1 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:12,760 September 24th, 2014. 2 00:00:12,960 --> 00:00:15,240 A calm morning in Bengaluru 3 00:00:17,120 --> 00:00:18,800 belies the fact 4 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:21,720 this is the moment of truth 5 00:00:21,880 --> 00:00:24,640 for one of India's most daring missions. 6 00:00:29,240 --> 00:00:33,200 Its first interplanetary journey to Mars. 7 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:41,360 In the Mission Control Room, Prime Minister Narendra Modi 8 00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:45,240 is intently watching history unfold before his eyes. 9 00:00:45,960 --> 00:00:49,200 India's Space Research Organisation's top bosses 10 00:00:49,240 --> 00:00:52,600 K. Radhakrishnan and A. S. Kiran Kumar 11 00:00:52,720 --> 00:00:55,240 calmly monitor the progress of the mission. 12 00:00:55,480 --> 00:00:58,800 For the automatic operation of the Mars Orbiter Mission.. 13 00:01:01,120 --> 00:01:04,080 Nobody believed that India actually would be able 14 00:01:04,120 --> 00:01:05,600 to do this mission. 15 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:09,120 Or, that it could soon become the first country in the world 16 00:01:09,160 --> 00:01:11,440 to reach the elusive Red Planet 17 00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:14,480 in its very first attempt. 18 00:01:18,040 --> 00:01:20,520 But what makes this nail-biting moment 19 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:22,160 even more dramatic 20 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:24,920 is the fact that during the crucial period of insertion 21 00:01:24,960 --> 00:01:26,720 into the Martian orbit 22 00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:31,080 the spacecraft Mangalyaan will move behind Mars 23 00:01:31,400 --> 00:01:33,560 out of line of sight with Earth 24 00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:37,480 cutting off all communication with the mission team. 25 00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:41,040 The tension in the Mission Control Room 26 00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:42,640 is palpable. 27 00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:45,240 300 days 28 00:01:45,320 --> 00:01:48,840 over 650 million kilometres 29 00:01:48,960 --> 00:01:52,200 and it all comes down to this. 30 00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:55,600 Will India's Mars orbiter, or Mangalyaan 31 00:01:55,680 --> 00:01:59,120 successfully enter the Martian orbit? 32 00:02:15,640 --> 00:02:17,920 Bengaluru, in southern India 33 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:20,440 a hotbed for science and innovation. 34 00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:22,440 India's Silicon Valley. 35 00:02:22,920 --> 00:02:24,920 It is also India's space city 36 00:02:24,960 --> 00:02:27,960 with many of India's space centres located here. 37 00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:40,800 India's adventure to Mars began in 2012 38 00:02:40,840 --> 00:02:43,000 when Indian space scientists put forward 39 00:02:43,040 --> 00:02:46,200 an ambitious plan to send an orbiter to Mars. 40 00:02:49,880 --> 00:02:52,840 This would be India's first interplanetary journey. 41 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:54,320 And if successful 42 00:02:54,360 --> 00:02:57,000 it would be the 4th space agency in the world 43 00:02:57,040 --> 00:02:59,960 and the first Asian country to reach Mars. 44 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:24,080 I see a 21st Century Asian space race 45 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:27,080 happening between India and China on many fronts. 46 00:03:27,160 --> 00:03:29,240 And India got an opportunity 47 00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:31,840 to go ahead of China 48 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:34,600 at least in reaching Mars 49 00:03:34,680 --> 00:03:38,480 when in 2011, the Chinese mission failed. 50 00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:40,520 So, there was a small window 51 00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:42,920 in which India could race ahead. 52 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:54,440 So, in 2013, India put their plan into action 53 00:03:54,480 --> 00:03:56,640 to send an orbiter to Mars. 54 00:03:56,840 --> 00:03:59,240 ISRO scientists chose the PSLV 55 00:03:59,320 --> 00:04:00,720 as a launch vehicle 56 00:04:00,760 --> 00:04:03,480 as it is one of India's most reliable rockets. 57 00:04:04,520 --> 00:04:07,040 The PSLV-C25 stands at a height 58 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:09,400 of a 15-storey building 59 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:11,480 but even with this magnificent size 60 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:14,000 it was not powerful enough to send Mangalyaan 61 00:04:14,040 --> 00:04:16,400 directly on a path to Mars. 62 00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:24,440 What they really needed was a powerful rocket 63 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:25,880 that would throw the spacecraft 64 00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:27,800 out of Earth's sphere of influence 65 00:04:27,840 --> 00:04:30,800 and directly on a path towards Mars. 66 00:04:33,960 --> 00:04:37,560 That more powerful rocket was the GSLV. 67 00:04:40,120 --> 00:04:42,200 The only catch was, in India 68 00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:45,400 it was still under development and being tested. 69 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:48,920 But scientists couldn't afford to delay this mission. 70 00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:53,680 V. Adimurthy, who evaluated India's ability 71 00:04:53,720 --> 00:04:56,480 to journey to Mars, explains why. 72 00:04:57,560 --> 00:05:01,440 This is a model of Earth, Mars and the Sun. 73 00:05:02,040 --> 00:05:03,080 And as you know 74 00:05:03,120 --> 00:05:05,240 the planets are moving around the Sun 75 00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:06,960 in different speeds. 76 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:09,080 And complex calculations have shown 77 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:12,320 that for us to go from Earth to Mars 78 00:05:12,440 --> 00:05:16,400 a rendezvous date can be 24th September, 2014. 79 00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:18,400 And if we missed this date 80 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:21,800 the next opportunity will come 26 months later. 81 00:05:22,040 --> 00:05:25,200 We decided that we plunge in for this date 82 00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:26,800 and go for the rendezvous 83 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:30,360 with Mars on 24th September, 2014. 84 00:05:32,880 --> 00:05:33,960 This meant that 85 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:36,680 Mangalyaan has to start from Earth's Orbit 86 00:05:36,760 --> 00:05:38,760 on a precise date 87 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:41,000 and go towards its journey towards Mars 88 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:42,640 and reach Mars Orbit 89 00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:45,840 on 24th September, 2014. 