After 12 years of the historic success of Mangalyaan (Mars Orbiter Mission), the Indian Space Research Organisation (commonly known as ISRO) has confirmed that they are working on another major interplanetary step, the ‘Mangalyaan-2’. An announcement was made by Dr V Narayanan, Chairman of ISRO, where he stated that the mission will happen in 2030 and it will be India's maiden attempt to soft-land on the Martian surface.
This is part of India's increased involvement in deep-space missions around the world after the success of Chandrayaan-3, Aditya-L1, and other international missions such as NISAR.
ISRO took a big leap from Mangalyaan-1
The first Mangalyaan was launched on November 5 (2013) and made global headlines for India, as:
- It was the first Asian nation to reach Martian orbit
- The first country in the world to succeed on its maiden Mars attempt
- It continued operational for more than seven years, providing valuable data on:
- Mars' atmosphere and climate
- Surface mineralogy
- High-resolution imaging
Communication ended in 2022 due to fuel exhaustion, far beyond its 6-month planned life span.
What will Mangalyaan-2 do?
The new mission will be much more complex: whereas MOM was strictly an orbiter mission, Mangalyaan-2 is expected to attempt India's first landing on Mars.
Key components expected:
- Orbiter – for atmospheric and surface studies
- Lander: It's for a soft landing on Mars.
- Optional Rover – currently under feasibility study
Key technologies under development:
- Advanced propulsion for deep space travel
- High-precision navigation and guidance
- New landing engines and sensors to survive the thin Martian atmosphere
- Autonomous terrain assessment for safe landing
ISRO officials said:
"Mangalyaan-2 is being designed not just to orbit Mars but to enable India's first soft landing on another planet."
Mission preparations underway
Engineering and preliminary design work have commenced at:
- Space Applications Centre (SAC)
- Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC)
ISRO is also considering international partnerships for scientific instruments, much like the collaborations used in Chandrayaan-3 and NASA-ISRO's NISAR mission.
What does Mangalyaan-2 mean for India?
If ISRO mission is successful, India will join the list of countries that have already achieved a Mars landing.
- United States
- China
- Former Soviet Union
Mangalyaan-2 mission: What will Indian scientists get after mission's success?
- Indian scientists will get to know the surface chemistry and soil analysis.
- They could analyse Mars weather and dust cycle data.
- Sub-surface imaging for water traces.
- High-resolution terrain mapping.
Strategic gains:
- Advances in autonomous navigation.
- Stronger planetary mission experience.
- Growing influence in the global space sector.
- Strengthening India's long-term interplanetary roadmap.
- A Milestone for India's Space Future.
The 2030 launch will be a historic step in the Indian journey of planetary exploration. With Mangalyaan-2, India will make an attempt to show its capability to not only reach Mars but also to land successfully on it.
The vision of ISRO places India squarely among the top spacefaring nations in the world, building on the success of the original Mangalyaan.
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