'ISRO' Test Fires India's mars Missin Engine for Ist Time 

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The engines of the INdian mars orbiter were tested for the first time on monday morning. Indian Space 

Research Organisation ( ISRO).  Chief spokesperson Devi Prasad  Karnik said the engine, Known as the Liquid apogee motor (LAM), was fired for about 670 seconds at Isro's liquid propulsion systems centre at mahendra Giri in tamilnadu.  "The test was successful and will go on for about 45  days", Karnik told TOI from Bangalore. The mission  is slated for lift off towards the end of october or beginning of November 2013.

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LAM plays a key role in orbit raising Manoeuvres. the current missin profile of the mission envisages the orbiter operating  in the earth - bound orbit six times as its attitude is raised, before it sets off on its 300 day journey to mars. In the final earth orbit, the orbiter's furthest point from earth will be 2,15,000 km and the nearest 600 km. According to ISRO, it is expected to depart from the earth's orbit on November 26, 2013, and the crucial mars orbit insertion will occur on september 21,2014. An ISRO official said the real chalenge in the Mission is that the engine has to restart after 300 days when to orbiter enters the martian orbit. 

source :- THE HINDU