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India launches world record 104 satellites

India has successfully launched 104 satellites on a single mission and has created history, overtaking the previous record of 37 satellites launched by Russia in 2014.

The launch took place from Sriharikota space centre in south India.

Seventeen minutes later, the rocket started placing the satellites into orbit, one by one with a time-frame of about 11 minutes.

Out of the total 104 satellites placed in orbit, 101 satellites belonged to six foreign countries. They included 96 from the US and one each from Israel, the UAE, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Kazakhstan.

Observers say it is a sign that India is emerging as a major player in the multi-billion dollar space market.

“This is a great moment for each and every one of us. Today we have created history,” project director B Jayakumar was quoted as saying by the Reuters news agency.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the first to congratulate the scientists tweeting, “This remarkable feat by @isro is yet another proud moment for our space scientific community and the nation. India salutes our scientists.”

Over the past two decades, India has become an important player in profitable low-cost alternate space programs.