90 00:05:45,880 --> 00:05:48,400 Mars will be there for the rendezvous at that time 91 00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:50,800 when Mangalyaan reaches there. 92 00:05:51,200 --> 00:05:52,800 If we start too early 93 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:55,560 then Mangalyaan will be ahead of Mars 94 00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:57,200 and if we start too late 95 00:05:57,240 --> 00:05:59,040 Mangalyaan will be behind Mars 96 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:02,600 and both would be failed fly-by missions. 97 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:07,640 Mangalyaan had to be launched within this crucial window. 98 00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:10,640 And so it was back to the PSLV 99 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:13,000 and the ISRO scientists who had to come up 100 00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:15,160 with an innovative flight plan. 101 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:18,680 If we are able to have 102 00:06:18,720 --> 00:06:21,680 a novel mission design 103 00:06:21,720 --> 00:06:25,000 India could put a spacecraft 104 00:06:25,040 --> 00:06:26,920 with our own PSLV. 105 00:06:26,960 --> 00:06:29,360 And we decided that this is going to be 106 00:06:29,400 --> 00:06:32,880 a technology mission to prove India's capability 107 00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:35,840 to orbit a spacecraft around Mars. 108 00:06:38,560 --> 00:06:41,360 The plan presented was a daring one. 109 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:44,480 Something that India had never attempted before. 110 00:06:44,720 --> 00:06:46,760 They would build a Mars orbiter 111 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:49,560 one of the fastest and most intelligent spacecrafts 112 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:53,520 India has ever made and load it onto the PSLV. 113 00:06:57,440 --> 00:07:00,200 It would first be launched into Earth's orbit. 114 00:07:01,840 --> 00:07:04,000 Then they would get it to circle Earth 115 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:06,520 and gradually increase its velocity 116 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:09,480 and raise its orbit levels till it's fast enough 117 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:12,320 to escape Earth's sphere of influence. 118 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:15,760 It would then be set on a path towards Mars 119 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:19,480 covering over 650 million kilometres 120 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:22,160 in about 300 days. 121 00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:24,440 Mangalyaan will hurtle through space 122 00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:27,560 at speeds over 20 kilometres per second. 123 00:07:28,400 --> 00:07:30,400 On Earth, travelling at that speed 124 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:32,600 would get you from New Delhi to New York 125 00:07:32,640 --> 00:07:34,440 in about 9 minutes. 126 00:07:34,480 --> 00:07:36,560 That's how fast Mangalyaan will travel 127 00:07:36,600 --> 00:07:38,000 towards Mars. 128 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:39,960 It will then enter Mars orbit 129 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:43,240 at a point about 500 kilometres nearest to the surface 130 00:07:43,320 --> 00:07:44,800 of the Red Planet. 131 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:51,400 Once green-lit, the Mars Orbiter Mission 132 00:07:51,440 --> 00:07:54,320 had centres across India working around the clock 133 00:07:54,360 --> 00:07:57,440 to pull off this challenging interplanetary journey. 134 00:08:01,920 --> 00:08:04,720 ISRO centres in Bengaluru designed, built 135 00:08:04,760 --> 00:08:06,560 and tested Mangalyaan. 136 00:08:06,840 --> 00:08:10,360 Ahmedabad engineered its camera and scientific instruments. 137 00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:13,920 Sriharikota would be its launch centre. 138 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:17,680 The deep space antenna in Byalalu 139 00:08:17,720 --> 00:08:19,480 would track communication. 140 00:08:20,080 --> 00:08:22,560 And the Mission Control Room back in Bengaluru 141 00:08:22,600 --> 00:08:24,760 would monitor and navigate it. 142 00:08:28,120 --> 00:08:31,320 Mangalyaan's dream team had veteran space scientists 143 00:08:31,360 --> 00:08:33,920 who had worked on many of India's satellite missions 144 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:35,960 over three to four decades. 145 00:08:36,560 --> 00:08:39,920 K. Radhakrishnan, Chairman, ISRO at the time of launch 146 00:08:39,960 --> 00:08:43,040 is the man at the helm of India's mission to Mars. 147 00:08:45,480 --> 00:08:47,640 A. S. Kiran Kumar had to analyse 148 00:08:47,680 --> 00:08:49,760 hundreds of worst-case scenarios. 149 00:08:49,800 --> 00:08:53,080 His big concern was how fuel would be used. 150 00:08:54,640 --> 00:08:56,400 M. Annadurai's experience 151 00:08:56,440 --> 00:08:58,400 heading India's first Moon mission 152 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:00,920 Chandrayaan-1, would help in designing 153 00:09:00,960 --> 00:09:02,920 an economical Mars mission. 154 00:09:04,400 --> 00:09:08,040 S. Arunan's biggest challenge was to build an intelligent craft 155 00:09:08,080 --> 00:09:09,240 that was autonomous 156 00:09:09,320 --> 00:09:11,920 or one that could largely function on its own. 157 00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:15,000 The leading members of this team had worked 158 00:09:15,040 --> 00:09:17,800 on the successful lunar mission, Chandrayaan-1 159 00:09:17,960 --> 00:09:20,760 but this was their first interplanetary mission. 160 00:09:20,800 --> 00:09:24,600 Their scientific prowess would be tested at every turn. 161 00:09:25,680 --> 00:09:28,760 It is a one-way graduation for what we do all along 162 00:09:28,800 --> 00:09:29,960 to Chandrayaan. 163 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:32,240 And Chandrayaan to MOM, I can tell it's postgraduation. 164 00:09:32,320 --> 00:09:33,720 It is like everything's a step ahead 165 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:35,560 but everything that is learned previously 166 00:09:35,600 --> 00:09:37,080 is taken to Chandrayaan. 167 00:09:37,120 --> 00:09:39,960 Chandrayaan to Mars, very well it has been taken there. 168 00:09:40,600 --> 00:09:44,720 The 1335 kilograms Mars Orbiter Satellite 169 00:09:44,760 --> 00:09:46,640 into an elliptic orbit.. 170 00:09:48,600 --> 00:09:51,440 At the launch centre, it's action stations. 171 00:09:55,760 --> 00:09:58,880 Scientists have to monitor every aspect of this lift-off 172 00:09:58,920 --> 00:10:00,920 and constantly track Mangalyaan's 173 00:10:00,960 --> 00:10:03,800 over 300-day space journey. 