The indigenously built 1050 kg polar satellite launch vehicle (PSLV-C2) placed for the first time three satellites - an Indian remote sensing satellite (IRS-P4), as the main payload, and the South Korean Kitsat-3 and German DLR-Tubsat, as auxiliary payloads, into a polar sunsynchronous orbit of 727 km.

According to Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientists, the exact orbit will be known after data is collected from the satellite.In the first multi-satellite launch from India, the 44.4 metre PSLV-C2 blasted off majestically at 11:52 am from Sriharikota range with a thunderous roar and a golden glow that lit up the entire area.

The successful launch of PSLV-C2 was announced by Prime Minister AB Vajpayee, who said he was "thrilled to watch the event". Avisibly overjoyed Vajpayee hugged ISRO chairman K Kasthurirangan that evoked wide applause from scientists.

Congratulating the ISRO scientists, Vajpayee said many more foreign satellites would be launched from India and emphasised the need for the country to compete with other nations on marketing of launch services.In his address to the nation, Vajpayee said, "today is a proud day for Indian science. India's space programme, which has been going from strength to strength has scaled new height of global excellence."

At the press conference held immediately after the launch, Vajpayee announced that "the successful launch of three satellites in a single flight of PSLV marks the beginning of a new era in our space endeavours, both in terms of technological advancement and commercial launch services."

Kasturirangan described the launch as "flawless" and "one of the best in his career". However, there was excess velocity of 30 metres per second and this was set right.

In the flight sequence, IRS-P4, alsocalled Oceansat, was injected first, followed by the 107 kg Kitsat-3 and 45 kg, DLR-Tubsat, respectively at intervals of 50 seconds.

The flight duration from the lift off at Sriharikota, about 100 km north of Chennai, was 1110.10 seconds. (The Shar range is the world's second best site for launching geosynchronous satellites like Insat; the first being Kourou in French Guyana, South America.

IRS-P4 carried on board sophisticated instruments - an ocean colour monitor (OCM) and a multi-frequency scanning microwave radiometer (MSMR), which would provide valuable information on ocean biological parameters, sea surface temperature, atmospheric water vapour content and sea surface data.With the launch of IRS-P4, India, which holds 25 per cent of the global remote sensing market, is poised to make its presence in ocean applications as well.

IRS-P4 will gather data for oceanographic and atmospheric applications and provide opportunity for conducting technological and scientific experiments that are of relevancefor future developments.

The satellites are expected to become operational in eight to 10 days.ISRO telemetry, tracking and command network (Istrac) with its spacecraft control centre at Bangalore, started monitoring the IRS-P4 immediately after the launch.

Incidentally, 1999 is a significant year for ISRO as it had entered the global telecommunications market with the successful launch of Insat 2E from Kourou last month.

According to ISRO, the selected flight sequence, the manoeuvre and the velocities ensured the collision free separation of all the satellites from the vehicle and eliminate the possibility of subsequent recontact.

The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services, established under the Department of Ocean Development, will provide necessary interface with the users for carrying out various studies and applications.

ISRO scientists say IRS-P4 has the best resolution among all satellites of its kind in the world.

PSLV-C2, which had a lift off weight of 294 tonne, was builtin a record 55 days. The PSLV project cost Rs 70 crore and that of IRS-P4 Rs 48 crore.India earned a foreign exchange of close to $2 million for launching Kitsat-3 and DLR-Tubsat, which was less compared to global price. ISRO's basic strategy was to promote its launching services.

Union ministers Murli Manohar Joshi, Pramod Mahajan, Vasundhara Raje Scindia and Andhra Pradesh Governor C Ranagarajan, state Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu were among those present at the launch.