Monday, January 4, 2016

Methane elusive on Mars and to MOM

Here is an inquisitive part of news from the Indian probe, Mars Orbiter Mission, MOM, pertaining to the measurement of Methane.

As per a report appearing today in the The Financial Express, speaking at the Indian Science congress, Mr. S.K. Shivakumar, ex-director ISAC-ISRO has made a statement that the MOM is yet to find methane on Mars.

He also commented that the MOM has survived the solar conjunction for a period of 2-weeks or so in the month of June-2015. However, all the 5-scientific instruments have come back to normal operation since then. MOM was originally designed to work for 6-months; though a year has already passed; the available 37-kg of fuel as of today may take a long time to be exhausted; is what he has claimed.

We all wish MOM and all the other orbiters around the Red planet and the rovers the very best in hunting down the elusive methane.