ISRO’s Mangalyaan captures images of Phobos, Biggest moon of Mars

July 4, 2020

The Mars orbiter of the Indian Space Research Organization has captured images of Phobos, the biggest moon of Mars.

Highlights

The Mars Orbiter Mission spacecraft was placed in Mars orbit in September 2014. By this India entered the elite group of countries that hold an orbiter around the planet. The other countries that hold satellites around the planet include USA, Russia and European Union.

The mars orbiters of USA are Viking, Mariner9, Mars Global Surveyor, Mars Odyssey, MAVEN and Reconnaissance Orbiter. After the disintegration of USSR, Russia has not sent any satellites to Mars. However, the satellites sent by USSR are Mars and Phobos. The European Space Agency has sent ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter, Mars Express.

Phobos

The Phobos is made of carbonaceous chondrites. It is irregularly shaped and is the innermost and largest of the two satellites of moon. Also, due to its irregular surfaces, its Albedo is one of the least in the solar system. Albedo is the measure of solar radiation diffusion. Phobos does not have an atmosphere due to its low mass and gravity.