*Those tend to be quite risky, so, well, let's hope for the best.
*Maybe it's not so much FIRST machines around Mars as who has the LAST machines around Mars.
http://spaceflightnow.com/pslv/c25/131104preview/#.UniubRbvzY0
(...)
"Named the Mars Orbiter Mission, the project is set to take off at 0908 GMT (4:08 a.m. EST) from the Satish Dhawan Space Center, India's spaceport on Sriharikota Island about 50 miles north of Chennai.
"Liftoff is scheduled for 2:38 p.m. local time.
"The 2,954-pound spacecraft, nicknamed Mangalyaan, is mounted on top of India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, an expendable launcher poised for its 25th flight. The PSLV is fitted with six enlarged solid rocket boosters to give the mission an extra boost in a configuration dubbed the PSLV XL.
"The four-stage launcher will propel Mangalyaan into an elliptical orbit stretching from 155 miles to 14,600 miles in altitude. Spacecraft separation is scheduled about 44 minutes after liftoff.
"The launcher's liquid-fueled fourth stage will coast for 25 minutes before igniting for the mission's final burn, a change from standard PSLV missions required to achieve the correct orbit for the Mars probe to begin its flight to the red planet...."
(((More:)))
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=29440.msg1116216#msg1116216
