This TV screen grab of India CNN-IBN channel shows an Indian-made rocket carrying India's maiden Mars Orbiter mission, nicknamed "Mangalyaan", launching from the spaceport of Sriharikota in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, India, on Nov. 5, 2013. (Xinhua)

 

India Tuesday scripted history by launching its maiden mission to Mars from the spaceport of Sriharikota in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh.

The $73 million worth Mars Orbiter mission, nicknamed Mangalyaan -- which means "Mars craft" in Hindi -- lifted off at 2:38 pm (local time) atop an Indian-made rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota.

The 1,337 kg mission, with the Mars Orbiter satellite and five other scientific instruments on board to study Martian surface, atmosphere and mineralogy, is set to travel for 300 days and expected to reach the Red Planet's orbit in September 2014, according to scientists from state-owned Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).

The main objective of the unmanned mission is to demonstrate India's technological capability to send a craft to orbit around Mars and conduct meaningful experiments such as looking for signs of life, take pictures of the Red Planet and study the Martian environment, ISRO scientists said.

If all goes well and the mission reaches the Red Planet's orbit, then ISRO will become the world's fourth space agency, after those of the US, Russia and Europe to undertake a successful Mars mission.

In 2008, India successfully launched its first mission to the moon. The lunar orbiter, called Chandrayaan-1, discovered evidence of water on the Earth's natural satellite. Mangalyaan was developed from the technology tested during the Chandrayaan mission.