First pics: Mangalyaan at space port

India's maiden satellite to Mars named `Mangalyaan' was flagged off after a series of pujas and by waving a green flag on Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary at 6 AM on Oct 2, 2013 from inside the cradle in ISRO where it was born in Bangalore after a gestation of 15 months. Incidentally, the national holiday was chosen since traffic would be light on the roads.

India's maiden satellite to Mars named `Mangalyaan' was flagged off after a series of pujas and by waving a green flag on Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary at 6 AM on October 2, 2013 from inside the cradle in ISRO. It was born in Bangalore after a gestation of 15 months. Incidentally, the national holiday was chosen since traffic would be light on the roads.

Photo Credit: ISRO

Mangalyaan safely reached India's space port at Sriharikota after a 36 hour road journey from Bangalore on October 3, 2013 at about 6 pm. ISRO had to take a longer and more circuitous route to reach Sriharikota to avoid the Telangana agitation.

Photo Credit: ISRO
The Rs 150 crore baby, the Mangalyaan, being carefully unloaded at India's space port in Sriharikota on the coast of Bay of Bengal.

Photo Credit: ISRO
The Mars satellite will now be tested, fuelled and placed on top of the rocket. It will be launched on October 28, 2013 using the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).

Photo Credit: ISRO