New Delhi, Jun 22 (IANS): President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday congratulated the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for the successful launch of a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) C34 carrying the Cartosat, Google company Terra Bella's SkySat Gen2-1 and 18 other satellites.

"My heartiest congratulations to entire team at the ISRO for the successful launch of PSLV-C34, carrying a record 20 satellites in a single mission including the Cartosat-2 series satellite and 19 co-passenger satellites," Mukherjee said in a message to ISRO chairman A.S. Kiran Kumar by sending a message.

"I understand that images received from the Cartosat-2 satellite will be useful in providing scene-specific spot imagery that can be used for detailed mapping and other cartographic applications as well as applications in Land Information System (LIS) and Geographical Information System (GIS)," he said.

"The nation is proud of this achievement which has demonstrated, yet again, India's increasing space capabilities."

An Indian rocket named PSLV on Wednesday morning lifted off successfully with the country's earth observation satellite Cartosat, Google company Terra Bella's SkySat Gen2-1 and 18 other satellites.

The PSLV rocket standing 44.4 metre tall and weighing 320 tonne, tore into the morning skies at 9.26 a.m. with a growl breaking free of the Earth's gravitational pull.

The 20 satellites weighed 1,288 kg.

The rocket's main cargo is India's 725.5 kg Cartosat-2 series satellite for earth observation. This satellite is similar to the earlier Cartosat-2, 2A and 2B.

The other 19 satellites weighing around 560 kg are from the US, Canada, Germany and Indonesia as well as one satellite each from Chennai's Sathyabama University and College of Engineering in Pune.

The images sent by Cartosat satellite will be useful for cartographic, urban, rural, coastal land use, water distribution and other applications.