Eclipse modeling for the Mars Orbiter Mission

• Various Mars shadow eclipse models are described.
• Mathematical models are simulated to the Mars exploring MOM spacecraft.
• Atmospheric dust of Mars is considered in the models.
• Results are compared with STK and real time telemetry data.

Mars exploring spacecraft “Mars Orbiter Mission” is India’s first interplanetary mission. It is placed in a highly elliptical orbit around the planet Mars with an orbital period of 65 h and 27 min. There was no eclipse on the MOM spacecraft during its interplanetary transfer. During the Martian phase, it started to experience eclipse shadow of Mars from the beginning. In this paper, we discuss several conical shadow eclipse prediction models by accounting the effects of atmospheric dust of Mars considering both spherical and oblate shape of the red planet. A study is performed using the results obtained by different shadow models, Systems Tool Kit (STK), and the actual telemetry data. We notice that effects of the atmospheric dust of Mars cannot be neglected on the MOM spacecraft.