Mars Orbiter camera sends first pictures of Earth; captures cyclone`Helen’
22 Nov 2013
The Mars Orbiter spacecraft `Mangalyaan' has beamed back the first images of Earth, which were received by Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) Deep Space Network in Byalalu, about 30km from Bangalore.
The three-colour camera captured images of the Indian subcontinent and parts of Africa as well as the severe cyclonic storm `Helen' hurtling towards Andhra Pradesh coast, ISRO said on Thursday.The cyclonic storm, whose images were captured on Tuesday, is expected to hit the southern Andhra coast on Friday, ISRO said.
"We are checking the equipment on board the spacecraft. This picture is from Mars Colour Camera, fitted on Mars Orbiter spacecraft taken on Tuesday at 1.50pm from over 67,975km altitude with a resolution of 3.53km," ISRO sources said.
ISRO released another image taken on 19 November, which shows the Indian subcontinent and parts of Africa. The image, with a resolution of 3.53km per pixel, was taken using the Mars Colour Camera (MCC) from an altitude of 67,975km, ISRO said.
The MCC is meant for optical imaging of the Martian surface and the image was taken as part the payload testing activity which commenced last week, ISRO added.
The tri-colour camera will send images and information about the Martian surface from September 2014 after the craft reaches its designated elliptical orbit around Mars.
"The images and information will be useful to monitor the Martian weather. The camera will be used to monitor two of its satellites, Phobos and Deimos," an ISRO official said.
MCC will also provide context information for other payloads aboard the Mars Orbital Mission over the next week.
ISRO conducted the fifth orbit raising manoeuvre of Mars Orbiter Spacecraft on 16 November, changing its apogee from 1,18,642 km to 1,92,874 km.
After the successful completion of the tests, the Mars Orbiter Mission is expected to take on the "crucial event" of the trans-Mars injection around 12.42am on 1 December.
It will reach the red planet's orbit by 24 September 2014, after a voyage of over 10 months.
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