M A I N   N E W S

Mangalyaan off earth’s orbit, on way to Mars
Tribune News Service

Bangalore, November 30
India's Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) or Mangalyaan left the earth's orbit and started its interplanetary cruise early on Sunday. The Indian Space Research Organisation successfully completed the trans-Mars injection (TMI) operation to put it on course to the Red Planet.

"The orbiter departed from earth at 12:49 am to enter the solar orbit after 23 minutes for its 680-million km voyage over nine months to reach Mars in September 2014," a senior space agency official told IANS.

During the operation, the liquid engine was switched on for 1328.89 seconds.

The probe was put into the earth's orbit from Sriharikota on November 5.

The speed of the spacecraft was enhanced to enable it to leave the earth's orbit and start a 300-day cruise in a semi-circular orbit around the sun for its final capture in the Martian orbit.

During its journey, the MOM will cover a distance of over 650 million km, roughly at a speed of 32.5 km per second.

(With IANS inputs)