India triumphs in maiden Mars mission

Jubilation in the Bangalore control room, as the news came through.

India's robotic probe successfully entered Mars' orbit, making cut price space history.

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the achievement, as hundreds of scientists crowded around.

(SOUNDBITE) (English), INDIA'S PRIME MINISTER, NARENDRA MODI, SAYING:

"History has been created today. We have dared to reach out into the unknown and have achieved the near impossible. I congratulate all ISRO scientists as well as all my fellow Indians on this historic occasion."

They had much to celebrate. India is the fourth country to manage do this but the first one to succeed on its maiden voyage.

With a price tag of about 74 million US dollars it's also the cheapest, costing about three quarters of the amount to make the movie Gravity.

A 24-minute engine burn slowed the probe down enough to allow it to be captured by Mars' gravity.

After completing the 666 million kilometre jou