ISRO's mission to Mars gets Cabinet node

New Delhi: After a successful moon mission, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is now set to conquer Mars. The Union Cabinet on Friday gives its node to Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) mission to launch a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle routed for Mars as early as November next year.

Syrtis major hemisphere of Mars
[PHOTO: NASA] 

The project has comes close on the heels of Chandrayaan mission to the moon, envisages putting a spacecraft in the red planet’s orbit to study its atmosphere, with the help of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).

The launch is slated for November next year from Sriharikota. The Space Commission has already given its clearance for the mission in December last.

The spacecraft will have a scientific payload of 25 kg and is proposed to be placed in an orbit of 500x80,000 km around the planet.

NASA is also said to be working on a Mars mission in November next year.

Notably, with this mission India will register it presence in the elite League of Nations to launch like US, Russia, Japan and China which have undertaken Mars missions.