The methane sensor is billed as a key scientific payload as it is designed to collect data about possible presence of methane on the Martian surface, which in turn, is supposed to be an indicator of the presence of life forms on the red planet.

Like the finding of water signature by Chandrayaan, Indian scientists are hoping that MOM will give clues about life on Mars. But these hopes have been dashed recently by NASA scientists who have reported that Curiosity Rover, which collected data over period spanning Martian spring to late summer, could not detect any methane.