Chandrayaan launch has realised the dream of Vikram Sarabhai: Modi

Ahmedabad, Oct 22 (IANS) Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday drove down to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) centre here and congratulated the scientists for the successful launch of India's maiden moon mission Chandrayaan-1.

'The dream cherished by Dr. Vikram Sarabhai (founder of Physical Research Laboratory here) has been realised today. Gujarat especially experiences the glory of the space science landmark achievement. The scientists and engineers of Ahmedabad-ISRO have played a decisive role in the Chandrayaan mission. The entire nation is proud of your achievement.'

Modi handed over the congratulatory draft passed by the state council of ministers.

'All the space scientists and engineers of the nation deserve compliments for the landmark breakthrough,' Modi said.

The 44.4-metre-tall, 316-tonne rocket, Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C11), had a copybook launch at 6.22 a.m. from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh Wednesday morning and completed its mission by placing Chandrayaan-1 into its scheduled orbit around the earth within 18 minutes, as planned.

The spacecraft carries 11 scientific instruments, five from India and six from universities and laboratories of the European Space Agency, the US and Bulgaria.