The India Space Research Organization (ISRO) has successfully launched its first "re-usable launch vehicle."

Touted as also being able to lift full-size satellites into orbit, scientists recently launched the unmanned model to a peak altitude of 65 km (40 miles) before bringing the 13 minute excursion to an end by embarking on a controlled descent into the Bay of Bengal.

"We are very excited," said Deviprasad Karnika, a spokesman for ISRO. "The team has been working on the project for the past 10 years, with the past five spent on designing the actual model."

Researchers Committed to Continuing Study

Still, scientists stressed there is much work that remains in studying what they've gleamed from outer space.

"This is just an experiment," which is a baby step to the final reusable launch vehicle which will take years to realize," added Karnika.

Plans now call for further analyses of all the data gathered. In the meantime, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been quick to congratulate the team on its early success.

"The dynamism and dedication with which our scientists and ISRO have worked over the years is exceptional and very inspiring," he posted to social media.

Over the years, India has become known for its budget-savvy space ambitions. Its latest creation was done at a cost of just under one billion rupees ($13.3 million). SpaceX rockets can generally run as high as $90 million.

The nation also made headlines in 2013 when it launched a spacecraft to Mars for what's reported as a fraction of what it cost NASA to conduct a similar mission.

Rockets Typically Disposed of Following Mission

Traditional rockets are also generally disposed of immediately following a mission. The fact that the India vehicle is potentially recyclable could ultimately slash the cost of future missions even more. ISRO spokesman Karnik estimated that currently about 80 percent of the cost of a mission goes toward developing a craft which cannot be reused.

The U.S. ended its space shuttle program five years ago. In December of last year, entrepreneur Elon Musk's privately owned company successfully launched and landed a full-size reusable rocket from Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

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