ISRO successfully performed first Trajectory Correction Manoeuvre of Mangalyaan

The first Trajectory Correction Manoeuvre (TCM) of Spacecraft of India's maiden interplanetary mission to Mars was carried out successfully at 06:30 hrs (IST) on 11 December 2013. The TCM was fired by the 22 Newton Thrusters for duration of 40.5 seconds. The spacecraft at present is travelling at a distance of about 29 lakh (2.9 million) km away from Earth.

The correction has been done to fine tune the trajectory path of the spacecraft to keep it travelling in the intended track towards Mars (red planet). To place the spacecraft on a right path the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has planned four Trajectory Correction Manoeuvres for Manglayan for its journey to Mars. They oeuvres are needed to keep the spacecraft on the required path. It is also essential for maintaining the required velocity.

Mangalyaan is on a 680 million km voyage to Mars. The Spacecraft moved out from the orbit of Earth on 1 December 2013.

The 1350 kilogram Mars Craft was successfully injected into the orbit around earth from the national space agency’s PSLV C 25 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota. It was launched on the 5 November 2013 and it is expected that the spacecraft will reach to the Martian orbit by 24 September 2014.

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