174 00:10:03,840 --> 00:10:06,000 They need information at each stage 175 00:10:06,040 --> 00:10:08,640 and India could not do this alone. 176 00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:13,560 One of the major requirements 177 00:10:13,600 --> 00:10:17,080 for ISTRAC is to provide continuous Mars data 178 00:10:17,120 --> 00:10:18,640 for control support. 179 00:10:18,760 --> 00:10:21,680 So, we established 32 antennae 180 00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:23,480 ground station support 181 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:26,040 spread throughout the world. 182 00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:32,080 During launch, ground stations in Sriharikota 183 00:10:32,120 --> 00:10:34,840 Port Blair, Brunei and Indonesia 184 00:10:34,880 --> 00:10:37,240 will track the rocket and will relay data 185 00:10:37,320 --> 00:10:38,400 to the mission team. 186 00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:41,240 But once the rocket is above the South Pacific Ocean 187 00:10:41,640 --> 00:10:44,040 ground stations would not be able to track it. 188 00:10:44,360 --> 00:10:47,680 The mission team couldn't afford to be without communication. 189 00:10:48,320 --> 00:10:51,680 After much deliberation, they came up with a solution. 190 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:58,240 Two ships loaded with powerful antennae 191 00:10:58,320 --> 00:11:00,040 would be stationed in the Pacific 192 00:11:00,080 --> 00:11:03,160 and would send information of this part of the launch. 193 00:11:04,840 --> 00:11:07,800 But the team faced its first setback. 194 00:11:10,320 --> 00:11:13,520 One of the ships couldn't reach its location on time 195 00:11:13,720 --> 00:11:15,360 due to bad weather. 196 00:11:16,080 --> 00:11:17,480 The preparations for the launch 197 00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:19,800 they were delayed due to the positioning 198 00:11:19,840 --> 00:11:23,120 of the shipborne terminals at the desired locations. 199 00:11:23,720 --> 00:11:27,040 Due to weather problems, it got delayed. 200 00:11:27,920 --> 00:11:29,840 This was not good news 201 00:11:29,880 --> 00:11:32,520 considering the short time window the mission team 202 00:11:32,560 --> 00:11:34,480 had to launch Mangalyaan. 203 00:11:34,560 --> 00:11:38,240 Bad weather had managed to derail the original launch plan 204 00:11:38,320 --> 00:11:40,600 and scientists were hit with a problem 205 00:11:40,640 --> 00:11:42,760 even before lift-off. 206 00:11:50,920 --> 00:11:54,640 India's Mission to Mars team was up against a challenge. 207 00:11:54,840 --> 00:11:57,480 One of the two ships carrying powerful antennae 208 00:11:57,520 --> 00:12:00,720 needed for tracking during the launch of Mangalyaan 209 00:12:00,800 --> 00:12:02,800 was not able to reach its location 210 00:12:02,840 --> 00:12:04,520 due to bad weather. 211 00:12:05,800 --> 00:12:09,120 The mission team had to realign all their calculations 212 00:12:09,160 --> 00:12:11,760 and come up with a new launch date. 213 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:20,920 Earlier, October end, the launch was scheduled. 214 00:12:21,320 --> 00:12:23,480 But due to the arrangements 215 00:12:23,520 --> 00:12:25,480 required for the vehicle tracking 216 00:12:25,520 --> 00:12:27,200 with some shipborne terminals. 217 00:12:27,360 --> 00:12:29,080 So, all those arrangements got delayed. 218 00:12:29,120 --> 00:12:31,720 And we could launch on November 5th. 219 00:12:44,200 --> 00:12:47,040 Children in Sriharikota are probably used to seeing 220 00:12:47,080 --> 00:12:49,000 rockets flash through the sky. 221 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:50,960 But on this November afternoon 222 00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:53,880 the rocket about to lift off will create history 223 00:12:54,040 --> 00:12:57,560 as it will launch India's first interplanetary mission. 224 00:12:57,600 --> 00:13:00,800 Mangalyaan, India's orbiter to Mars. 225 00:13:06,720 --> 00:13:09,800 Launch date. The world is watching. 226 00:13:14,680 --> 00:13:17,520 Nobody believed that India actually would be able 227 00:13:17,560 --> 00:13:18,760 to do this mission. 228 00:13:18,800 --> 00:13:22,080 So, even when we had announced the date of launch, etc. 229 00:13:22,120 --> 00:13:25,160 Still there was a question mark. Nobody was taking us seriously. 230 00:13:25,200 --> 00:13:27,480 Only when the actual launch happened 231 00:13:27,560 --> 00:13:28,760 then they started looking at 232 00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:30,520 "Okay. That means there is already" 233 00:13:30,560 --> 00:13:32,200 "a satellite which has been integrated" 234 00:13:32,240 --> 00:13:34,040 "put together. This is happening." 235 00:13:38,480 --> 00:13:41,320 Scientists are counting down to blast off. 236 00:13:43,160 --> 00:13:45,920 10, 9, 8 237 00:13:46,160 --> 00:13:48,920 7, 6, 5 238 00:13:49,160 --> 00:13:51,800 4, 3, 2 239 00:13:52,240 --> 00:13:55,800 1, 0, +1, 2.. 240 00:14:20,240 --> 00:14:23,360 Stations at Sriharikota, Port Blair 241 00:14:23,400 --> 00:14:25,240 Brunei and Indonesia 242 00:14:25,320 --> 00:14:27,800 send signals confirming the success 243 00:14:27,840 --> 00:14:30,360 of the first three launch phases. 244 00:14:31,600 --> 00:14:33,840 The rocket then cruises for 26 minutes 245 00:14:33,880 --> 00:14:35,600 over the South Pacific Ocean 246 00:14:35,640 --> 00:14:37,080 and none of the ground stations 247 00:14:37,120 --> 00:14:39,840 can get signals from it for 10 minutes. 248 00:14:41,760 --> 00:14:44,440 This is followed by the crucial 4th stage 249 00:14:44,480 --> 00:14:46,880 when Mangalyaan separates from the launch vehicle 250 00:14:46,920 --> 00:14:48,800 and is thrown into orbit. 251 00:14:49,440 --> 00:14:51,840 Communication is crucial at this stage. 252 00:14:52,720 --> 00:14:55,560 This is where the 2 ships have a key role. 253 00:14:56,160 --> 00:14:58,520 The team is on edge waiting for the signal 254 00:14:58,560 --> 00:15:00,800 that all is going as per plan. 255 00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:04,560 The first ship monitors the ignition 256 00:15:04,600 --> 00:15:06,040 of the rocket engine. 257 00:15:06,440 --> 00:15:08,320 A few minutes later, the second ship 258 00:15:08,360 --> 00:15:10,480 monitors craft separation. 259 00:15:14,720 --> 00:15:16,560 Mangalyaan is finally sent 260 00:15:16,600 --> 00:15:19,240 into an elliptical orbit around Earth. 261 00:15:23,480 --> 00:15:27,000 Very, very accurate orbit we have achieved. 262 00:15:27,840 --> 00:15:30,960 Jubilation breaks out in the Command Centre. 263 00:15:34,880 --> 00:15:37,920 Given the media interest in India's Mars mission 264 00:15:37,960 --> 00:15:41,560 the action in the Command Centre is aired live on television 265 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:43,360 and shared on social media 266 00:15:43,400 --> 00:15:46,000 with a massive audience around the world. 267 00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:53,360 We were very clear, this is a complex mission. 268 00:15:53,400 --> 00:15:56,200 And we needed to communicate this to the country. 269 00:15:56,240 --> 00:15:57,720 So, we used social media. 