MCC Imaging Timeline 28 September 2014 – MOM (Mars Orbiter Mission) controllers published the spacecraft's first global view of Mars. The image was captured by the Mars Color Camera (MCC) 4 March 2015 – MCC was returning new images of Martian surface 24 September 2015 – ISRO released ‘Mars Atlas’, a 120-page scientific atlas containing images and data from MOM’s 1st year in orbit 19 May 2017 – MOM reached 1,000 days (973 sols (Martian Days)) in orbit around Mars. In that time, the spacecraft completed 388 orbits of the planet and relayed > 715 images back to Earth 24 September 2018 – MOM completed 4 years in its orbit around Mars, although the designed mission life was only 6 months. Over these years, MOM’s MCC captured > 980 images that were released to the public 24 September 2019 – MOM completed 5 years in orbit around Mars, sending 2 TB of imaging data 1 July 2020 – MOM captured a photo of Mars satellite Phobos from 4,200 km away 18 July 2021 – MCC captured full disc image of Mars from an altitude of 75,000 km with spatial resolution about 3.7 km October 2022 – MCC produced 1,100+ images before retirement DISCLAIMER All material (Text, Images, Graphics etc.) in these slides have been procured from publicly available sources of ISRO and other agencies, which includes ISRO partners. There are selected images from NASA also, where relevant, also procured from freely available public resources. Instead of individually acknowledging each image they have been collectively credited through this Disclaimer page. The author makes no copyright claims on any material. They have been sorted, edited as relevant, collated and inserted to align them with the sequence of the slides, as deemed fit by the author. They have been posted with academic altruism in mind, for those interested in Astrophysics and Astronomy and related technology, like the author. There is no commercial or promotional motivation involved anywhere. The author is not an Astrophysicist or an Astronomer. The author does not work for ISRO, NASA or any tech company. The author is a nerd who loves technology, Astrophysics and Astronomy and who dabbles in related developments of ISRO, NASA etc. during his spare time as an intellectual hobby. Thus, he satiates his academic appetite, learns in the process and wishes to share them with like-minded people. At the time of publication, all material has been updated and is deemed to be accurate. If any errors are detected by the reader(s), I shall be happy to be corrected. The responsibility for any errors are solely mine and not that of the parent organizations. Here’s is wishing everyone a happy armchair space exploration on this occasion of New Year 2024!

1. MARS IMAGES – FROM ISRO AND NASA
COMPILED BY - SANJOY SANYAL
[WITH DATA FROM ISRO AND NASA]

2. DISCLAIMER
All material (Text, Images, Graphics etc.) in these slides have been procured from publicly available sources of ISRO and other
agencies, which includes ISRO partners. There are selected images from NASA also, where relevant, also procured from freely
available public resources. Instead of individually acknowledging each image they have been collectively credited through this
Disclaimer page. The author makes no copyright claims on any material.
They have been sorted, edited as relevant, collated and inserted to align them with the sequence of the slides, as deemed fit by
the author. They have been posted with academic altruism in mind, for those interested in Astrophysics and Astronomy and
related technology, like the author. There is no commercial or promotional motivation involved anywhere.
The author is not an Astrophysicist or an Astronomer. The author does not work for ISRO, NASA or any tech company. The author
is a nerd who loves technology, Astrophysics and Astronomy and who dabbles in related developments of ISRO, NASA etc. during
his spare time as an intellectual hobby. Thus, he satiates his academic appetite, learns in the process and wishes to share them
with like-minded people.
At the time of publication, all material has been updated and is deemed to be accurate. If any errors are detected by the
reader(s), I shall be happy to be corrected. The responsibility for any errors are solely mine and not that of the parent
organizations.
Here’s is wishing everyone a happy armchair space exploration on this occasion of New Year 2024!

3. Pic: MCC captured full disc image of Mars from
Altitude = 75,000 km; Spatial Resolution = ~3.7 km
Red Color: of Martian Surface is due to Iron Oxide
(Fe2O3), which is called ‘Rust’ on Earth
1/135
MENCA Findings
• Shown for 1st time that abundance of O2 exceeds that of CO2 at ~270
±10 km Altitude, during Perihelion evening hours (GRL, 2016)
• Detected ‘Hot’ (Supra-thermal – more energetic than Thermal) 18Ar
in Mars Exosphere, during Perihelion (GRL, 2017)
MARS

