BBC News Why India's Mars mission is so cheap - and thrilling BBC News  - ‎4 minutes ago‎ India's space programme has succeeded at the first attempt where others have failed - by sending an operational mission to Mars. In Asian space race, India is the first to MarsWashington Post (blog) MOM arrives safely at MarsNew Zealand Herald From India:From lighter rocket to slingshot, Isro innovates its way to MarsHindustan Times Opinion:Mars mission success should galvanise Indiagulfnews.com In Depth:Hello, MarsIndian Express Wikipedia:MAVEN WorldViews In Asian space race, India is the first to Mars Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Google Plus Share via Email More Options Resize Text   Print Article   Comments 0 By Swati Sharma September 24 at 1:24 PM   Indian scientists and engineers of the Indian Space Research Organization celebrate after successfully putting the satellite Mars Orbiter Mission Mangalyaan into orbit around Mars in Bangalore. Jagadeesh NV/EPA Indians are celebrating what many countries have previously failed to do:  A spacecraft successfully completed the orbit of Mars, and did so in its first attempt. How big a deal is this? Not only is India the first Asian country to accomplish this feat, but out of the 51 attempts by other countries to orbit Mars, at least half have failed. The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) even set up a Twitter account so Indians could follow along with the orbit. When the orbit was successfully completed, NASA's Curiosity Rover sent a "Namaste" along its way. And fittingly, the Mars Orbiter sent a "Howdy" back. Students in Ahmedabad, a city in Western India, took to the streets and set off fire crackers in celebrations. School students light firecrackers as they hold placards to celebrate after India's Mars Orbiter successfully entered the red planet's orbit, at a school in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad. (Amit Dave/Reuters) And many on social media were quick to note one remarkable fact about the orbit: the price tag. India's effort was 11 percent of the cost of the U.S. Mars probe called Maven, which entered Mars orbit on Sunday. Take a look at more photos from India's Mars mission: 1 of 21   India reaches Mars NOV. 5, 2013  Tuesday Country puts spacecraft in orbit around Red Planet to demonstrate its abilities and advance technologies for space travel. Sept. 24, 2014Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, left, meets scientists at the Indian Space Research Organization’s Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network in Bangalore before the Mars Orbiter Mission spacecraft successfully entered Mars’s orbit. Indian Press Information Bureau/via AFP/Getty Images View Photo Gallery —The country became the first in Asia to join an elite club of explorers to the Red Planet when it put a satellite in Mars’s orbit on Sept. 24. Swati G. Sharma is a digital editor for the World and National Security and previously worked for the Opinions section. end quote from: In Asian space race, India is the first to Mars