Lok Sabha congratulates ISRO team for launch of PSLV-C8

New Delhi, Apr 30 (UNI) The Lok Sabha today congratulated the entire ISRO team for the successful launch of India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C8) on April 23 from Sriharikota.

Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Prithviraj Chavan, informing the members about the launch, said the mission was launched by the AGILE satellite of the Italian Space Agency and an Advanced Avionics Module (AAM) of ISRO.

Mr Chavan said this is the first time that a PSLV Mission has carried and placed in orbit a commercial primary satellite belonging to an international party. Along with the Italian satellite, the PSLV-C8 also carried the AAM module consisting of next generation avionics package.

The current PSLV-C8, without the use of six solid strap on motors, is the first flight of the PSLV with such a configuration and has been developed so as to provide for lower satellite launch mass requirements, in a cost effective manner.

Mr Chavan said PSLV has emerged as the workhorse launch vehicle of ISRO with ten consecutively successful flights so far. This PSLV-C8 mission has demonstrated its reliability and versatility to launch satellite in various types of orbits as well as to carry out multiple satellite missions.

He said, ''I am sure the House will join me in congratulating the entire ISRO team involved in the realisation and management of this mission.'' Speaker Somnath Chatterjee applauded this achievement of the ISRO on his behalf and on behalf of the entire house. The House also joined the Speaker in appreciating the achievement of ISRO.

UNI