The unmanned Indian Mars mission, Mangalyaan, was launched for a mere $80 million according to Aviation Week. Whereas the next US Mars mission, Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN for short), due to launch in a week or two, will cost $671 million. eight times as much. Granted, the Indian mission only carries 15 kilograms of scientific experiments, but still the difference in cost is striking. "If India can make the world's cheapest car and the world's cheapest tablet, launching the cheapest Mars mission is no big deal," quipped one Indian space scientist.
Mangalyaan has a long way to go. It will be 10 months coasting out to Mars, at which point it has to make a burn to establish itself in an orbit around Mars. We all hope that after 10 months in interplanetary space, all the equipment will still be in working order. Mars is a tough target. Over half the missions to Mars have failed for one reason on another, including missions by Japan and China quite recently.
Good luck and God Speed.
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