you really trust bastards like this?

Watch the skies, my friend, watch the skies.

[Jophiel]

@OneCentStamp

NPR pointed out this morning that for $75 million, less than the budget of the film Gravity, India put an actual spaceship into orbit around another planet. :smack:

Seems like an odd comparison to make since they’re completely different things.

Also, Gravity cost $100 million to make but brought in $716 million at the box office so this probe could only hope to see those sorts of financial returns. With $716 million, India could have put over a half dozen probes around Mars!

[Urbanredneck]

I think this is good since its possible the Indian instruments might find something the Americans missed. Anyways its a way to share and compare data.

[Magiver]

@bldysabba

Infrastructure is a factor, sure(though almost all urban areas have sewage systems. It’s the rural areas which are a challenge).

Not really sure what’s challenging about a septic system.

And yes it’s a bit mean spirited but also perplexing.

Moving on, kudos for knocking out a difficult project and bonus point for doing it on a budget with off-the-shelf parts. That makes it more impressive in my book. NASA could learn a thing or two.

[MilTan]

@Magiver

Not really sure what’s challenging about a septic system.

And yes it’s a bit mean spirited but also perplexing.

Eh. There’s no rule that a country must address all its ills before pursuing any other activities. The US started sending men into space while a substantial fraction of our population was basically not allowed to vote.