270 00:15:57,760 --> 00:16:00,360 The young generation in the country 271 00:16:00,480 --> 00:16:02,520 discussed science on that. 272 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:05,480 And today, almost 1 million likes we have. 273 00:16:07,760 --> 00:16:10,480 Even as India celebrated a successful launch 274 00:16:10,520 --> 00:16:11,920 of its Mars Orbiter 275 00:16:12,040 --> 00:16:15,240 the US launched its own Mars mission, MAVEN. 276 00:16:15,320 --> 00:16:19,200 And lift-off of the Atlas V with MAVEN. 277 00:16:19,320 --> 00:16:22,080 Looking for clues about the evolution of Mars 278 00:16:22,120 --> 00:16:23,760 through its atmosphere. 279 00:16:23,800 --> 00:16:25,680 They had a powerful launch vehicle 280 00:16:25,720 --> 00:16:28,640 that put MAVEN on a direct path to Mars. 281 00:16:28,880 --> 00:16:30,800 The stage was now set. 282 00:16:31,560 --> 00:16:32,920 Everything's looking good. 283 00:16:33,760 --> 00:16:37,400 There was serious pressure on India to ensure success. 284 00:16:37,760 --> 00:16:39,800 They could not afford to fail. 285 00:16:41,800 --> 00:16:44,960 Mangalyaan was built in a record 15 months 286 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:48,920 on a shoestring budget of USD 74 million. 287 00:16:49,200 --> 00:16:51,560 Compared to NASA's Mars Orbiter, MAVEN 288 00:16:51,600 --> 00:16:54,560 USD 670 million. 289 00:16:55,800 --> 00:16:58,320 Doing it at $70 million 290 00:16:58,480 --> 00:17:02,560 was really a huge, huge benefit 291 00:17:02,800 --> 00:17:04,400 not just in saving money 292 00:17:04,560 --> 00:17:06,600 but it paves the way for the world 293 00:17:06,640 --> 00:17:08,920 to look at interplanetary missions 294 00:17:08,960 --> 00:17:12,840 which are less than $100 million in costs. 295 00:17:17,840 --> 00:17:20,360 India's highly cost-effective spacecrafts 296 00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:23,800 like Mangalyaan are built in this high security facility 297 00:17:23,840 --> 00:17:25,240 in Bengaluru. 298 00:17:28,600 --> 00:17:31,880 Scientists work in a specifically designed clean room. 299 00:17:32,080 --> 00:17:33,960 Dust is one of the biggest enemies 300 00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:36,920 of deep space satellites like the Mars Orbiter. 301 00:17:37,240 --> 00:17:40,480 Even a speck of dust could be catastrophic 302 00:17:40,560 --> 00:17:42,040 jamming systems. 303 00:17:44,640 --> 00:17:47,960 Mangalyaan is a surprisingly small cuboid. 304 00:17:48,720 --> 00:17:50,800 A little smaller than an autorickshaw 305 00:17:50,840 --> 00:17:52,920 and about three times its weight. 306 00:17:53,240 --> 00:17:56,680 Systems on Mangalyaan are miniaturised and light. 307 00:17:58,080 --> 00:17:59,880 You have to miniaturise because you are taking 308 00:17:59,920 --> 00:18:01,720 the object farther and farther. 309 00:18:01,760 --> 00:18:04,480 Basically, it's miniaturisation 310 00:18:04,520 --> 00:18:05,800 to a very high level 311 00:18:05,840 --> 00:18:08,080 what has not been attempted so far. 312 00:18:11,680 --> 00:18:14,640 Mangalyaan's brain is a highly intelligent system 313 00:18:14,680 --> 00:18:17,040 that will allow it to communicate with the mission team 314 00:18:17,080 --> 00:18:20,920 from millions of kilometres away and even function on its own. 315 00:18:22,040 --> 00:18:24,600 The solar panels will power its brain. 316 00:18:24,720 --> 00:18:27,800 But it also has a backup lithium-ion battery. 317 00:18:28,160 --> 00:18:31,120 Its high-powered antenna will point towards Earth 318 00:18:31,160 --> 00:18:33,720 to be able to send and receive messages. 319 00:18:35,600 --> 00:18:38,840 Star sensors and gyroscopes act as navigation aids 320 00:18:38,880 --> 00:18:41,760 to keep the orbiter on its precise path. 321 00:18:42,760 --> 00:18:44,760 Its five instruments will send back 322 00:18:44,800 --> 00:18:47,480 scientific information about Mars. 323 00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:50,600 Its engine is powered by liquid fuel. 324 00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:53,600 It has to use this fuel very carefully. 325 00:18:53,720 --> 00:18:56,520 There are no pit stops to refuel during its long 326 00:18:56,560 --> 00:18:59,720 over 650 million-kilometre journey. 327 00:18:59,760 --> 00:19:01,560 This was one of the biggest concerns 328 00:19:01,600 --> 00:19:03,080 for the mission team. 329 00:19:05,160 --> 00:19:06,920 After a successful launch 330 00:19:06,960 --> 00:19:08,360 Mangalyaan has been put 331 00:19:08,400 --> 00:19:10,800 on an elliptical orbit around Earth. 332 00:19:11,320 --> 00:19:14,480 Over the next 25 days, scientists will fire up 333 00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:17,800 Mangalyaan's engine six times to raise the orbit 334 00:19:17,840 --> 00:19:19,800 and increase its velocity high enough 335 00:19:19,840 --> 00:19:22,880 so it can escape Earth's sphere of influence. 336 00:19:24,120 --> 00:19:26,880 In very simple terms, it's what we did to Mangalyaan. 337 00:19:26,920 --> 00:19:28,760 Imagine the red ball is the Mangalyaan. 338 00:19:28,800 --> 00:19:32,040 And we flung it around Earth in bigger and faster loops 339 00:19:32,080 --> 00:19:33,840 until it got sufficient velocity. 340 00:19:33,880 --> 00:19:35,600 And when it got that velocity 341 00:19:35,640 --> 00:19:37,400 we flung it towards Mars. 342 00:19:42,040 --> 00:19:45,040 The room for error at every stage is narrow 343 00:19:45,080 --> 00:19:47,640 as they cannot afford to waste fuel. 344 00:19:49,680 --> 00:19:52,840 Mangalyaan has completed 3 orbit-raising operations 345 00:19:52,880 --> 00:19:54,040 around Earth 346 00:19:54,080 --> 00:19:56,200 each bigger than the previous one. 347 00:19:56,400 --> 00:19:59,560 And then scientists hit another snag. 348 00:19:59,800 --> 00:20:01,960 The 4th time, the engine fired up 349 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:04,120 it underperformed and did not reach 350 00:20:04,160 --> 00:20:05,760 the targeted velocity. 351 00:20:05,800 --> 00:20:07,920 This means Mangalyaan would have to use 352 00:20:07,960 --> 00:20:10,840 extra fuel to make up for the shortfall. 353 00:20:13,680 --> 00:20:16,720 B. S. Kiran's expertise in mathematical modelling 354 00:20:16,760 --> 00:20:18,720 lead him to establish a precise path 355 00:20:18,760 --> 00:20:21,120 for Mangalyaan's Mars encounter. 356 00:20:21,760 --> 00:20:24,000 He was worried because snags like this 357 00:20:24,040 --> 00:20:26,720 could affect Managalyaan's date with Mars. 358 00:20:26,760 --> 00:20:28,360 The main engine shut down 359 00:20:28,800 --> 00:20:31,120 due to some onboard logic. 360 00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:34,200 So, after which we could not impart 361 00:20:34,240 --> 00:20:37,080 the desired velocity increment in that manoeuver. 362 00:20:37,120 --> 00:20:39,200 All our problems what we are talking about 363 00:20:39,240 --> 00:20:43,120 for this entire mission comes primarily from the reason 364 00:20:43,200 --> 00:20:45,080 the amount of fuel we are carrying. 365 00:20:45,120 --> 00:20:46,680 If something goes wrong 366 00:20:46,720 --> 00:20:50,520 the amount of fuel that is left for correction and recovery 367 00:20:50,680 --> 00:20:53,440 would have prevented us from going to Mars. 368 00:20:54,880 --> 00:20:56,520 After much deliberation 369 00:20:56,560 --> 00:21:00,440 the team decides on firing up the engine for one extra time 370 00:21:00,480 --> 00:21:03,920 to ensure Mangalyaan speeds up to the required velocity. 