Scientists to get access to desi data from Mars

BENGALURU: Indian researchers and scientists, for the first time, will have access to desi data from Mars collected by the five scientific instruments on Isro's Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) spacecraft.
Until now, all research on the Red Planet depended on data from foreign agencies, especially Nasa, which has the most extensive collection of information.
The Department of Space and Isro have now decided to throw open the data gathered from the five payloads to the scientific community in the country.The agency has announced an opportunity to carry out scientific research using data from MOM. Isro has set a list of scientific objectives. A detailed proposal that meets these objectives will be picked.
Researchers can get an understanding of the Martian atmospheric processes, including dust storms% and cloud formation and surface geology from the data. The attraction though will be the study of methane, the presence or absence of which Isro is yet to declare.
Data will be free
"The principal investigators who designed and developed the various payloads (all from Isro) have already been studying the data. Now, we thought the entire scientific community must benefit from the mission and, thereby, provide the data for free," a senior official said.
The data from the satellite will be made available to the national scientific community by inviting research proposals, which can be submitted by individuals or scientists, academicians belonging to recognized institutions, universities and government organizations of India.
"Only those with a minimum remaining service of four years before superannuation are eligible to %lead the project as principal investigators (PIs) or Co-PIs. The proposals must be forwarded through the %head of the institution, with appropriate assurance for providing necessary facilities to carry out the project," Isro said.