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India's Mars rocket Mangalyaan blasts off India's Mars rocket Mangalyaan blasts off
(about 1 hour later)
India has launched its first Mars-bound spacecraft in a complex mission it hopes will demonstrate and advance space travel technology.India has launched its first Mars-bound spacecraft in a complex mission it hopes will demonstrate and advance space travel technology.
Hundreds of people watched Mangalyaan, which means "Mars craft" in Hindi, take off from the east-coast island of Shriharikota and streak across the sky. Many more across the country watched live TV broadcasts provided by the Indian Space and Research Organisation (Isro).Hundreds of people watched Mangalyaan, which means "Mars craft" in Hindi, take off from the east-coast island of Shriharikota and streak across the sky. Many more across the country watched live TV broadcasts provided by the Indian Space and Research Organisation (Isro).
The 1,350kg (3,000lb) Mangalyaan orbiter will first head for an elliptical orbit around Earth, after which a series of technical manoeuvres and short burns will raise its orbit before it slingshots toward Mars. The 1,350kg (3,000lb) Mangalyaan orbiter will first head for an elliptical orbit around Earth, after which a series of technical manoeuvres and short burns will raise its orbit before it slingshots towards Mars.
Mangalyaan must travel 485 million miles (780m km) over 300 days to reach an orbit around the red planet next September. Mangalyaan must travel 485m miles over 300 days to reach an orbit around the red planet next September.
India is aiming to follow the US, Russia, and Europe in having a successful mission to Mars.India is aiming to follow the US, Russia, and Europe in having a successful mission to Mars.
Some have questioned the $72m (£45m) price tag for a country of 1.2 billion people still dealing with widespread hunger and poverty. But India defended the Mars mission and its $1bn space programme by noting its importance in providing high-tech jobs for scientists and engineers and practical applications in solving problems on Earth. Some have questioned the $72m (£45m) price tag for a country of 1.2 billion people still dealing with widespread hunger and poverty. But India defended the Mars mission and its $1bn space programme by noting its importance in providing hi-tech jobs for scientists and engineers and practical applications in solving problems on Earth.
Decades of space research has allowed India to develop satellite, communications and remote sensing technologies that are helping to solve everyday problems at home, from forecasting where fish can be caught by fishermen to predicting cataclysmic storms and floods.Decades of space research has allowed India to develop satellite, communications and remote sensing technologies that are helping to solve everyday problems at home, from forecasting where fish can be caught by fishermen to predicting cataclysmic storms and floods.
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