Sriharikota (Andhra Pradesh), March 10 (IANS): An Indian rocket on Thursday evening blasted off successfully with the country's sixth navigation satellite called IRNSS-1F from the rocket port here.

The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)-XL version standing 44.4 metres tall and weighing 320 tonnes tore into the evening sky at 4.01 p.m., breaking free of the earth's gravitational pull.

As the rocket went up, its engine roar reverberated over the media centre like a rolling thunder much to the thrill of the people here.

Named the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), the system consists of a constellation of seven satellites, of which five - IRNSS-1A, IRNSS-1B, IRNSS-1C, IRNSS-1D and IRNSS-1E - have already been put into orbit.

The sixth satellite -- IRNSS-1F weighing 1,425 kg -- is expected to join the other five soon.

Just over 20 minutes into the flight, the rocket would put into orbit IRNSS-1F at an altitude 488.9 km.

The satellite's life span is 12 years, an ISRO official said.