Modi lands at Sriharikota space station to witness PSLV C23 launch

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today reached Sriharikota space station, about 100 kms from Chennai.

In his first trip to the south after he assumed Prime Minister's office, Modi arrived on Sunday on a special aircraft at Chennai enroute to Sriharikota to witness the launch of ISRO's PSLV C-23 rocket, which is scheduled to take off from the spaceport on Monday morning.

 

His special aircraft landed after a delay of 40 minutes following rain in Chennai.

He was received by Tamil Nadu and Karnataka Governor K Rosaiah and Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa at Chennai airport.

Later, Modi left for Sriharikota in a helicopter, he was received by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and Isro's Chairman K Radhakrishnan. He was accompanied by Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu and MOS Jitendra Singh.

 

Later the Prime Minister was briefed by senior officials of Isro at Sriharikota.

 

It may be noted, Modi will also be in charge of the departments of space and atomic energy. Reports have stated that some key projects like the human space flight programme, India's second mission to Mars with a lander and rover,and other deep space missions will get green singnal from Modi's Government.

 

Modi will witness the launch of ISRO's PSLV C23 carrying five foreign satellites tomorrow. 

 

PSLV C23 is scheduled to lift off at 9.52 am on Monday with 714 kg weighing French Earth Observation Satellite SPOT-7, 14 kg AISAT of Germany, NLS7.1 (CAN-X4) & NLS7.2 (CAN-X5) of Canada each weighing 15 kg and the 7 kg VELOX-1 of Singapore.