It is a historic moment for India: Madhavan Nair

Bangalore, Oct 22 (UNI) It is a historic moment for India as we have started our journey to the moon, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman Madhavan Nair said today after the 44-metre PSLV-C11 successfully put the Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft into the earth's orbit.

The country's maiden moon mission was achieved in a grand manner today as the 316 tone launch vehicle blasted off from the second launching pad at the ISRO's spaceport in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh 80 km north of Chennai.

Speaking from Sriharikota soon after the spacecraft separated from the fourth stage of the launch vehicle exactly at 1090 seconds after the lift off, the jubilant scientists rejoiced and congratulated each other.

Mr Nair said the first leg of the journey, putting the spacecraft into the highly elliptical Initial Orbit, had gone 'perfectly well'.

"It was a remarkable performance by the launch vehicle. It has given sufficient velocity and altitude, and all parameters are normal. It is moving in the right direction," he said.

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