Live reporting: India successfully launches Mangalyaan to Mars, goes into Earth's orbit

Sriharikota(AP): India today put its first confident foot forward in inter-planetary travel when it successfully launched the Mangalyaan (Mars Orbiter Mission) into Earth's orbit with old workhorse PSLV C-25 doing a perfect liftoff, putting the spacecraft in space. Mangalyaan will reach Mars in September, 2014. Indian Space Research Organisation scientists clapped as Mission Control announced that the Mangalyaan was now orbiting the Earth. Thishistoric mission to Mars was ISRO's first-ever launch outside the Earth's sphere of influence in its 44-year-long history. The Mission Control Room at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre here, about 100 from Chennai,was abuzz with activity as scientists went through the final stages of India's first mission to the red planet. Minister of State in PMO Narayanasami was present to watch the launch.The 76 metre tall Mobile Service Tower covering the 44.4 metre rocket was withdrawn to a distance of around 150 metres and soon after the PSLV C-25 lifted off smoothly with a thunderous roar into the Indian sky.Ever since its establishment in 1969, ISRO has only launched missions around Earth for various purposes and a single mission to the Moon. This is the first time the national space agency is aspiring to send a mission to study a celestial body outside Earth's sphere of influence. India's Mars Orbiter is expected to reach the red planet's orbit by September 2014 and look for the presence of methane, an indicator of life there. ISRO has put in place an extensive network of stations worldwide to track the Mars Orbiter Mission after launch from the first launch pad here at 2.38 PM.Here is the minute-by-minute live reporting of the launch:2 pm: Journalists, space scientists and other distinguished guests arrive at the Mission Control Room of Satish Dhawan Space Centre. 2:10 pm: ISRO scientists busy giving final touches to the launch. Many foreign guests watch as scientists go through the procedures.2:18 pm: Some 1,000 scientists have been checking every parameter at the spaceport from where PSLV-C25 will lift off at 2.38pm, carrying the Mars orbiter.2:20 pm: All systems okay, tracking system ready, satellite ready, Mission Director's authorisation for automatic launch sequence awaited2:25 pm: Experts say this is the most challenging space mission of India yet. India has never before attempted an inter-planetary journey which has required the development of technology enabling the probe to run autonomously.2:30 pm: Mobile service towers slowly drawn away from PSLV C-25 launch vehicle. Minister of State Narayanaswamy arrives at Mission Control Room2:38 pm: India's space launch vehicle PSL C-25 BLASTS OFF!!2:39 PM: With a thunderous roar, PSLV C-25 does a perfect lift off into the sky, as scientists watched the progress of the vehicle on their monitor. 2:40 : all strap ons separate within 70 seconds. PS-1 separate. Second stage normal, announces Mission Control...speed 2.4 km per second.2:42 pm: Heat shields separated successfully. Satelitte exposed to space at right altitute 201 seconds after liftoff.2:44 pm: Third stage begins 264 second after liftoff at 130 km above earth. 2:46 : Range Operations director announces "we are approaching fourth stage injection". Speed 7.3 km per second at altitude 146 km. 2:47 pm: Range Operations director says, next 28 minutes are very crucial, for the spacecraft to go into Earth's orbit. The PSLV C-25 is right on track.3:26 pm: ISRO chief K Radhakrishnan announces successful launch of Mars Orbiter Mission into Earth's elliptical orbit. 3:25 pm: Mission Control announces all objectives achieved, Mars Orbiter detaches from PSLV