India hopes to join the three space programs that have succeeded – those of the Soviet Union, the United States, and the European Union. Mangalyaan’s objective is to reach Mars’s orbit by September 2014 and to look for the presence of methane gas, a sign of possible life. Success would mark a scientific advance for humanity; failure, Indian scientists aver, would still provide a learning experience.
印度希望能加入获得成功的三大空间计划（分别来自苏联、美国和欧盟）的行列。Mangalyaan的目标是在2014年9月抵达火星轨道，并寻找生命存在信号甲烷。如若成功，将标志着人类科学的重大进步；而如若失败，印度科学家认为，仍能提供学习经验。