Vice President congratulates ISRO for successful launch of PSLV-C21

New Delhi, Sep 9 (ANI): Vice President M. Hamid Ansari on Sunday congratulated scientists of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for the successful launch of India's 100th space mission.

In his message, he has said that with the launch of the PSLV-C21 carrying two foreign satellites onboard India's Launch Vehicle, India has emerged as one of the strongest players in the remote sensing arena, and has paved the way for the commercial competitiveness of the Indian Space Industry.

The space agency's old warhorse, the PSLV, blasted off into space at 9:51 a.m. with two foreign satellites from the spaceport of Sriharikota.

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh witnessed the launch of PSLV C-21, carrying French advanced remote sensing satellite 720 kg SPOT-6 and its 15 kg Japanese micro satellite PROITERES.

SPOT-6 is the biggest commercial lift so far since India forayed into the money-spinning commercial satellite launch services after 350kg Agile of Italy was put in orbit in 2007 by PSLV.

Twelve other foreign commercial satellites were less than 300 kg.

France's five earlier SPOT satellites were launched by European Araine rocket.

SPOT-6, built by ASTRIUM SAS,a subsidiary of EADS, France, is an earth observation satellite, while PROITERES, developed by students and faculty of Osaka Institute of Technology, will study Kansai region of Japanese island of Honshu. (ANI)