PSLV launch is global endorsement of India's space capability: Modi

India's fourth dedicated commercial launch costs an estimated 100 cr

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Monday launched the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-C23 rocket at 9:52 am with five foreign satellites of France, Germany, Canada and Singapore.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was there to witness the launch of the  PSLV C-23 rocket in Sriharikota

Soon after Modi landed in Sriharikota on Sunday, he was taken to the first launch pad where senior scientists briefed him on the launch mission. Earlier, ISRO chairman K Radhakrishnan had also given a brief presentation to the PM on India's space programme.

This is a "global endorsement of India's space capability", said Modi after the successful launch of the Indian rocket that carried five foreign satellites.

Modi said: "Congratulations to everybody. I feel specially privileged to witness this event in person," and clapped as the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-C23 (PSLV-C23) - standing around 44.4 metres tall and weighing around 230 ton - tore into the bright morning skies with orange flames fiercely burning at its tail.

The rocket's main luggage is the 714 kg French earth observation satellite SPOT-7.

Piggybacking on the main luggage are the four small satellites viz: 14-kg AISAT of Germany; NLS7.1 (CAN-X4) and NLS7.2 (CAN-X5) from Canada each weighing 15 kg; and the 7-kg VELOX-1 of Singapore.

The PM also described it as "global endorsement of India's space capability".

Modi also remarked, "I have heard that the Hollywood movie Gravity cost more than our Mars mission - this is a great achievement." India's Mars rocket or Mangalyaan is expected to reach the red planet on September 24.