ISRO Repositions Mangalyaan To Save It From Comet Siding Spring

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has changed the position of its Mars Orbiter popularly known as Mangalyaan so that Comet Siding Spring, which will fly by the Red Planet on October 19, does not affect the MOM in any way.

According to A S Kiran Kumar, director, Space Application Centre, Ahmedabad, "We have repositioned the Mars Orbiter, as the Comet Siding Spring is expected to be close to the Mars on October 19. We have taken the Orbiter to a position farthest from the tail of the Comet so that it doesn't affect the satellite."

ISRO and the US space agency NASA along with other space agencies in the world, which have sent their missions to the Red Planet, have taken precautionary measures in order to save their satellites from any possible collision with the space debris.

As per NASA, Comet Siding Spring has travelled many billions of miles and would come within about 87,000 miles of Mars on October 19.

Image: ISRO