New Delhi ready for first moon mission

India was set to launch its first lunar mission today, putting the country in an elite group of nations with the scientific know-how to reach the moon.

The Chandrayaan-1 will join Japanese and Chinese crafts in orbit around the moon for a two-year mission designed to map out the whole lunar surface. Chandrayaan means "moon craft" in ancient Sanskrit.

India is hoping that a moon mission - coming just months after it finalized a deal with the United States that recognizes India as a nuclear power - will further enhance its status as a world leader.