India began its first mission to Mars, seeking to beat China to the red planet and showcase its push for technological development.
"It's lift off," said a commentator on state television as the red-and-black rocket launched into a slightly overcast sky on schedule at 2.38pm local time from the southern spaceport in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh state.
The 350-tonne launch vehicle carries an unmanned probe that Indian scientists plan to put into orbit around Mars, a feat only the US, Europe and Russia have achieved. The launch was monitored by dozens of scientists in the control room who face their most daunting task since India began its space program in 1963.
"It will be a significant turning point for our country if we are able to accomplish this," ISRO chairman K. Radhakrishnan said in an interview before the launch. "This is a complicated mission but we have the capability to do it."
The Mars Orbiter Mission, known as "Mangalyaan" in India, was announced only 15 months ago by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, shortly after an attempt by China flopped when it failed to leave Earth's atmosphere.
Mangalyaan, which means "Mars craft" in Hindi, lacks the power to fly directly and the launch vehicle will orbit Earth for nearly a month, building up the necessary velocity to break free from our planet's gravitational pull.
Only then will it begin the second stage of its nine-month journey which will test India's scientists to the full, five years after they sent a probe called Chandrayaan to the moon.
The program has to contend with critics who say a country that struggles to feed its people adequately and where more than half have no toilets should not be splurging on space travel.
ISRO counters that its technology has helped economic development through satellites that monitor weather and water resources, or enable communication in remote areas. Read More Original Post
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