From orbit to landing: Isro gears up for Mangalyaan-2 mission to Mars in 2030

Twelve years after India’s remarkable achievement with the Mangalyaan mission, the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) has officially announced its plans to land on Mars for the first time. The Mangalyaan-2 mission, set for launch in 2030, was confirmed by Isro Chairman Dr. V Narayanan during a recent address.

India's first Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), launched on November 5, 2013, made history by becoming the first Asian nation to reach Mars’ orbit and the first to do so on its maiden attempt. MOM operated for over seven years, gathering crucial data about Mars’ atmosphere, surface features, and mineral composition, before communication was lost in 2022.

The upcoming Mangalyaan-2 mission represents a major leap forward, as it will include not only an orbiter but also a lander, with a potential small rover. Isro aims to achieve India's first soft landing on the Red Planet, marking a significant milestone in the country’s space exploration journey.

The mission will rely on advanced technology, including new propulsion, navigation, and landing systems designed to withstand the challenges of Mars’ thin atmosphere. As Isro officials shared, “Mangalyaan-2 is being designed not just to orbit Mars, but to achieve India’s first soft landing on another planet,” aligning with the nation’s ambitious goals for interplanetary exploration.

Preliminary design work and mission studies are already underway at Isro’s Space Applications Centre and Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre. The agency is also exploring the possibility of international collaborations for scientific payloads and data sharing, similar to its approach with previous successful missions like Chandrayaan-3 and NISAR.

If successful, Mangalyaan-2 will join the ranks of the United States, China, and the former Soviet Union as one of the few nations to land on Mars. It will further enhance India’s capabilities in deep-space navigation, surface analysis, and autonomous operations.

The 2030 launch will not only mark another giant leap in India’s Mars exploration efforts but will also continue the legacy of Mangalyaan’s groundbreaking success.