India Mars Launch Stokes Asian Space Race With China
Mars by India is likely to stoke the fires of a burgeoning Asian space race.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is making its final preparations to send an orbiter to the Red Planet.
The principal aim is to test out India’s space technology to see if this emerging space-faring nation is capable of interplanetary missions.
The spacecraft will also collect scientific information about the planet’s atmosphere and surface.
The Mangalyaan probe was to have been launched as early as 28 October, but rough weather in the Pacific forced officials to delay the launch by a week. The unmanned mission has a launch window lasting until 19 November.