India plans for a Mars mission, and moon exploration, in space research revamp

India has set its sights on Mars as part of a basic-science oriented space strategy, which has been developed by the country’s Physical Research Laboratory.

During a two-day conference on planetary sciences and exploration in Bangalore earlier this month, PRL scientists discussed the concepts of 10 possible experiments for the exploration of the Red Planet using an orbiter. The experiments will cover new scientific terain, rather than build on previous experiments, says JN Goswami, director of PRL. The exercise was designed to provide inputs to the Indian Space Research Organisation when it plans such a mission, he says.