Preparations on for ISRO's historic 100th mission

Preparations for the historic 100th mission of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) were on with the space agency planning to launch PSLV C-21, which will carry two foreign satellites in September.

"We have two capsules, a remote sensing satellite from France and a small Japanese satellite will be the co-passenger. Preparations are going on. We plan to have the launch in the second week of September," ISRO chairman Dr K Radhakrishnan told reporters at the Chennai airport on Wednesday.

ISRO plans to launch 720-kg SPOT-6 remote sensing satellite from France (built by ASTRIUM SAS) and a 15-kg Japanese spacecraft Protiers on board the home-grown Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C21) in September, in what is perceived as a major milestone of sorts.