The Indian Space & Research Organisation (ISRO) launched its PSLV-C52 with earth observation satellite (EOS-04), along with two other small satellites, into orbit.
It was blasted off from SAR in Sriharikota at 5:59 am to deploy EOS-04 in the Sun-Synchronous Orbit nearly 529 kilometres above the planet.
The four-stage rocket lifted off with a student satellite INSPIRESat and a spacecraft dubbed INSAT-2DT that is a precursor of a joint India-Bhutan mission in the future.
Following the launch, ISRO chief S Somnath said, "The mission of PSLV-C52 has been successfully accomplished."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated ISRO and said, "Congratulations to our space scientists on the successful launch of PSLV-C52 mission. EOS-04 satellite will provide high-resolution images under all weather conditions for agriculture, forestry and plantations, soil moisture and hydrology as well as flood mapping."
EOS-04 is also called Radar Imaging Satellite (RISAT) that has been designed to provide high-quality images under all weather conditions for applications such as agriculture, forestry, and plantations, flood mapping, soil moisture and hydrology. The spacecraft will collect observation data in C-Band completing the observations done by Resourcesat, Cartosat, and RISAT-2B series. The satellite has an operating life of a decade.