India’s Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), which has outlived its intended lifespan orbiting the Red Planet, is alive and kicking. Last month, MOM’s Mars Color Camera had captured an image of Olympus Mons, the loftiest mountain in the Solar System.

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), which shared the image of Olympus Mons, said Mars Color Camera (MCC) captured a spectacular image of Olympus Mons, the loftiest mountain in the Solar System, on February 17, 2018 from an altitude of 8,075 km. The bright (white) patches in the lower left part of the image show the water ice clouds aligned along NW direction over the Olympus Mons. 

The volcanic flows spreading outward of the Mons and having large fracture patterns are also seen in the background.

The Mars Color Camera is one of the payloads onboard the MOM spacecraft. According to ISRO, the tri-color Mars Color Camera is useful to monitor dynamic events and weather of Mars. MCC will also be used for probing the two satellites of Mars – Phobos and Deimos.

With the latest set of images, MOM has once again sent back signals from the Red Planet proving that its parameters are in good health despite spending a considerable amount of time in the Martian orbit.

India’s maiden mission to the Red Planet, MOM was intended to have a mission life of only six months but it has defied all odds as it has already completed more than 1,000 Earth days in the Martian orbit.

ISRO had launched MOM on November 5, 2013 and, a year later, on September 24, MOM was inserted into the Martian orbit making India the only space faring nation till date to achieve this feat in its very first attempt.