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India's Mars Orbiter Project now orbiting Red Planet

India's Mars Orbiter project is now in orbit around the Red Planet.

By Heather Records

BANGALORE, India, Sept. 23 (UPI) -- A major milestone for the country of India on Wednesday.

The Asian country has successfully put its Mars Orbiter into orbit around the Red Planet.

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The project entered orbit around Mars Wednesday morning -- marking two firsts -- the first time a country has reached the planet on its first try and the first Asian country to do so.

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi said "We have accurately navigated our spacecraft through a route known to a very few."

Before Wednesday, only the United States, Europe and the Soviets have successfully sent a spacecraft to Mars.

India reached the Red Planet for $74 million dollars.

NASA's MAVEN project cost $671 million and reached the planet earlier this week.

India's orbiter has a lot of company, NASA has two Mars rovers on the ground, a European orbiter and NASA orbiters including the MAVEN.

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