<Tr> <Th> LAP </Th> <Td> Lyman Alpha Photometer </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Indian missions to Mars Mangalyaan 2 → </Td> </Tr> <P> The Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), also called Mangalyaan ("Mars - craft", from Sanskrit: मंगल mangala, "Mars" and यान yāna, "craft, vehicle"), is a space probe orbiting Mars since 24 September 2014 . It was launched on 5 November 2013 by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It is India's first interplanetary mission and ISRO has also become the fourth space agency to reach Mars, after the Soviet space program, NASA, and the European Space Agency . It is the first Asian nation to reach Mars orbit, and the first nation in the world to do so in its first attempt . </P> <P> The Mars Orbiter Mission probe lifted - off from the First Launch Pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre (Sriharikota Range SHAR), Andhra Pradesh, using a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rocket C25 at 09: 08 UTC on 5 November 2013 . The launch window was approximately 20 days long and started on 28 October 2013 . The MOM probe spent about a month in Earth orbit, where it made a series of seven apogee - raising orbital manoeuvres before trans - Mars injection on 30 November 2013 (UTC). After a 298 - day transit to Mars, it was successfully inserted into Mars orbit on 24 September 2014 . </P>

India is the first country to reach mars