4. MARS
Pic: Ancient Romans named the ‘wandering’ dot of red light
‘Mars’ after their god of war, because its red color reminded
them of blood
In ancient India Mars was called
‘Mangala’.
Mars was a.k.a. ‘Angaraka’, and
was referred to as ‘Son of the
Earth’ in ancient Indian texts

5. MCC IMAGING TIMELINE
• 28 September 2014 – MOM (Mars Orbiter Mission) controllers published the spacecraft's first global view of Mars. The image
was captured by the Mars Color Camera (MCC)
• 4 March 2015 – MCC was returning new images of Martian surface
• 24 September 2015 – ISRO released ‘Mars Atlas’, a 120-page scientific atlas containing images and data from MOM’s 1st year
in orbit
• 19 May 2017 – MOM reached 1,000 days (973 sols (Martian Days)) in orbit around Mars. In that time, the spacecraft
completed 388 orbits of the planet and relayed > 715 images back to Earth
• 24 September 2018 – MOM completed 4 years in its orbit around Mars, although the designed mission life was only 6
months. Over these years, MOM’s MCC captured > 980 images that were released to the public
• 24 September 2019 – MOM completed 5 years in orbit around Mars, sending 2 TB of imaging data
• 1 July 2020 – MOM captured a photo of Mars satellite Phobos from 4,200 km away
• 18 July 2021 – MCC captured full disc image of Mars from an altitude of 75,000 km with spatial resolution about 3.7 km
• October 2022 – MCC produced 1,100+ images before retirement

6. R. Pic: 1st image of Surface of Mars 25 Sep 2014 from
7,300 km by MCC of MOM
L. Pic: Arsia Mons
MARS

7. MARS
R. Pic: Martian North Pole
L. Pic: Tharsis and Valles Marineris on Mars full disc
image

8. MARS
Pic: MOM’s MCC 3-Frame Mosaic of Syrtis Major region on 24 September 2015

9. MARS
R. Pic: Dust
Storm in
Northern
Hemisphere of
Mars full disc
image
L. Pic: Mars
from 8,449 km
away

10. MARS DISC
R. Pic: Global
shot of Mars
L. Pic: Mars
Disc by MCC on
9 Nov 2017
ISRO posted
this image at
11.45 PM on 20
November 2017
It is not clear
what the arrow
is pointing at.
Perhaps it is a
Dust Storm??

11. KASSEI
VALLES
Pic: High
Resolution image
of Kassei Valles
region by MCC
(Mars Color
Camera) of MOM
(Mars Orbiter
Mission) by ISRO
on date unknown
Inset Pic: Full Disc
image of Mars of
same region
shown in hi-res in
the main image

12. BAKHUYSEN – TYRRHENUM
R. Pic: Bakhuysen Crater on Mars
L. Pic: Tyrrhenum Quadrangle of Mars
Scopulus: Lobate / Irregular Escarpment (Escarpment = Steep
slope or long cliff formed by faulting or erosion, and separating
2 relatively level areas having different elevations)

13. LINKED CRATERS – COPRATES
R. Pic: 3 Linked Craters of Mars, by MCC
L. Pic: Coprates Region of Mars, by MCC

14. IMPACT CRATERS
Pic: Superimposed Impact Craters
MCC (Mars Color Camera)
Date: 19 Feb 2015
Spatial Resolution = 19 m
Altitude = 366 km
R. ½ of Image: Impact Crater
showing Floor and Rim
L. ½ of Image: Smaller Craters
superimposed on a Larger Crater
• Implies, Smaller Craters are
younger than Larger Craters
Inset Pic: Blue dotted area has
been enlarged in main image

15. JUVENTAE – SAGAN
R. Pic: Juventae Fons and Baetis Chasma Terrains on Mars
L. Pic: Masursky and Sagan Craters on Mars
Chasma: Deep, elongated, steep-sided depression
Juventae Fons: ‘Fountain of Youth’
-4.94° N 297.0° E

16. DANIELSON – FLAMMARION
R. Pic: Danielson and Kalocsa Craters on Mars by MCC
L. Pic: Flammarion Impact Crater on Mars by MCC

17. MARS GLOBAL MOSAIC – ISRO
Pics: MCC captured full disc image of Mars on 18 July 2021
• Altitude = 75,000 km
• Spatial Resolution = ~ 3.7 km

18. FULL DISC MARS
18 July 2021 – MCC captured full disc image of Mars;
Altitude = 75,000 km; Spatial Resolution = ~ 3.7 km

