The Mars Color Camera (MCC) in the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has photographed Mars' largest moon 'Phobos'. This photo was captured on July 1 when Mangalyaan was about 7,200 kilometers from Mars and about 4,200 kilometers from Phobos.

Explaining information about the photo, ISRO has stated that it is a composite picture captured from a 6 MCC frame and has been a color corrected. According to ISRO, in this picture, huge pits (Stickney craters) created by the collision of Phobos with celestial bodies are also seen. These are Shklovski, Roche, and Grildrig.

The mission was initially intended for six months, but later ISRO said that due to the sufficient amount of fuel, it is capable of service for many years. On 24 September 2014, India successfully placed the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) into the orbit of the red planet (Mars) in space. This feat was achieved in the first attempt and thus the country joined an elite group reaching there.

Cost Of Mars Orbiter Mission

ISRO launched it by PSLV rocket from Sri Harikota, Andhra Pradesh on 5 November 2013. The cost involved in this mission is Rs 450 crore. The mission aims to study the surface of Mars and the composition of minerals there. It also aims to investigate methane in the atmosphere there. Methane is an indication of life on Mars.

Five Scientific Instruments Used In Mars Orbiter

Mars Orbiter has five scientific instruments - Lyman Alpha Photometer (LAP), Methane Sensor for Mars (MSM), Mars Exospheric Neutral Composition Analyzer (MENCA), Mars Color Camera (MCC) and Thermal Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (TIS).