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The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle C-3 was launched successfully from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh at 1023 IST on Monday.
The PSLV carried an interesting payload in the form of a satellite described in ISRO's decade plan as an experimental technical payload. It was a Technology Evaluation Satellite made in ISRO's satellite centre in Bangalore.
It carried two other satellites: PROBA, belonging to a Belgium company, and BIRD from the German space agency DLR.
In view of the uncertain weather over the past week, the launch remained in question till the last minute. As the weather got clear off the Andhra coast, the scientists decided to go ahead with the launch in the presence of Chairman K Kasturirangan.
This was ISRO's last launch this year. It was, in fact, supposed to have taken place last month, but was delayed for a variety of reasons.
ISRO said the mission was a 'perfect success' with the vehicle placing all the three satellites into orbit as planned.
The PSLV's last flight (PSLV C-2) took place on May 26, 1999, when the 294 tonne, four-stage vehicle placed three satellites, including a 107kg Korean and a 47kg German one, in orbit.
PSLV, which is integral to India's commercial satellite launch programme, is capable of placing satellites weighing up to 1200 kilos into as much as an 820km high polar sun-synchronous orbit.
Prime Minister A B Vajpayee complimented the ISRO scientists on the successful launch.
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