371 00:21:09,840 --> 00:21:11,760 Space scientists are tense 372 00:21:11,800 --> 00:21:13,840 but calmly oversee the protocol. 373 00:21:13,880 --> 00:21:15,200 So, at that time 374 00:21:15,360 --> 00:21:17,920 we had many possible scenarios. 375 00:21:17,960 --> 00:21:19,920 We had worked out almost something like 376 00:21:19,960 --> 00:21:22,800 250 reasons why we could fail. 377 00:21:22,960 --> 00:21:25,960 So, any of those failures, if they occur 378 00:21:26,000 --> 00:21:28,520 is there a possibility for us to correct. 379 00:21:28,560 --> 00:21:31,600 And correct with the fuel which is still sufficient for us 380 00:21:31,640 --> 00:21:35,040 to do the rest of the travel and insert in Mars. 381 00:21:35,800 --> 00:21:38,120 Mangalyaan makes up for the shortfall 382 00:21:38,160 --> 00:21:40,080 in an additional engine burn. 383 00:21:43,120 --> 00:21:45,520 And the correction is successful. 384 00:21:48,200 --> 00:21:50,720 Mangalyaan now has only a few days left 385 00:21:50,760 --> 00:21:52,600 before it leaves Earth's orbit. 386 00:21:55,360 --> 00:21:56,800 And as a farewell message 387 00:21:56,880 --> 00:21:59,440 it sends back its very first picture. 388 00:22:06,120 --> 00:22:09,840 A picture clicked using its cool Mars colour camera 389 00:22:09,920 --> 00:22:12,880 built at the Space Application Centre in Ahmedabad. 390 00:22:17,040 --> 00:22:19,240 This camera and other instruments designed 391 00:22:19,320 --> 00:22:21,400 at this centre are crucial to the mission 392 00:22:21,600 --> 00:22:23,000 as they will allow Mangalyaan 393 00:22:23,040 --> 00:22:25,360 to study Mars' surface and atmosphere 394 00:22:25,600 --> 00:22:28,120 and send that information back home. 395 00:22:31,840 --> 00:22:34,320 And all this high-end engineering innovation 396 00:22:34,440 --> 00:22:37,640 for space research is driven by local talent. 397 00:22:39,320 --> 00:22:40,800 We had to design the payloads 398 00:22:40,920 --> 00:22:43,160 such that it could fit into that budget of mass and power. 399 00:22:43,360 --> 00:22:44,760 That was extremely challenging. 400 00:22:44,840 --> 00:22:47,040 And really go for very state-of-the-art 401 00:22:47,080 --> 00:22:48,480 components and elements 402 00:22:48,520 --> 00:22:49,880 so that we could make our instruments 403 00:22:49,920 --> 00:22:52,000 lightweight and very low power. 404 00:22:55,600 --> 00:22:59,000 Mangalyaan is now gearing up to bid goodbye to Earth 405 00:22:59,200 --> 00:23:01,200 and make its way towards Mars. 406 00:23:01,240 --> 00:23:02,920 The trans-Mars injection manoeuver 407 00:23:03,080 --> 00:23:05,040 we planned and executed. 408 00:23:05,680 --> 00:23:08,560 That also went through. As an operation 409 00:23:08,800 --> 00:23:10,320 I would say it was perfect. 410 00:23:12,440 --> 00:23:15,520 The engine is fired up and jettisons Mangalyaan 411 00:23:15,560 --> 00:23:16,800 out of Earth's orbit 412 00:23:16,920 --> 00:23:19,800 and on its first ever interplanetary journey 413 00:23:19,920 --> 00:23:21,320 towards Mars. 414 00:23:23,040 --> 00:23:26,040 A new chapter in India's space odyssey 415 00:23:26,480 --> 00:23:27,560 has begun. 416 00:23:34,080 --> 00:23:36,640 The further Mangalyaan travels away from Earth 417 00:23:36,680 --> 00:23:39,360 the greater the danger of losing contact with it. 418 00:23:39,720 --> 00:23:42,040 But as it hurtles in the unfamiliar territory 419 00:23:42,120 --> 00:23:45,960 of outer space, accurate navigation and communication 420 00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:47,880 would make or break 421 00:23:47,920 --> 00:23:49,800 India's Mars ambition. 422 00:23:57,280 --> 00:23:59,520 Mangalyaan, India's Mars Orbiter 423 00:23:59,600 --> 00:24:01,400 is now hurtling towards Mars 424 00:24:01,480 --> 00:24:03,960 at a speed of over 20 kilometres per second. 425 00:24:08,320 --> 00:24:09,600 Scientists feel 426 00:24:09,720 --> 00:24:12,920 that Mars holds some secrets 427 00:24:13,040 --> 00:24:16,520 about the origin of life on the Planet Earth. 428 00:24:16,960 --> 00:24:20,320 And also it is believed, that after a few decades 429 00:24:20,680 --> 00:24:24,000 humankind would be able to have habitat in Mars. 430 00:24:25,160 --> 00:24:27,760 Futurists have been fascinated with Mars 431 00:24:27,840 --> 00:24:29,960 due to its proximity to Earth. 432 00:24:30,000 --> 00:24:32,280 In many ways, it's a little like Earth. 433 00:24:32,480 --> 00:24:35,800 For starters, its surface is very similar to Earth's 434 00:24:35,920 --> 00:24:39,240 and the length of its day a little more than 24 hours. 435 00:24:40,120 --> 00:24:43,360 1 Mars year is equal to about 2 Earth years. 436 00:24:43,800 --> 00:24:47,560 And the weight on Mars is about one-third the weight on Earth. 437 00:24:47,920 --> 00:24:51,680 Like Earth, it has volcanoes, canyons and polar ice caps. 438 00:24:52,720 --> 00:24:55,480 This is what excites space scientists 439 00:24:55,520 --> 00:24:57,840 possibilitie for future colonisation. 440 00:24:59,400 --> 00:25:00,640 Former President 441 00:25:01,040 --> 00:25:03,880 President APJ Abdul Kalam once told me 442 00:25:05,000 --> 00:25:08,240 Earth, Moon and Mars 443 00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:11,200 are all part of one 444 00:25:11,240 --> 00:25:13,520 industrial complex. 445 00:25:13,800 --> 00:25:17,000 He always felt that there would be mining of the Moon 446 00:25:17,200 --> 00:25:21,160 there would be mining of Mars, and the human race 447 00:25:21,360 --> 00:25:24,920 would be travelling between Earth, Moon and Mars 448 00:25:25,040 --> 00:25:27,000 as one configuration. 449 00:25:30,320 --> 00:25:33,680 As it travels towards Mars after leaving Earth's Orbit 450 00:25:33,840 --> 00:25:36,520 Mangalyaan is in almost frictionless vacuum. 451 00:25:37,240 --> 00:25:39,040 Its engine has been switched off 452 00:25:39,200 --> 00:25:41,880 and will be turned on 300 days later 453 00:25:42,040 --> 00:25:43,600 when it approaches Mars. 454 00:25:46,120 --> 00:25:49,480 Mangalyaan is in an unfamiliar and extreme environment. 455 00:25:50,240 --> 00:25:52,640 For one, it's travelling away from the Sun 456 00:25:52,760 --> 00:25:54,640 so the temperatures it's exposed to 457 00:25:54,680 --> 00:25:58,160 can be lower than -150 degree centigrade. 458 00:26:04,760 --> 00:26:07,840 ISRO scientists are prepared for this eventuality. 459 00:26:08,360 --> 00:26:11,360 Mangalyaan was tested to endure a vacuum environment 460 00:26:11,440 --> 00:26:14,560 high vibration, extreme temperature variation 461 00:26:14,800 --> 00:26:16,440 and high levels of sound 462 00:26:16,880 --> 00:26:19,400 to prepare it for this epic journey. 463 00:26:21,320 --> 00:26:24,440 The testing requirements were very huge 464 00:26:24,520 --> 00:26:27,520 because we have to simulate so many scenarios. 465 00:26:27,720 --> 00:26:31,280 So, those kinds of thousands and thousands of combinations 466 00:26:31,360 --> 00:26:33,440 need to be tested in the ground 467 00:26:33,600 --> 00:26:35,920 to ensure that we don't get 468 00:26:36,280 --> 00:26:38,120 any failure in some of the parts. 