19. ARENA DORSUM
R. Pic: Arena Dorsum Region on Mars by MCC
L. Pic: Snapshot Covering Large Region of Mars, by MCC

20. GALE CRATER
Gale Crater: Probably a dry lake
• Coordinates: 5.4° S; 137.8° E
• Northwestern part of Aeolis Quadrangle on Mars
• Diameter: 154 km (96 mi)
• Age: 3.5–3.8 billion years old
Naming: Walter Frederick Gale, Amateur Astronomer,
Sydney, Australia, observed Mars in late 19th Century
Evidence suggest that a Lake existed inside Gale shortly
after formation of the Crater
 Mount Sharp = Mountain in the center of Gale and
rises 5.5 km (18,000 ft) high
 Aeolis Palus = Plain b/w northern wall of Gale and
the northern foothills of Aeolis Mons
 Peace Vallis = A nearby outflow channel,
 ‘Flows' down from the hills to Aeolis Palus
below
 ‘Seems’ to have been carved by flowing water
NASA: Mars Rover Curiosity, Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission
• Landed in ‘Yellowknife’ Quad 51 of Aeolis Palus in Gale Crater at
05:32 UTC 6 August 2012
• NASA named the location Bradbury Landing on 22 August 2012
• Curiosity is exploring Aeolis Mons and surrounding areas

21. ROVER CURIOSITY IMAGE
R. Pic: Rover Curiosity, Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) of NASA
• Landed in ‘Yellowknife’ Quad 51 of Aeolis Palus in Gale Crater
at 05:32 UTC on 6 August 2012
• NASA named the location Bradbury Landing on 22 August 2012
• Curiosity is exploring Aeolis Mons and surrounding areas in a
systematic way, carrying a large array of scientific instruments
• Curiosity has triggered a worldwide interest in Mars
L. Pic: Gale Crater
(Same pic as in
previous slide)

22. THYMIAMATA
R. Pic: Thymiamata - One of the Brightest Desert Regions on Mars
L. Pic: Large Area of Mars 1,800 km X 1,800 km by MCC of MOM (ISRO)

23. THARSIS THOLUS
R. Pic: Mars Terrain Snapshot by MCC;
• Altitude = 26,300 km; Date: 30 Dec 2015
L. Pic: Shield Volcano Tharsis Tholus (See also Slide 39)
Enlarged in
left picture

24. HENRY – GILL CRATERS
Pics: by MCC of MOM; Gill Crater: Impact Crater in the Arabia
Quadrangle of Mars
• Coordinates: 15.9°N 354.6°W
• Diameter = 83.0 km
• Astronomer: David Gill

25. ARABIA TERRA
Pic: Arabia Terra by Mars Color Camera (MCC) of MOM (ISRO)
Arabia Terra:
• Large upland region in north of Mars
• Lies mostly in the Arabia Quadrangle
• Small part is in the Mare Acidalium Quadrangle
Topographic Features
• Densely cratered and heavily eroded
• Battered topography indicates great age
• Arabia Terra is presumed to be one of the oldest
terrains on Mars
• Arabia Terra might also have been a historic spot for
Martian Super Volcanoes
• Crust there is quite thin, making it a good spot for
Magma to seep through
[On Earth, a Super Volcano is defined as one that can produce
at least 1,000 cu. km of volcanic materials in an eruption that is
1000s of times larger than ‘normal’ volcanic eruption. It is
powerful enough to alter global climate]

26. THAUMASIA PLANUM – WRINKLE
RIDGE
Thaumasia Planum
(Wrinkle Ridge)
MCC (Mars Color
Camera) Picture
Date: 1 May 2015
Spatial Resolution =
29 m
Altitude = 551 km
Impact Craters = 11
Wrinkle =
Compression Stresses
Ridge = Linear /
Curved Elongated
Raised Structure
Inset Pic: Red dot
enlarged

27. MAADIM VALLIS
Maadim Vallis
MCC (Mars Color
Camera) Picture
Date: 6 May 2015
Spatial Resolution = 31
m
Altitude = 595 km
Impact Craters = ∞
Fluvial Channel =
Pertaining to / Related
to / Created by River /
Stream
Inset Pic: Red dot
enlarged in main
image

28. COMAS SOLA – HESPERIA
R. Pic: Region Around Comas Sola Crater on Mars, by MCC
L. Pic: Part of Hesperia Planum Region on Mars, by MCC
Inset Pics: Red dot enlarged in main images
Pics: By Mars Color Camera (MCC) of Mars Orbiter Mission
(MOM), ISRO

