India approves Mangalyaan-2, aiming for historic Mars landing

India is set to take a bold leap in space exploration with the approval of Mangalyaan-2, its ambitious mission to land a spacecraft on Mars. This move puts India on track to join the select group of nations that have successfully landed on the Red Planet.

Building on the success of the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) in 2014, which made India the first Asian country to reach Mars orbit, the Mars Lander Mission (MLM) demonstrates India’s growing expertise in interplanetary missions at an impressively low cost.

The main objective of Mangalyaan-2 is to deploy a lander and rover on Mars. These will conduct detailed studies of the planet’s atmosphere and surface, providing crucial data for planetary science and contributing to global research efforts.

The Mars Lander Mission is part of India’s broader vision for space exploration, which includes plans for an Indian Space Station (ISS), sending the country’s first astronaut to the Moon, and future Chandrayaan missions. Additionally, ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) is developing a Next-Generation Launch Vehicle to support these ambitious goals.

In addition to Mars exploration, ISRO has other exciting missions lined up, including the Venus Orbiter Mission and a collaborative ultraviolet astronomy mission with Canada. These missions are set to establish India as a leader in space exploration.

If successful, Mangalyaan-2 will solidify India’s position as an emerging space power and make a significant contribution to global research on Mars. The mission is expected to attract international interest and foster partnerships for future space endeavors.

With final approval from the Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the progress of this mission will be closely monitored, along with its potential impact on advancing our understanding of Mars and the universe beyond.