469 00:26:39,880 --> 00:26:42,440 India's Mars Orbiter is on schedule. 470 00:26:42,960 --> 00:26:45,640 If all goes well, it will reach Mars orbit 471 00:26:45,760 --> 00:26:48,160 on September the 24th, 2014. 472 00:26:48,800 --> 00:26:51,840 But the mission team knows that's easier said than done. 473 00:26:53,280 --> 00:26:55,600 So, how does one navigate a spacecraft 474 00:26:55,640 --> 00:26:58,440 when all you can see is deep space? 475 00:27:00,760 --> 00:27:03,680 Hundreds of years ago, Ancient Indian astronomers 476 00:27:03,760 --> 00:27:05,240 like Aryabhata and Varahamihira 477 00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:07,600 using very rudimentary instruments 478 00:27:07,720 --> 00:27:10,240 have studied the stars and mapped them 479 00:27:10,280 --> 00:27:12,280 and studied the planetary motions. 480 00:27:12,400 --> 00:27:15,560 Ancient explorers have used the stars in the night sky 481 00:27:15,680 --> 00:27:18,720 to navigate their position and go around in the exploration. 482 00:27:18,960 --> 00:27:21,840 In a similar way, our Mars mission team 483 00:27:21,880 --> 00:27:24,480 has also used the stars around the spacecraft 484 00:27:24,760 --> 00:27:26,640 to know their precise orientation 485 00:27:26,680 --> 00:27:29,400 and proceed accurately towards Mars. 486 00:27:31,360 --> 00:27:32,800 And that team was spearheaded 487 00:27:32,840 --> 00:27:35,880 by Nandini Harinath and Ritu Karidhal 488 00:27:36,240 --> 00:27:38,160 who monitor power and communication 489 00:27:38,280 --> 00:27:40,720 and operate Mangalyaan to stay on course. 490 00:27:41,520 --> 00:27:43,360 There was a lot of anxiety, you know 491 00:27:43,400 --> 00:27:46,000 whether things would work or not work. 492 00:27:47,840 --> 00:27:51,040 There were many reasons why Mangalyaan could veer off course. 493 00:27:51,680 --> 00:27:54,400 The Sun's radiation or the firing of the engine 494 00:27:54,760 --> 00:27:57,120 could exert a force on the body of the craft 495 00:27:57,560 --> 00:28:00,440 which could cause the spacecraft to rotate or wobble 496 00:28:00,480 --> 00:28:01,960 like a clumsy ball. 497 00:28:02,000 --> 00:28:04,520 It needs to be really monitored, corrected 498 00:28:04,560 --> 00:28:07,760 so that the orbit which we achieve is precise. 499 00:28:10,800 --> 00:28:12,800 The mammoth task ahead of this team 500 00:28:12,960 --> 00:28:16,120 was to keep Mangalyaan's antenna pointing towards Earth 501 00:28:16,240 --> 00:28:18,280 so it could communicate uninterrupted 502 00:28:18,360 --> 00:28:20,760 with the mission team across millions of kilometres. 503 00:28:21,840 --> 00:28:23,680 Mind-boggling when you compare 504 00:28:23,760 --> 00:28:25,240 what a challenge it is to manage 505 00:28:25,280 --> 00:28:28,640 an uninterrupted mobile communication here on Earth. 506 00:28:37,760 --> 00:28:39,480 And speaking with Mangalyaan 507 00:28:39,560 --> 00:28:42,560 was this loud mouth or the deep space antenna 508 00:28:42,720 --> 00:28:44,960 loacted in the the sleepy town of Byalalu 509 00:28:45,360 --> 00:28:47,200 in the outskirts of Bengaluru. 510 00:28:53,720 --> 00:28:56,560 Antenna basically, has got a very sensitive ear 511 00:28:56,760 --> 00:28:59,360 and a loud mouth antenna, which means that 512 00:28:59,480 --> 00:29:02,920 even in the background of heavy noise 513 00:29:03,160 --> 00:29:04,400 so the signal is so weak 514 00:29:04,600 --> 00:29:06,120 we will be able to decode the signal. 515 00:29:06,280 --> 00:29:08,440 It is very sensitive enough to decode 516 00:29:08,480 --> 00:29:10,280 even the weakest possible signal. 517 00:29:10,600 --> 00:29:12,680 At the same time, we have to pump 518 00:29:12,920 --> 00:29:15,520 an extra, very high-power level 519 00:29:15,560 --> 00:29:17,760 to transmit from ground station. 520 00:29:18,840 --> 00:29:20,960 Depending on where Mangalyaan is 521 00:29:21,280 --> 00:29:24,240 it takes anywhere between 8 to 43 minutes 522 00:29:24,280 --> 00:29:27,240 for a message to be sent and received by Mangalyaan. 523 00:29:27,560 --> 00:29:29,040 To send a message from Earth 524 00:29:29,160 --> 00:29:32,360 20 kilowatts of power is pumped through this antenna 525 00:29:32,480 --> 00:29:34,720 a really loud shout to Mars. 526 00:29:39,280 --> 00:29:41,640 Back at the Mission Control Room in Bengaluru 527 00:29:41,880 --> 00:29:43,440 the countdown has started. 528 00:29:43,760 --> 00:29:45,960 Mangalyaan is now nearing Mars. 529 00:29:46,280 --> 00:29:47,480 Over the past months 530 00:29:47,520 --> 00:29:50,280 scientists have corrected Mangalyaan's course 531 00:29:50,400 --> 00:29:54,000 adjusted its speed and checked and cross-checked its controls. 532 00:29:55,960 --> 00:29:57,560 The big moment is near 533 00:29:57,600 --> 00:30:00,480 when Mangalyaan has to enter the Mars orbit. 534 00:30:01,280 --> 00:30:04,640 But this part of the journey is fraught with challenges. 535 00:30:07,400 --> 00:30:09,520 The mission team is under great pressure 536 00:30:09,720 --> 00:30:11,760 and it has one big worry. 537 00:30:13,280 --> 00:30:14,920 Mangalyaan's engine. 538 00:30:15,920 --> 00:30:18,800 The same engine is required to work 539 00:30:18,960 --> 00:30:21,560 after a period of about 9 months of travel. 540 00:30:23,800 --> 00:30:25,280 Mangalyaan has been hurtling 541 00:30:25,320 --> 00:30:27,000 through almost frictionless vacuum 542 00:30:27,200 --> 00:30:29,520 at a speed of over 20 kilometres per second 543 00:30:29,640 --> 00:30:31,480 without the use of its engine. 544 00:30:32,480 --> 00:30:35,560 The engine was last turned on around 300 days back 545 00:30:35,600 --> 00:30:36,720 to speed the craft up 546 00:30:36,800 --> 00:30:39,320 enough to leave Earth's sphere of influence. 547 00:30:40,000 --> 00:30:43,440 It now needs to fire up again to enter Mars orbit. 548 00:30:46,720 --> 00:30:48,960 In the worst case, it would have been a fly-by. 549 00:30:49,040 --> 00:30:52,520 We will not be able to capture it into an Orbiter on Mars. 550 00:30:52,720 --> 00:30:54,160 It will do one swing-by 551 00:30:54,200 --> 00:30:57,160 and go away again out of Martian sphere of influence. 552 00:31:00,640 --> 00:31:02,760 Years of hardwork and planning 553 00:31:03,000 --> 00:31:05,160 days and nights of careful tracking 554 00:31:05,320 --> 00:31:07,640 and it all comes down to one moment 555 00:31:07,880 --> 00:31:09,920 with the odds stacked against them. 556 00:31:10,120 --> 00:31:12,840 Will the engine come on at the crucial moment 557 00:31:12,880 --> 00:31:14,680 to allow Mangalyaan 558 00:31:14,720 --> 00:31:17,360 to successfully enter Mars orbit? 559 00:31:19,400 --> 00:31:22,320 The satellite was in slumber, like a coma. 560 00:31:22,800 --> 00:31:25,360 And then, it had to be woken up. 561 00:31:26,480 --> 00:31:29,440 So, it's very similar to like in Ramayana 562 00:31:29,600 --> 00:31:32,440 where you have Kumbhakarna who is sleeping 563 00:31:32,480 --> 00:31:36,600 and then wakes up and does what is required in war. 564 00:31:38,960 --> 00:31:40,200 What's the br.. - Scientists 565 00:31:40,240 --> 00:31:42,200 at the Mission Control Room are tense. 