India's Mars mission completes six months in space

NEW DELHI -- India's Mars mission has completed six months in space and all scientific instruments are in good working condition, sources said Tuesday.

"The mission, called Mangalyaan, uses nearly two kgs of fuel every year and 37 kgs of fuel is still there to be exhausted. So, the mission is expected to last long," the sources said.

Moreover, all five scientific instruments on board the mission, including the satellite, are also in good condition, they said.

The mission has been taking spectacular pictures of the surface of Mars, including mountains and dead volcanoes, and sending the images back to Earth.

India on Sept. 24 last year successfully launched its maiden Mars mission, said to be the world's cheapest space mission.