Modi lauds ISRO for launch of PSLV-C28 with UK satellites, calls it a moment of pride

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday congratulated Indian Space Research Organisation team over the successful launch of five British satellites at one go from Sriharikota. PSLV-C28 rocket, carrying five satellites, a load of over 1440 kg, took off at 9:58 PM and successfully put all of them into orbit.

Modi tweeted, "Successful launch of PSLV-C28 with 5 UK satellites is a moment of immense pride & joy for India. Congratulations to the ISRO team."

Three of these satellites are earth observations satellites while the other two are technology demonstrators.

With the overall mass of five satellites is about 1,440 kg, this launch becomes the "heaviest commercial mission" ever undertaken by ISRO and its commercial arm Antrix Corporation.

The earlier successful launches by ISRO, Mars Orbiter Mission, which was launched in November 5, 2013 and the Chandrayaan-1 launched in October 22, 2008 were with similar PSLV-XL variants.

PSLV C28, in addition to the three DMC3 satellites, also carried two auxiliary satellites from UK -- CBNT-1, a technology demonstrator earth observation micro satellite built by SSTL, and De-OrbitSail, a technology demonstrator nano satellite built by Surrey Space Centre.