Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits the First Launch Pad at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh on Sunday
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh on Sunday evening to witness the historic launch of Indian Space Research Organisation's PSLV C-23 rocket today.
The 230-ton Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) will lift-off at 9:52 am from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. The launch was originally fixed at 9.49 am, but was delayed by three minutes due to the probability of space debris movement during the launch window.
The PSLV will carry five satellites from four countries - France, Germany, Canada and Singapore.
Soon after landing in Sriharikota, Mr Modi was taken to the first launch pad where senior scientists briefed him about the launch mission.
The Prime Minister also visited the GSLV-Mk III Vehicle Assembly Building and was briefed there by senior scientists.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu, and the Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, Jitendra Singh, were also present with Mr Modi.
Earlier, ISRO chairman K Radhakrishnan gave a brief presentation to the PM on India's space programme.
A few hours after he landed at Sriharikota, Mr Modi, a space buff, tweeted, "Our government is committed to give further impetus to our Space Programme."
Mr Modi stopped at Chennai while on his way to Sriharikota where he met Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.
Meanwhile, ISRO said that the countdown was progressing smoothly and Nitrogen Tetraoxide (N2O4) Propellant filling operation of Second Stage (PS2) of PSLV-C23 has been completed at 6.30 pm on Sunday.
ISRO has so far launched 35 satellites from 19 countries like Algeria, Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Singapore, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Turkey and United Kingdom.