Mangalyaan's Marvelous Mars Mission

Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) had just created history by lifting its Mangalyaan craft out of Earth's gravity field - a scientific milestone acknowledged by its peers. ‘Mangalyaan’ was placed in the designated Mars Transfer Trajectory in a 22-minute manoeuvre almost an hour past midnight without any hitch to tear itself away from Earth’s gravitational pull. Now starts the awesome journey of 680 million kilometers (expected time to reach is Spetember 2014). It's low-cost (ISRO spent only less than 75 million dollars (10 % of NASA's Mars Mission budget) and achieved this stupendous task. We hope crossing hurdles, Mangalyaan will reach Mars to add glory to our nation. Let's celebrate this other-worldly moment. Cheers. Srini