India's Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), more fondly called as "Mangalyaan", is only eight days away from the Red Planet, and the India Space Research Organisation is already buckling up to prepare for the D-Day on 24 September when it is slated to enter the Martian atmosphere.
If the mission is successful, India will be the first country to achieve its Mars mission on the first attempt.
MOM has completed almost 98% of its helio-centric journey to Mars travelling idle for nearly 300 days, and will undergo a crucial test on 22 September when it will enter the Red Planet's sphere of influence.
The Mars Orbiter Mission spacecraft was successfully launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR Sriharikota on 5 November 2013.
The mission is said to have two objectives – technical and scientific.
While the technical objective of ISRO behind this mission was to develop technologies for inter-planetary missions, its scientific aim is to explore the surface and atmosphere of Mars.
International Business Times India Edition will do a live coverage of the Mars Mission on 24 September.