President, Vice-President congratulate ISRO team

New Delhi, Apr 28 (UNI) President Pratibha Patil and Vice-President Hamid Ansari have congratulated the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for the successful record-breaking launch of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV-C9 carrying ten satellites into orbit today.

In her congratulatory message to ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair and his team, Mrs Patil said the launch had once again demonstrated the nation's capabilities in space launch technology.

Describing as ''extraordinary'' the successful launch of the PSLV C9 from Sriharikota Range, putting into orbit ten satellites, Mr Ansari, in his message, said it would strengthen the country's remote sensing and other technological capabilities.

''Our space scientists have made the country proud with this extraordinary achievement...I congratulate our space scientists and all those associated for achieving this significant milestone.'' Earlierin the day, Parliament congratulated the ISRO Chairman and his team on the successful launch of ten satellites by Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C9) from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota.

Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Prithviraj Chavan informed both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha during zero hour that the the PSLV-C9 successfully launched CARTOSAT-2A, one Indian Mini Satellite and eight nano satellites for international customers into the desired orbit.

The announcement was received with standing ovation by the members from both the Treasury and Opposition benches in both the houses.

''This successful launch of PSLV-C9 has reiterated the ISRO's reliability and versatility to launch satellites in various types of orbits and also to carry out multiple satellite missions,'' Mr Chavan said, while pointing out that this was the 12th consecutive successful flight of PSLV conducted from Sriharikota.

In the Rajya Sabha, Leader of the Opposition Jaswant Singh congratulated the ISRO Chairman and his team and asked the minister to put before the House the details of the various functions of the satellites.

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