After a nine-month-long journey, India's orbiter launched under the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) or Mangalyaan, reached Mars orbit on September 24 in its maiden attempt.

India became the first country to enter the Mars orbit on its first mission. It also becomes the first Asian country and ISRO the fourth space agency to send a satellite to the Red Planet. European, US and Russian probes have managed to orbit or land on the planet, but after several attempts.