India's $74 million Mars mission cost less than the Hollywood thriller 'Gravity'
But the mission's budget was its most notable distinction: at cost of just $74 million, India's space agency put the satellite into orbit for a fraction of what other nations have spent.
The U.S. Maven satellite arrived in orbit on Sunday in a mission that cost $671 million. The European Space Agency's mission to Mars had a budget of $200 million.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has noted that even the Hollywood thriller "Gravity" had a larger budget at $100 million. "Our scientists have shown the world, a new paradigm of frugal engineering, and the power of Imagination," Modi said in June. "This success of ours has deep historical roots."
"It shows how optimal is the design, that way we're able to cut cost and we're not compromising quality," said S. Satish, a space expert based in Bangalore.
