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India’s Mars orbiter has successfully started its 300-day long journey to Mars. On Sunday the spacecraft was able to fire its main engine for 22 minutes after scientists sent commands from Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).

The Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) will now cruise for 680m km far destination Mars, where it will reach on 24 September 2014.

“Following the completion of this manoeuvre, the Earth orbiting phase of the spacecraft ended,” the organization said in a statement. “The spacecraft is now on a course to encounter Mars after a journey of about 10 months around the Sun.”

The mission, which costs $72 million is basically designed to demonstrate the technological capability to reach Mars orbit. In addition it will also carry out experiments. One of those experiments is to search for methane gas in the planet’s atmosphere.

“Earth orbiting phase of the #Mangalyaan ended and now is on a course to encounter Mars after a journey of about 10 months around the Sun, ” tweeted MOM.

However the most striking thing about the mission is its incredibly low cost.

“India’s incredible strides in space exploration are a model for all of us who believe we can and should find the means to lower the cost of space exploration,” said Jeffrey Manber, founder and Managing Director of space science company Nanoracks, according to Forbes.

“Not just in low earth orbit but even missions to other planets. Investments in space are essential for India to assure they have a voice in the future of both exploration and utilization of the space environment for domestic needs. It is a small price for the value realized,” he added.