566 00:31:44,960 --> 00:31:46,680 India's spacecraft Mangalyaan 567 00:31:46,760 --> 00:31:49,360 is preparing to enter the orbit of Planet Mars. 568 00:31:50,240 --> 00:31:53,720 Everyone's big concern is whether the engine that was shut off 569 00:31:53,840 --> 00:31:55,640 almost 300 days ago 570 00:31:55,720 --> 00:31:59,120 would come on for the spacecraft to succeed in its mission. 571 00:32:00,600 --> 00:32:03,400 The same engine is required to work 572 00:32:03,600 --> 00:32:06,320 after a period of about 9 months of travel. 573 00:32:06,480 --> 00:32:08,160 That means there is a long gap 574 00:32:08,240 --> 00:32:11,760 between the initial operations requirement 575 00:32:11,840 --> 00:32:14,400 and the subsequent need for usage. 576 00:32:16,480 --> 00:32:20,480 Now, after 300 days, the engine had to be turned on 577 00:32:20,520 --> 00:32:23,680 to enable Mangalyaan to do a complicated manoeuvre 578 00:32:23,840 --> 00:32:27,320 of slowing down to enter the Martian orbit. 579 00:32:28,520 --> 00:32:32,840 Initially, our task was to increase the velocity. 580 00:32:33,040 --> 00:32:34,920 But on September 24th 581 00:32:35,400 --> 00:32:37,600 our task was to reduce that velocity 582 00:32:37,760 --> 00:32:39,360 at the right time so that 583 00:32:39,440 --> 00:32:43,440 instead of flying through the planetary system 584 00:32:44,000 --> 00:32:46,320 it will be properly captured around Mars. 585 00:32:46,440 --> 00:32:49,840 This breaking was done 586 00:32:50,200 --> 00:32:52,160 by turning the spacecraft 587 00:32:52,400 --> 00:32:55,680 and then firing the liquid engine in the opposite direction. 588 00:32:59,760 --> 00:33:02,840 Several Mars missions have failed at this stage. 589 00:33:03,280 --> 00:33:05,920 If the velocity is not adjusted accurately 590 00:33:06,160 --> 00:33:08,880 Mangalyaan could crash into Mars' surface 591 00:33:09,200 --> 00:33:11,760 or fail to enter into its intended orbit 592 00:33:11,960 --> 00:33:15,040 and wander off aimlessly into space. 593 00:33:21,360 --> 00:33:23,240 2 days before D-Day 594 00:33:23,320 --> 00:33:25,080 or Mars Orbit Insertion 595 00:33:25,520 --> 00:33:28,600 the decision is taken to test if the engine would come on. 596 00:33:34,040 --> 00:33:37,360 Mangalyaan's engine fired up without a hitch. 597 00:33:37,480 --> 00:33:39,840 Well done. 598 00:33:40,600 --> 00:33:42,520 For the last trajectory correction manoeuvre 599 00:33:42,680 --> 00:33:45,440 which happened 41 hours before the MOI. 600 00:33:45,760 --> 00:33:48,720 So, it was decided to use the main lam engine. 601 00:33:48,920 --> 00:33:52,120 And that day, the engine performed flawlessly 602 00:33:52,280 --> 00:33:55,560 for 4 seconds and we could get exactly what we wanted. 603 00:33:57,680 --> 00:34:00,080 Scientists were temporarily relieved 604 00:34:00,240 --> 00:34:02,760 but the real challenge was looming ahead. 605 00:34:07,120 --> 00:34:10,320 News comes in that America's Mars Orbiter, MAVEN 606 00:34:10,360 --> 00:34:13,680 has successfully entered into the Martian orbit. 607 00:34:16,080 --> 00:34:19,840 Will India be able to do the same with Mangalyaan? 608 00:34:21,480 --> 00:34:24,760 Insertion of Mars satellite into the orbit 609 00:34:25,080 --> 00:34:26,680 you have only one opportunity 610 00:34:26,720 --> 00:34:28,240 so you cannot fail. 611 00:34:28,280 --> 00:34:31,480 There is no correction possible for you simply because 612 00:34:31,520 --> 00:34:33,000 you do not have enough fuel. 613 00:34:33,200 --> 00:34:35,640 See, most of the other missions which have been done 614 00:34:35,960 --> 00:34:38,840 they carry with them so much more fuel 615 00:34:39,040 --> 00:34:41,640 that even if some problem occurs, an error occurs 616 00:34:41,880 --> 00:34:44,440 there is enough opportunity for you to recover 617 00:34:44,480 --> 00:34:46,120 and then make it happen. 618 00:34:48,520 --> 00:34:50,840 Scientists had many hurdles ahead. 619 00:34:50,880 --> 00:34:53,360 What makes this moment even more difficult 620 00:34:53,520 --> 00:34:56,320 is that while Mangalyaan enters the Martian orbit 621 00:34:56,480 --> 00:34:58,560 it will go behind the Red Planet 622 00:34:58,720 --> 00:35:02,560 thus cutting off communication with Earth and the mission team. 623 00:35:05,040 --> 00:35:08,080 This means Mangalyaan has to function on auto mode. 624 00:35:08,360 --> 00:35:10,200 Command Systems.. 625 00:35:12,040 --> 00:35:13,960 Commands have been fed in advance 626 00:35:14,240 --> 00:35:15,720 but there was a catch. 627 00:35:17,840 --> 00:35:20,640 Mangalyaan's intelligent system, or its brain 628 00:35:20,680 --> 00:35:22,840 is powered by its solar panels. 629 00:35:23,560 --> 00:35:25,160 But at the point of insertion 630 00:35:25,360 --> 00:35:28,520 sunlight to Mangalyaan will be blocked off by Mars 631 00:35:28,760 --> 00:35:30,760 so it will not get adequate power. 632 00:35:32,280 --> 00:35:34,840 The amount of power the satellite requires 633 00:35:35,320 --> 00:35:38,840 for all its systems to function is about 800 watts. 634 00:35:39,120 --> 00:35:41,560 That is equivalent to 8 x 100-watt bulb. 635 00:35:41,640 --> 00:35:44,560 So, with that minimal power even the satellite can function. 636 00:35:44,880 --> 00:35:48,120 So, the solar energy that Mars receives is much less. 637 00:35:48,360 --> 00:35:51,120 So, it varies in the region of 40% to 60% 638 00:35:51,440 --> 00:35:54,480 of what one would receive on Earth. 639 00:35:56,760 --> 00:35:59,640 Mangalyaan's design did take this into account. 640 00:36:00,240 --> 00:36:02,480 It has a backup lithium-ion battery. 641 00:36:02,680 --> 00:36:05,520 So, in effect, Mangalyaan would enter Mars orbit 642 00:36:05,600 --> 00:36:08,440 on its own, powered by a battery. 643 00:36:18,760 --> 00:36:20,840 The satellite is going behind Mars 644 00:36:20,920 --> 00:36:23,200 so it will get into what you can say 645 00:36:23,280 --> 00:36:25,040 line of sight nonvisibility. 646 00:36:25,360 --> 00:36:27,320 Then, it was also going into eclipse 647 00:36:27,440 --> 00:36:30,080 because the power generation on the satellite was going down. 648 00:36:30,320 --> 00:36:32,680 So, all those things were almost like a negative. 649 00:36:32,960 --> 00:36:35,200 So, you don't have access after 4 minutes 650 00:36:35,240 --> 00:36:36,760 and you don't have visibility. 651 00:36:36,840 --> 00:36:40,440 So, I kept telling, "Prepare for the worst" 652 00:36:40,560 --> 00:36:41,680 "hope for the best." 653 00:36:41,880 --> 00:36:43,680 That is the motto we can say. 654 00:36:54,360 --> 00:36:57,280 September 24th, 2014. 655 00:36:58,120 --> 00:37:00,240 A calm morning in Bengaluru 656 00:37:02,280 --> 00:37:03,760 belies the fact 657 00:37:04,120 --> 00:37:06,720 this is the moment of truth 658 00:37:07,000 --> 00:37:09,720 for one of India's most daring missions. 659 00:37:14,320 --> 00:37:16,760 Its first interplanetary journey 660 00:37:17,240 --> 00:37:18,320 to Mars. 661 00:37:23,080 --> 00:37:24,440 In the Mission Control Room 662 00:37:24,720 --> 00:37:26,440 Prime Minister Narendra Modi 663 00:37:26,520 --> 00:37:30,080 is intently watching history unfold before his eyes. 664 00:37:31,080 --> 00:37:34,320 India's Space Research Organisation's top bosses 665 00:37:34,360 --> 00:37:37,480 K. Radhakrishnan and A. S. Kiran Kumar 666 00:37:37,760 --> 00:37:40,000 calmly monitor the progress of the mission. 667 00:37:45,840 --> 00:37:49,320 We had to do a lot of new developments. 