29. TYRRHENUS – PITAL
R. Pic: Tyrrhenus Mons on Mars, by MCC
L. Pic: Pital Crater on Mars, on 23 April 2015 by MCC

30. AURORAE – PYRRHAE – BATOKA
1. Aurorae Chaos
2. Pyrrhae Chaos
3. Batoka Crater
Location: Eastern end
of Valles Marineris
Region
MCC (Mars Color
Camera) picture
Date: 5 Dec 2014
Spatial Resolution =
535 m
Altitude = 10,274 km
Impact Craters = ∞
Past Fluvial Activity =
Eroded Floor of
Canyon
Chaos = Broken Terrain
w/in Canyon
Inset Pic: Red dot

31. MANGALA – SABIS VALLES
1. Mangala Valles
2. Sabis Valles
3. Channel Bar
MCC (Mars Color
Camera) picture
Date: 2 Dec 2014
Spatial Resolution
= 470 m
Altitude = 9,032
km
Impact Craters = ∞
Flow pattern in
Mangala Valles
region clearly seen
Channel Bar
indicates release of
vast amounts of
Water by floods
Inset Pic: Red dot

32. MANGALA FOSSA – VALLES
1. Mangala Fossa
2. Mangala Valles
MCC picture
Date: 16 Nov 2014
Spatial Resolution =
300 m
Altitude = 5,969 km
Graben: In Mangala
Fossa formed by
Extensional Stresses
• SW-NE direction
• 695 km long
• Cutting across
Mangala Valles
Parallel Faults south
of Mangala Fossa
Inset Pic: Red dot
enlarged

33. THARSIS – VALLES MARINERIS
Pic: Full disc image of Mars, showing Tharsis and Valles
Marineris; by MCC on MOM by ISRO

34. VALLES MARINERIS
Pic: Valles Marineris central portion
on Mars
MCC (Mars Color Camera) picture
Date: 5 December 2014
Spatial Resolution = 1.2 km
Altitude = 24,000 km
Wall of Canyon clearly seen
Valley mostly filled w/ dust haze at
this time of Martian Year
Inset Pic: Blue dot enlarged in main
image

35. VALLES MARINERIS
Pic: Valles Marineris central portion
on Mars
MCC (Mars Color Camera) picture
Date: 28 Jan 2015
Spatial Resolution = 300 m
Altitude = 5,797 km
Wall of Canyon clearly seen
Valley mostly filled w/ dust haze at
this time of Martian Year
Inset Pic: Blue dot enlarged
MCC Research Findings:
• Atmospheric Optical Depth (AOD)
estimated by MCC observations
• Studies reported presence of Lee-
Wave clouds above southern wall
of Valles Marineris (Icarus, 2015)

36. VALLES MARINERIS
VALLES MARINERIS
• Largest, Deepest Canyon on Mars
• Depth = 7 km
• Length = 4,000 km
• Width = 200 km
Like Earth’s Grand Canyon (which is much smaller), Marineris is visible from Space
Pic: Valles Marineris by MCC;
Labeled Landmarks
• Melas Chasma (See next slide)
• Ophir Chasma
• Hydrae Chasma
• Ophir Planum
• Oudemons

37. VALLES MARINERIS
Pic: 3D view of Valles
Marineris by MCC
High / Low points in
Canyon (labeled)
• Coprates Chasma
= 5 km
• Melas Chasma =
4.8 km
• Hebes Chasma =
3.8 km
• Louros Valles =
2.2 km
• Echus Chasma
• Luna Planum
Inset Pic: Blue dot
enlarged

38. OLYMPUS MONS
R. Pic: Olympus Mons on Mars by MCC, MOM, ISRO
L. Pic: Water-Ice Clouds over Olympus Mons; by MCC
Inset Pic: Red-circled region in inset picture has been enlarged to show
Olympus Mons and Clouds over it

39. OLYMPUS MONS
R. Pic: Olympus Mons, by MCC, MOM, ISRO
L. Pic: Olympus Mons - Large Shield Volcano on Mars [See
Tharsis Tholus on Slide 23, which is also a Shield Volcano]
OLYMPUS MONS
• Largest Volcano on Mars
• Height = 26 km
• Diameter = 602 km

40. ARSIA MONS
Pic: Arsia Mons on Mars, by MCC of MOM, ISRO
• One among large Volcanic Mountains
• In Tharsis Region of Mars

