Trajectory correction of Mars mission likely by June 11

Chennai, Jun 2 (PTI) Indian Space Research Organisation
is likely to perform its next trajectory correction manoeuvre
on its Mars Orbiter mission on June 11.

    As its Mars mission is "on intended track" and was
proceeding towards the red planet with "good health," ISRO had
earlier announced that the trajectory correction manoeuvre
scheduled for April was not necessary and postponed it for
this month.

    "The mission is in good health and is on the intended
track. We have planned the next trajectory correction
manoeuvre of Mars mission on June 11. It is yet to be
finalised," a senior ISRO official told PTI.

     The spacecraft has now crossed two third of the total
distance -- 480 million km approximately, they said.
Another trajectory correction manoeuvre has been planned
in August before the space agency performs Mars Orbit
Insertion in September.

    The Mars mission, which was launched from Sriharikota on
November 5 last year with an aim to reach the red planet's
atmosphere by September 24 this year, had already crossed the
half-way mark on April 9.

   ISRO scientists are continuously monitoring the
spacecraft using its Deep Space Network complemented by that
of NASA-JPL.

   The Rs 450-crore project is expected to provide the
scientific community better opportunities in planetary
research. PTI