My Experience of witnessing LIVE launch of PSLV C23 & PM Narendra Modi at Sriharikota.

Indian Space Research Organisation launched its 114th mission, PSLV C-23 successfully. The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle was launched at 9.52 AM on June 30th, 2014 from Sriharikota carrying five foreign satellites. The launch was attended by our Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi. He applauded as PSLV standing around 44.4 metres tall and weighing around 230 tonnes, tore into the bright morning sky with flames fiercely burning at its tail and described it as “global endorsement of India’s space capability”.

Prime Minister reached island of Sriharikota on June 29th, Sunday. The peaceful and calm island turned into a power house over night! I always thought of my house in Sriharikota as a weekend resort, being employed in a city. But this weekend of mine turned out to be otherwise. Police, Guards, CISF and SPG forces everywhere. This was the first time I watched the PM's 30 car convoy run by my house. What was big, the launch or PM's presence? I would say both. Launch, Yes historic! PM, a visionary leader elected by young India with a hope of growth and development.

Mr. Narendra Modi, Andhra Pradesh Governor Narasimhan, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu, space scientists and other invitees at Satish Dhawan Space Center's mission control room intently watched the rocket’s successful upward flight. The 20-minute launch mission turned out to be a grand success. I had the pleasure and pride to witness the launch LIVE in gallery with the eminent guest list.

The scientists clad in white with PSLV on their coats and minds were all engrossed into their respective screens monitoring every move second by second. As the countdown came to a point of 0 to -5, rocket went up the sky leaving behind appreciations and claps in the gallery. The vehicle's main luggage was the 714-kg French earth observation satellite SPOT-7 and hauling on it were four other small satellites: 14-kg AISAT of Germany; NLS7.1 (CAN-X4) and NLS7.2 (CAN-X5) from Canada each weighing 15 kg; and the 7-kg VELOX-1 of Singapore. Around 18 minutes into the flight, the rocket first dislodged its heaviest luggage – SPOT-7 followed by AISAT, NLS7.1, NLS7.2 and VELOX-1.

With this successful launch, ISRO has become one of the world's launch-vehicle provider of choice for smaller payloads. Claps and Handshakes in the gallery as the final satellite was placed in the orbit. I was seated next to a German scientist who exclaimed with joy as AISAT successful launch announcement came up on big screen. Post the launch activities, Prime Minister was welcomed by ISRO Chairman K. Radhakrishnan to address the nation.

'Our scientists have shown the world, a new paradigm of frugal engineering and the power of imagination', said Mr. Modi as he congratulated the team of ISRO scientists and officials for their remarkable work and put forth an idea of gifting a satellite to help the neighbouring SAARC nations. "A satellite, that provides a full range of applications and services, to all our neighbours. I also ask you to enlarge the footprint of our satellite-based navigation system, to cover all of South Asia" he said. The speech classified his vision and spoke of how India grew in the field of space. India began its space journey in 1975 with the launch of Aryabhatta using a Russian rocket and till date, it has completed over 100 space missions including missions to moon and mars. Even today, our space programme stands out as the most cost effective in the world. As quoted by him, the Mars mission 'Mangalyaan' actually costed less than the budget of Hollywood movie 'Gravity'. He said that the benefits of space technology should be shared with those who do not have the same and cited the provision of tele-medicine technology and distance education to Afghanistan and Africa. His speech also included the catch 'Yeh Dil Mange More' though we have had success, always aim for more and work hard. All in all, it was a fine captivating speech that held value to a billion people of our country and world at large.