The Mars Orbiter Mission was achieved on a budget of $74 million, nearly a tenth of the amount the US space agency NASA spent on sending the Maven spacecraft to Mars.
In fact, Mangalyaans journey to Mars has cost India Rs 7 per kilometre. An auto ride in Delhi costs Rs 8 per kilometre, after the first two kilometres.
Here's the costs of travel to the red planet in recent years:
* NASA's MAVEN
COST: $671 mn
Launch Date: Nov 18,2013
Arrival in Mars orbit: Sept 21,2014
* European Space Agencys Mars Express Orbiter
COST: $386 mn
Launch Date: June 2003
Arrival in Mars orbit: Dec 2003
* Japan Aerospace Exploration Agencys Nozomi
COST: $189 mn
Launch Date: July 1998
Failed to enter Mars orbit on Dec 9, 2003
* Russian Federal Space Agencys Phobos-Grunt with Chinese satellite
COST: $117 mn
Launch Date: Nov 8, 2011
Failed to leave earth orbit
* Indian Space Research Organistaion's Mangalyaan
COST: $74 mn
Launch Date: Nov 5, 2013
* Arrival in Mars orbit Sept 24, 2014