This Article is From Oct 16, 2014

India Repositions its Mars Orbiter to Avoid Comet Siding Spring

India Repositions its Mars Orbiter to Avoid Comet Siding Spring

A rocket carrying the Mars orbiter takes off from Sriharikota. (Press Trust of India)

Siharikota: Indian space agency has repositioned its Mars Orbiter as a precautionary measure against the Comet Siding Spring to fly by the red planet October 9, said a senior official on Thursday.

"We have repositioned the Mars Orbiter, as the Comet Siding Spring is expected to be close to the Mars on October 19," A.S.Kiran Kumar, director, Space Application Centre, Ahmedabad said here.

He added the Indian space agency has taken the Mars Orbiter to a position far away from the comet's tail.

Space agencies like Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), NASA of the US and others who have ventured into Mars mission have taken precautionary measure.

According NASA, the Comet Siding Spring is expected to come within about 87,000 miles of Mars October 19.
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