Understanding our Celestial Neighbors: An Indian Perspective in Planetary Sciences and Exploration

  • PRAKASH CHAUHAN Space Applications Centre, Ahmedabad, India

Abstract

The planetary exploration program of the Indian Space Research Organization is described. The important results obtained
from the two successful missions, Mars orbiter Mission (2014) and the earlier Chandrayaan-1 mission (2008-9) to moon
are summarized. High-resolution maps of Valles Marineris enabled several surface, aqueous and atmospheric features to
be delineated and the highly elliptical orbit of MOM enabled imaging of the surface of the farther side of Deimos as well as
study of Mars exospheric constituents. The results from Chandrayaan-1 mission changed many lunar concepts e.g. from
dry, passive and inactive to moon to wet, tectonically and volcanically active moon. Some recent results based on the space
borne and laboratory based study of Titan, Pluto, Comets and meteorites coming from Mars and Vesta are summarized.
The future planetary exploration plans, such as Chandrayaan-2 and second Mars mission are briefly mentioned.

Published
2017-02-09