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T K Rohit Sriharikota (AP), Apr 23 (PTI) India today entered the global
commercial launch market with ISRO's workhorse launch vehicle PSLV-C8
successfully placing 352-kg Italian astronomical satellite AGILE into a
550 km circular orbit around 22 minutes after lift off from the Satish
Dhawan Space Centre here. After a perfect blast-off, jubilant scientists
broke into celebration as the PSLV, in its 11th flight, released the
satellite into the orbit at around 3.52 PM, marking India's first fully
commercial launch. This is PSLV's 10th successful launch since 1994. "It
is a 100 per cent success to the entire ISRO community. We have made a
good entry into the launch business and hope we will have more
opportunities in the near future," a beaming ISRO Chairman G Madhavan
Nair said. Giovanni Bignami, President, Italian Space Agency, said "It
is an intense and emotional moment. It is a performance better than
expected and an even more successful mission. I think you (India) have
now made a very important score for India's launch into space market,"
he added. India becomes the fifth country after United States, Russia,
China and France to enter the launch market. PTI
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