On September 24 last year, the country’s space scientists made world history by precisely manoeuvring the first Indian Mars spacecraft to go around the red planet exactly as planned. Parent ISRO marks a year of the successful Mars Orbiter Mission with a simple, in-house affair on Thursday.

The Rs. 450-crore Mars mission has lifted India’s and ISRO’s image in the world, stirring a few novice Southeast Asian and West Asian nations to look at space and launch their own missions, with ISRO’s help, says ISRO Chairman A.S. Kiran Kumar.

‘It has lifted brand of India, ISRO’

The historic first Indian Mars Orbiter Mission, which completes a year around Mars on September 24, may be propelling India and ISRO to be the big daddy of space in this region.

It has significantly lifted the brand of India and ISRO abroad and spurred planetary aspirations of many countries, according to ISRO Chairman A.S. Kiran Kumar.

“Many countries now want to work with us and fund their own Mars and other missions,” he told The Hindu on the eve of MOM’s first anniversary in the Mars orbit.

Without naming any agency, he said at least one Gulf country wants to kick-start its space activities by launching a Mars mission with ISRO’s help. A few other Asian nations are also sharpening their space plans, purely egged on by the MOM effect.

South Korea plans to consult and involve ISRO in a proposed lunar mission.

It may take many months to draft blueprints of some of these collaborations. ISRO may be involved in planning and technical advice. It would prefer to pass on the building of spacecraft and sub-systems to a capable domestic industry while doing the launch itself, he said. sThe mission has also “advertised” the PSLV launch vehicle which launched MOM.