India’s Mars Mission commences as Mangalyaan lifts off successfully 7 Photos . Updated: 05 Nov 2013, 03:19 PM IST Livemint India launched its first Mars Orbiter Mission probe, officially named Mangalyaan, on Tuesday from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SHAR), Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. In Pictures: Mission Mars and the people behind it 1/7India launched its first Mars Orbiter Mission probe, officially named as Mangalyaan, on Tuesday from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SHAR), Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh, almost a year after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had announced it. AFP 2/7The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C25). The mission aims to map the Martian surface, study the atmosphere and search for methane gas, a sign that the planet can support life, according to Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro). Isro.org 3/7Mars Orbiter Mission Spacecraft attached to PSLV-C25. The 1.3-tonne Mars Orbiter Mission is carrying a Methane sensor for Mars built to measure the natural gas in the Martian atmosphere and map its sources. The project is expected to cost `450 crore. Isro.org 4/7The shuttle will also contain Lyman Alpha Photometer to understand the loss process of water from the planet, a Mars Colour Camera and a Thermal Infrared Imaging Spectrometer to measure thermal emission. PTI 5/7Scientists at the Isro centre in Bangalore. The spacecraft will move to an elliptical orbit around Earth for around 25 days before leaving on 30 November for a 300-day journey to Mars. Rocket PSLV C25 is the launch vehicle and is about 44.4m tall. AFP 6/7Isro chairman K. Radhakrishnan with wife Padmini at Tirupati on 4 November. Amidst speculations of India’s rivalry with China in space technology, Radhakrishnan has denied there was a space race with any country. PTI 7/7India spends about $1.1 billion a year on its space programmes, compared to $3.3 billion by Japan and $17.9 billion by the US. A successful mission will make India the fourth in the world after the US, Russia and Europe to undertake a successful Mars mission. Isro.org