
Season 1, Episode 5
Snapshots From Afar
Minal Rohit, Seetha Somasundaram, and Nandini Harinath, Aerospace Engineers
Three scientists share stories about India’s first interplanetary mission—a mission to Mars.
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Three scientists share stories about India’s first interplanetary mission—a mission to Mars. With limited time and budget to design and launch the satellite—called MOM (for Mars Orbiter Mission)—Seetha Somasundaram, Nandini Harinath, and Minal Rohit spent long hours in the clean room, followed by tense and exciting moments tracking the satellite as it entered Mars’s orbit. Their efforts helped India become the first nation to successfully reach the Red Planet on its first attempt.
Credit: © Science Friday
Credit: AFP/Manjunath Kiran
External Links
BBC Profile Of The Women Scientists of ISROBetter India Profile Of The Women Of ISRO
Science Friday Interview: How India Made It To Mars On The First Try
Science Friday Educational Resource: Scale Solar System Orbits—And Satellites!