New Delhi, May 21 (PTI) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today congratulated the Department of Space for the successful launch of communication satellite GSAT-8, which will give a boost to direct-to-home services in the country.
The Prime Minister rang up Space Secretary K Radhakrishnan at the launch site and conveyed his greetings.
GSAT-8 was successfully launched by Arianespace from Kourou in French Guiana in the wee hours today.
The satellite was injected into space by European launcher Arianespace's Ariane 5 rocket which lifted-off at 02.08 am (IST), with Japan's ST-2 spacecraft as co-passenger.
Weighing 3,100 kg at lift-off, GSAT-8 is one of the heaviest and high-powered satellites built by the Bangalore-headquartered Indian Space Research Organisation.
An ISRO team, which witnessed the launch, expressed delight over the successful mission.