Indian rocket blasts off India has successfully launched a new rocket which is carrying an experimental satellite into orbit. It was the longest 17 minutes in our life. Millions of television viewers saw a first attempt last month fail as flames licked one side of the rocket because of a faulty booster engine. Soon after Wednesday's success, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee appeared on national television to congratulate the scientists.
Today is a proud day for India.
The entire nation is thrilled by the successful launch. The success of the launch is an important step towards India joining the big league of space powers. If the rest of the operation proves successful, India could start making a considerable income from commercial satellite launches. This market is currently shared by the US, Russia, China and the EU with its European Space Agency. India's GSLV is aiming to put a 1.5 tonne experimental satellite into geosynchronous orbit, which means it should go round the Earth at the same rate as the planet turns, so the satellite is always over the same point on the Earth's surface.