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| Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh addressing after the successful launch of the PSLV-C21 at Sriharikota |
Sriharikota: Amid splendid glory of scientists in the control room and the media team assembled at the terrace of the launch centre as the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Sunday successfully launched its historic Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C21) from the Satish Dhawan Space Center at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.
The launch is considered as a milestone in the history of Indian space mission as it was carried out without any Indian satellite. With this Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) has been placed in orbit French spacecraft SPOT 6 and Japanese micro satellite PROITERES some 18 minutes after lift-off at 9:51 a.m.
The 51-hour countdown began at 6.51 am on Friday.
Praising the ISRO’s grand success Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said, “I am delighted at having witnessed today’s launch of India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle – C21, carrying two foreign satellites.”
“On behalf of all fellow Indians, I warmly congratulate the Department of Space and all members of the Indian Space Research Organisation fraternity for this spectacular success as As ISRO’s 100th space mission, today’s launch is a milestone in our nation’s space capabilities,” he hailed.
Soon after the successful launch ISRO chief K. Radhakrishnan addressed conference illustrating the fact that with today’s successful mission the agency has launched 62 satellites, one space recovery module and 37 rockets, making it a grand 100.
Each Indian rocket going up is considered a mission as also each Indian satellite being placed in orbit.
The 44-metre PSLV took off on its 22nd flight, zoomed into the overcast skies carrying the French satellite with a lift-off mass of 712 kg, the heaviest ever to be launched by India for an international client, and the 15 kg Japanese micro spacecraft.
The mission was a historic landmark for ISRO in its five-decade-old space programme since beginning on a humble note with the launch of the indigenous ‘Aryabhatta’ on board a Russian rocket on April 19, 1975.