Rajnath Singh congratulates ISRO over satellite launch, calls the step a 'landmark' in India's space journey

Singh tweeted: "Congratulations to team @isro on the successful launch of its 100th satellite with Cartosat 2 Series Satellite Mission. The scientists at ISRO have made the nation proud with their successes on several occasions. They have done it again by hitting a century."

He said: "The ISRO’s achievement of launching 100 satellites is historic in many ways and a big landmark in India’s journey into the space. The scientists at ISRO have carved a special place in the astronomical space."

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated India's space agency ISRO for the launch of its 100th satellite.

Modi tweeted: "My heartiest congratulations to @isro and its scientists on the successful launch of PSLV today. This success in the New Year will bring benefits of the country's rapid strides in space technology to our citizens, farmers, fishermen etc."

"The launch of the 100th satellite by @isro signifies both its glorious achievements, and also the bright future of India's space programme.," the PM said in a follow up tweet.

The Indian satellite was launched along with 30 others from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh on Friday.

Along with the satellites, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle or PSLV lifted off from  9.29 pm.

"India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, in its forty second flight (PSLV-C40), will launch the 710 kg Cartosat-2 Series Satellite for earth observation and 30 co-passenger satellites together weighing about 613 kg at lift-off. PSLV-C40 will be launched from the First Launch Pad (FLP) of Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota," ISRO said in a statement earlier.

The co-passenger satellites comprise one Microsatellite and one Nanosatellite from India as well as 3 Microsatellites and 25 Nanosatellites from six countries, namely, Canada, Finland, France, Republic of Korea, UK and USA. The total weight of all the 31 satellites carried onboard PSLV-C40 is about 1323 kg.

The 28 International customer satellites are being launched as part of the commercial arrangements between Antrix Corporation Limited (Antrix), a Government of India company under Department of Space (DOS), the commercial arm of ISRO and the International customers.