Marking a great breakthrough for India’s space mission,  the four-second test firing to wake up the main liquid engine on the Mars Orbiter Mission was proved to be successful yesterday, thus raising hopes for a similar success for the final engine firing tomorrow, 24 September, that will last for about 24 minutes before the Mars Orbit Insertion.

At 2:45 pm scientists at ISRO confirmed the success of the test-fire of the main liquid engine of the Mars Orbiter Mission.
There was, of course, a Plan B in case the four-second trial of the liquid engine fails, and that is the firing of eight thrusters to help put Mangalyaan in the orbit.

It is wake-up time for Mangalyaan on Monday, which is about to complete its 300-day journey to Mars, as scientists at the Indian Space Research Organisation will fire up the main liquid engine that has been dormant for most of the journey, just two days before the spacecraft will be put in the Red Planet’s orbit.