India Launches ASTROSAT,6 Foreign Crafts, Including 4 From U.S.

BANGALORE: Joining an elite group of nations, India successfully launched its first space research observatory ASTROSAT that will help in a detailed understanding of the universe and also put into orbit six foreign satellites including the first from the U.S.

Taking another major step in its ambitious and low-cost space programme, ISRO’s trusted workhorse Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), in its 31st flight, injected ASTROSAT and the six co-passengers into orbit about 25 minutes after a perfect lift-off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre here.

Launched in its maiden attempt, ASTROSAT, which includes a telescope that uses x-ray, has been dubbed as a mini-Hubble telescope launched by U.S.’ NASA in 1990 and a one-stop shop for studying astronomical sources. So far, only the U.S., Japan, Russia and Europe have launched a space observatory.

“Well done @isro. This is one more grand accomplishment for Indian science & our scientists,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is now on a visit to the U.S., said in a tweet.

Declaring the launch successful amid cheers from the assembled scientists, a beaming ISRO Chairman A S Kiran Kumar said PSLV had put in an astronomy mission which is being looked at not only within the country but also globally to bring in new information to scientific community.

“I congratulate the entire ISRO community for the wonderful job they have done,” he said addressing the gathering at the Mission Control Centre. ASTROSAT has reportedly cost $27 million to build.

It was for the first time that India launched U.S. satellites–four in all–belonging to a San Francisco-based company, under an agreement signed with Antrix Corporation Ltd, the commercial arm of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

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