ISRO plans to probe asteroids with DAWN-like spacecraft

[Dr. Sen]

Zee Media Bureau

Chennai: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is now planning to do research on asteroids, a mission similar to NASA's DAWN spacecraft, according to ISRO chairman Dr A S Kiran Kumar.


Chennai: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is now planning to do research on asteroids, a mission similar to NASA's DAWN spacecraft, according to ISRO chairman Dr A S Kiran Kumar.


Speaking at the 24th convocation at Sathyabama University, Dr Kiran Kumar listed three important future missions for ISRO such as sample return mission, asteroid mission and lander mission.

The university is developing nano-satellites for the next Mark III mission.

He informed that the advisory committee on science chaired by Prof UR Rao will go through the discussions and decide what kind of plans ISRO should have in future.

The ISRO chief said that the Indian space agency would launch disaster monitoring constellation satellite for Surrey space technology.

Dr Kiran Kumar also said that in June India’s Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) would see a major event as the Earth, Mars and Sun would align on the same line, disrupting communication with the satellite for at least 14 to 15 days. But, the MoM will be on its autonomous mode, he added.

On September 24, 2014, India created history in space when its Mars orbiter slipped into the Martian orbit in maiden attempt.

India became the first Asian country to reach Mars and the first in the world to enter the orbit of the Red Planet in its first attempt.