India was the first nation to successfully reach the Red Planet on its first attempt when the Mars Orbiter Mission (M.O.M), also known as Mangalyaan, entered orbit in 2014. The spacecraft continues to beam data back to mission control in Bengaluru; one of its stunning images of Mars graced the cover of last November’s issue of National Geographic. But the “technology demonstrator,” as I.S.R.O calls M.O.M,
NASA is said to be in talks with I.S.R.O for India’s 1st Venus mission. The name of the Venus mission has been proposed as Shukrayaan (Venus Ship), but no confirmation has arrived from I.S.R.O regarding the naming of the mission.
Meanwhile, I.S.R.O will also launch India’s 2nd Mars mission, which is scheduled for 2021-22. In this second Mars mission, I.S.R.O is planning to put a robot vehicle (rover) on the surface of Mars. Both French Space Agency and NASA are keen to partner with India for Mars’s 2nd mission.
While India’s first mission to Mars undertaken in 2013 was a purely Indian mission, the French space agency wants to collaborate in making the Mars rover.
