Sonia congratulates ISRO for satellite launch

Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday congratulated the scientists and staff of ISRO for the successful launch of a record 20 satellites in one go from its PSLV C-34, a statement said.

"The fact that of the 20, 17 satellites belonged to foreign vendors, including that from the US and Google, speaks volumes about the leaps in progression that ISRO has taken since its inception in 1960s," the Congress president said, and extended her good wishes to ISRO Chairman A.S. Kiran Kumar.

The statement added that she "hoped that the Indian Space Research programme will continue to flourish under his able leadership".

The Indian rocket PSLV, standing 44.4 metres tall and weighing 320 tonnes, on Wednesday morning lifted off successfully with India's earth observation satellite Cartosat, Google company Terra Bella's SkySat Gen2-1 and 18 other satellites. The 20 satellites weighed 1,288 kg.

--IANS

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