India made history on
Wednesday as the first Asian nation to successfully enter Mars'
orbit, say officials from Indian Space Research Organization
(ISRO).
"The odds were stacked against us," Prime Minister Narendra
Modi said during in a televised press conference concerning
India's Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM).
He added that the mission cost than less than the
production budget of a Hollywood blockbuster film.
Its budget was approximately $74 million - a fraction of
United State's space agency NASA's Maven, which carried a $671
million price tag for its Mars orbit on Monday.
NASA and its rover Curiosity, which has been on Mars for
two years, sent congratulations via Twitter.
"Namaste @MarsOrbiter! Congratulations to @ISRO and India's
first interplanetary mission upon achieving Mars orbit", the
NASA rover tweeted.
Mars Mission scientist Amitabh Pandey said, "It's a great
achievement for India. A beginning of bright future for the
nation".
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