41. ARSIA MONS
Pic: Arsia Mons region on Mars
MCC (Mars Color Camera) picture
Date: 4 January 2015
Spatial Resolution = 556 m
Altitude = 10,707 km
ARSIA MONS
• One among large Volcanic
Mountains
• In Tharsis Region of Mars
• Water Vapor Clouds around
Arsia Mons seen on left of the
Mountain
Inset Pic: Blue dot enlarged in main
picture

42. ARSIA MONS – 3D
Pic: By Mars Color Camera (MCC), MOM, ISRO

43. KINKORA CRATER
Pic: Kinkora Crater on Mars, shown
on right ½ of image
MCC (Mars Color Camera) picture
Date: 16 February 2015
Spatial Resolution = 110 m
Altitude = 2,286 km
Wind Streaks
• Aligned along NW-SE axis in this
image
• Caused by Wind Erosion Process

44. EOS CHAOS
Pic: Eos Chaos by MCC,
MOM, ISRO
Chaos = Broken Terrain
w/in Canyon

45. PHOBOS
Main Pic: Phobos silhouetted against bright Martian
Surface
MCC: Captured a photo of Mars satellite Phobos
Date: 1 July 2020
Altitude: 4,200 km away
• [MCC also observed the far side of Deimos, the
other Moon of Mars for the first time]
Inset Pic: Enlarged view of Phobos by MCC seen as a
dark pebble against the brighter background of Mars

46. EARTH
Pic: First Image of Earth by MCC on 19 Nov 2013
Can you recognize the Indian Subcontinent?

47. MCC SPATIAL RESOLUTION VS. HEIGHT
Spatial Resolution vs. Distance
Spatial Resolution (m) Distance/Height (km)
19 366
29 551
31 595
535 10274
470 9032
300 5969
1200 24000
300 5797
556 10707
110 2286
y = 19.717x
Height
of
Spacecraft
(Km)
Spatial Resolution (m)
Spatial Resolution (m) vs. Height (km)

48. MARS ATLAS – CURRENCY
Pic 1: Chairman, ISRO, Shri A.S. Kiran Kumar
(Center) releasing the Mars Atlas on completion of
One Year of Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) in Orbit,
in Bangalore on 24 September 2015
• Dr. Y.V.N. Krishnamoorthy (1st Left): Scientific
Secretary, ISRO
• Dr. Annadurai M (2nd Left): Director, ISRO
Satellite Centre
• Shri Tapan Misra (2nd Right): Director, Space
Application Centre, ISRO
• Shri Deviprasad Karnik (1st Right): Director
Public Relations Unit, ISRO
Pic 2: Illustration of Mars Orbiter on the reverse
side of New Series ₹ 2000 Banknote

49. NASA – JPL IMAGES
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION – JET PROPULSION LABORATORY
PASADENA CA

50. MARS SURFACE – ARTISTIC
Pic: A science fiction image of Martian Surface, with the hazy
outline of another planet (possibly Earth) in the background

51. MARINER IMAGES – NASA
L. Pic: NASA’s Mariner 9 sent breath-taking pictures of Mars in 1971
from its orbit around the planet. Showed:
• Giant Volcanoes
• Gigantic System of Valleys
• Features indicating Large Quantities of Water Flow long ago
• But No Indications of Canals (19th Century Italian Astronomer’s so-
called ‘Canali’ (Channels)), or Intelligent Life Forms
R. Pic: NASA’s Mariner 4 was 1st Spacecraft to
successfully explore Mars through Mars Flyby in 1965
• Sent B/W Pictures of Mars w/
• Many Craters and unremarkable Landscape

52. VIKING LANDER IMAGE
Two NASA Viking Spacecrafts went to Mars and
started orbiting it in 1976
• Later, each successfully sent a Lander to Martian
surface
• Viking Pictures (shown): Martian surface
resembled deserts of Earth
• No Macroscopic Life Forms were detected
• Viking Landers took Soil Samples
• Performed Biochemical tests on Soil Samples to
determine if Microscopic Life Forms existed
• No Microscopic Life Forms were found

53. MARS METEORITE
R. Pic: Surface of Mars, as seen by a NASA Lander sitting on it
L. Pic: Meteorite ALH84001 landed on Earth in 1996
• Scientists claimed, w/ proof, that it came from Mars
• Material inside the piece of Space Rock seemed to strongly
suggest Fossils of Martian Micro-organisms
• This view has not been universally accepted

54. VICTORIA CRATER
R. Pic: Swirling trails left by earlier passage of dust devils across
Sand Dunes (NASA / Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL))
L. Pic: Victoria Crater at Meridiani Planum. Crater Diameter =
800 m (NASA / Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL))