India’s Mars Orbiter Spacecraft
is in its 100th orbit around Mars today (Start : June 22, 2015 End: June 25, 2015). The spacecraft was designed for a mission life of six months in Mars orbit, which was completed on March 24, 2015. With this, the primary objectives of the Mars Orbiter Mission were realised.
Mars Orbiter spacecraft has outlived its prime mission life and is healthy and operational. The spacecraft, which had earlier entered the ‘blackout phase’ (due to Mars moving behind the Sun from Earth’s perspective), is gradually coming out of that phase. The spacecraft health data is now being received. The current elliptical orbit of Mars Orbiter Spacecraft has a periareion (nearest point to Mars) of 474 km and an apoareion (farthest point to Mars) of 71, 132 km. [More at link]