India's Mission Mars takes off successfully

India launched its first mission to Mars from the Sriharikota spaceport in Andhra Pradesh. The project was completed in 15 months at a cost of USD 73 million or Rs. 450 crore. Mangalyaan, which means Mars craft in Hindi, lifted off at 2 38 pm from Sriharikota, 80 kilometres from Chennai.

Mangalyaan has a formidable itinerary a 300 day, 780 million kilometre (485 million mile) journey to orbit Mars and survey its geology and atmosphere.

An evolved version of India's domestically developed Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, with extended rockets, is taking the Mangalyaan into an elliptical arc around the Earth.

India is aiming to become only the fourth country or group of countries to reach the Red Planet, after the Soviet Union, United States and Europe.

Indian Space and Research Organization Chairman, K. Radhakrishnan, center, addresses the media after the launch of the rocket carrying the Mars orbiter from Sriharikota, at Sriharikota. (AP Photo)

A rocket carrying the Mars orbiter streaks across the sky after taking off from the east coast island of Sriharikota. (AP Photo)