June 30

 Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Monday successfully launched the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle C-23 rocket at 9:52 a.m. local time with five foreign satellites from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota of south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who arrived at Sriharikota on Sunday, witnessed the rocket launch from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre.

"I feel specially privileged to witness this event in person," said Modi who 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 sky with orange flames fiercely burning at its tail.

The rocket used is a core-alone, highly-proven, four-stage PSLV. The final 49-hour countdown for the rocket launch begun on June 28.

Besides its primary payload of 714 kg French Earth Observation Satellite SPOT-7, PSLV C23 also carried and placed in orbit 14 kg AISAT of Germany, NLS7.1 (CAN-X4) and NLS7.2 (CAN-X5) of Canada each weighing 15 kg and the 7 kg VELOX-1 of Singapore.

This is a "global endorsement of India's space capability", said Modi after the successful launch.

He also asked ISRO to develop a SAARC satellite. "Today, I ask our Space community, to take up the challenge, of developing a SAARC Satellite. I also ask you, to enlarge the footprint of our satellite-based navigation system, to cover all of South Asia," Modi said.

ISRO has so far launched 35 satellites from 19 countries worldwide.