668 00:37:49,880 --> 00:37:52,400 We had to go through detail testing. 669 00:37:53,440 --> 00:37:56,280 The team did that what was considered impossible 670 00:37:56,520 --> 00:37:59,520 basically, the unleashing of the energy of this team. 671 00:37:59,560 --> 00:38:03,200 And the team evolved as they went ahead. 672 00:38:03,240 --> 00:38:06,560 Upto September 24th, it was a great phase of learning. 673 00:38:06,760 --> 00:38:08,600 And you would have seen in the Mission Control Centre 674 00:38:08,640 --> 00:38:11,880 that day, the bubbling youth 675 00:38:12,120 --> 00:38:14,440 and the experienced elders 676 00:38:14,680 --> 00:38:18,160 all coming together around this great mission. 677 00:38:22,040 --> 00:38:24,040 The plan of action is triggered. 678 00:38:26,440 --> 00:38:28,960 Mangalyaan reorients to slow down. 679 00:38:35,680 --> 00:38:37,440 5 minutes before ignition 680 00:38:37,480 --> 00:38:40,040 Mangalyaan passes into the Martian shadow 681 00:38:40,080 --> 00:38:41,400 entering an eclipse. 682 00:38:44,280 --> 00:38:46,600 The solar panels do not generate enough power 683 00:38:46,720 --> 00:38:49,360 as Mars obstructs sunlight to the Orbiter. 684 00:38:49,920 --> 00:38:53,040 So, Mangalyaan switches to its lithium-ion battery. 685 00:38:54,960 --> 00:38:57,000 At this point, Mangalyaan is still 686 00:38:57,040 --> 00:38:58,480 in line of sight with Earth. 687 00:39:01,440 --> 00:39:04,280 The engine fires up, but 4 minutes later 688 00:39:04,520 --> 00:39:06,680 Mangalyaan goes behind Mars 689 00:39:08,040 --> 00:39:10,920 cutting off all communication with the mission team. 690 00:39:14,840 --> 00:39:18,920 It will be over 25 minutes before a signal is received. 691 00:39:24,160 --> 00:39:27,360 There is pin-drop silence in the Mission Control Room. 692 00:39:30,760 --> 00:39:32,840 Without the signal from Mangalyaan 693 00:39:32,880 --> 00:39:35,080 teams could only hope that their spacecraft 694 00:39:35,120 --> 00:39:37,080 was behaving well and as planned. 695 00:39:37,920 --> 00:39:40,480 It seems like the longest wait. 696 00:39:44,360 --> 00:39:47,000 At this time, we had no real-time communication 697 00:39:47,040 --> 00:39:48,360 on what was happening. 698 00:39:48,480 --> 00:39:51,080 We had to wait patiently for the final result. 699 00:39:51,440 --> 00:39:53,320 It is like a period of measured silence 700 00:39:53,480 --> 00:39:54,640 in a symphony. 701 00:39:54,880 --> 00:39:55,920 Life is like that 702 00:39:55,960 --> 00:39:57,880 and space science is always like that. 703 00:39:58,160 --> 00:40:02,760 You have to wait for that period of almost half an hour 704 00:40:03,120 --> 00:40:05,720 knowing that, "Okay, everything is going on fine." 705 00:40:05,960 --> 00:40:07,680 Or, "Is it going on fine?" 706 00:40:07,720 --> 00:40:10,840 Will you get back the satellite? This thing.. 707 00:40:10,880 --> 00:40:13,000 So, that is the apprehension at that time. 708 00:40:15,360 --> 00:40:17,040 At this critical juncture 709 00:40:17,320 --> 00:40:19,880 NASA's ground stations in Goldstone, California 710 00:40:20,040 --> 00:40:23,680 and Canberra, Australia are intently tracking Mangalyaan. 711 00:40:24,280 --> 00:40:27,040 They would be the first to receive confirmation of success 712 00:40:27,080 --> 00:40:28,320 of this mission. 713 00:40:49,160 --> 00:40:52,320 The first message from Mangalyaan comes in. 714 00:40:56,080 --> 00:40:58,920 It has successfully entered Mars orbit. 715 00:40:59,200 --> 00:41:00,760 Scientists are jubilant. 716 00:41:01,200 --> 00:41:04,280 Prime Minister Modi cannot help display his elation. 717 00:41:04,760 --> 00:41:08,520 This is a landmark moment in India's space program. 718 00:41:16,320 --> 00:41:19,960 History has been created today. 719 00:41:21,040 --> 00:41:24,240 We have dared to reach out 720 00:41:25,080 --> 00:41:28,400 into the unknown and have achieved 721 00:41:29,320 --> 00:41:31,480 the near impossible. 722 00:41:33,040 --> 00:41:35,040 I congratulate 723 00:41:35,440 --> 00:41:37,600 all ISRO scientists 724 00:41:38,080 --> 00:41:41,760 as well as all my fellow Indians 725 00:41:42,760 --> 00:41:44,960 on this historic occasion. 726 00:41:45,000 --> 00:41:47,600 On that day, September 24th 727 00:41:47,640 --> 00:41:50,680 the children from the schools, they came early morning 728 00:41:50,920 --> 00:41:52,600 and they watched this thing. 729 00:41:52,640 --> 00:41:54,480 And we can see that response. 730 00:41:54,600 --> 00:41:59,280 The greatest benefit that we got from this mission in my view 731 00:41:59,560 --> 00:42:02,640 is kindling those young minds 732 00:42:02,760 --> 00:42:04,400 to get into science 733 00:42:04,680 --> 00:42:07,200 to give a feeling that India can do 734 00:42:07,360 --> 00:42:09,760 what people think impossible. 735 00:42:12,080 --> 00:42:16,040 As Mangalyaan cruises around Mars in a highly elliptical orbit 736 00:42:16,320 --> 00:42:19,560 it cant wait to show off its cool camera onboard. 737 00:42:19,720 --> 00:42:22,880 Rare and exciting photographs start pouring in. 738 00:42:23,080 --> 00:42:25,360 A full disc picture of Mars. 739 00:42:25,600 --> 00:42:28,960 Volcanoes. Large canyon ranges. 740 00:42:29,880 --> 00:42:31,280 Water vapour clouds. 741 00:42:32,400 --> 00:42:35,880 Phobos, one of the two natural moons of Mars. 742 00:42:37,000 --> 00:42:39,840 Spacecrafts like NASA's Curiosity rover 743 00:42:39,880 --> 00:42:43,440 that are already stationed around Mars welcome Mangalyaan. 744 00:42:45,360 --> 00:42:47,520 Curiosity's Twitter handle posts 745 00:42:47,560 --> 00:42:48,520 "Namaste." 746 00:42:51,000 --> 00:42:53,520 And Mangalyaan replies, "Howdy." 747 00:42:56,600 --> 00:42:59,000 The MAVEN team congratulates ISRO 748 00:42:59,200 --> 00:43:00,720 for its Mars arrival. 749 00:43:00,880 --> 00:43:03,360 India's Orbiter joins the missions 750 00:43:03,520 --> 00:43:05,400 studying the Red Planet. 751 00:43:06,160 --> 00:43:09,320 The Indian space agency is now the 4th in the world 752 00:43:09,480 --> 00:43:11,840 to successfully send a mission to Mars 753 00:43:12,320 --> 00:43:15,840 and the first ever to do this in its maiden attempt. 754 00:43:17,040 --> 00:43:19,520 The international community recognised this mission 755 00:43:19,920 --> 00:43:22,640 as a unique one, for the simple reason 756 00:43:23,200 --> 00:43:24,520 it was done in a short time. 757 00:43:25,320 --> 00:43:29,000 It was also done at a small budget. 758 00:43:29,240 --> 00:43:32,040 Whenever next there is a big interplanetary mission 759 00:43:33,320 --> 00:43:35,480 the world can't ignore India now. 760 00:43:35,720 --> 00:43:37,920 India would be a party to it. 761 00:43:38,240 --> 00:43:40,120 So, that's the big gain 762 00:43:40,160 --> 00:43:42,720 out of the Mangalyaan mission. 763 00:43:42,840 --> 00:43:45,560 Our primary objective will continue to be 764 00:43:45,960 --> 00:43:48,240 how we can bring in this space technology 765 00:43:48,280 --> 00:43:49,720 for the benefit of the country. 766 00:43:52,320 --> 00:43:54,080 At the time of making this film 767 00:43:54,280 --> 00:43:55,640 Mangalyaan had completed 768 00:43:55,720 --> 00:43:58,240 over 100 orbits around Mars. 769 00:43:58,680 --> 00:44:01,440 It continues to send back precious data. 770 00:44:04,200 --> 00:44:08,440 The Red Planet doesn't seem so far after all.