India began its space odyssey with Aryabhatta, the first unmanned satellite built by India and launched by the Soviet Union in 1975. Over the years, it has scripted a host of records with the development of powerful rockets and satellites. And India enjoys a unique status in space technology after the success of the Mars Orbiter Mission. On September 24, 2014, India became the first country to successfully place a spacecraft in Mars orbit in its first attempt. The Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan) was launched on November 5, 2013, by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The mission cost 4.5 billion rupees, which, by Western standards, is staggeringly cheap.
Initially, the mission was to last only six months, but ISRO extended it further and the orbiter continues to send data about Mars’ geology and atmosphere. Several women scientists played significant roles in Mars Orbiter Mission. They include Ritu Karidhal and Nandini Harinath, Deputy Operations Director, Mars Orbiter Mission and Anuradha TK, Geosat Programme Director, ISRO Satellite Centre.
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