Giant Pune Telescope Got Signals From Mars Lander 2 Minutes Before Touchdown

Giant Pune Telescope Got Signals From Mars Lander 2 Minutes Before Touchdown.  For first time Giant Pune telescope was deployed to track landing of a space craft on Mars.  A mega Indian telescope bank near Pune received the last signal sent from an ambitious European Space Agency mission to put a lander on the planet Mars. Scientists believe the Mars lander Schiaparelli touched down on Mars last

evening, but may not have survived the impact, as it is emitting no signal. The Giant Meter Wave Radio Telescope (GMRT), located about 80 km north of Pune, received signals from the Schiaparelli till about two minutes before its touchdown, said Swarna Ghosh, director at the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Pune.

The GMRT, which has 30 big dish antennas, each of a 45-meter diameter, was tasked by the European Space Agency to track the trajectory of the Schiaparelli as it neared the surface of Mars.

"19 Indian telescopes were working together to gather the signal and till two minutes before the touchdown of the Schiaparelli the telescopes received the signals. After that communication was lost," Mr Ghosh said.

He said he believes the signals were lost at a point when special rockets or thrusters were to fire, slowing down the European craft so that it could land safely to have a safe landing.

Giant Pune Telescope Got Signals From Mars Lander 2 Minutes Before Touchdown