May 22, 2013
Officials from India's national space organization said on Monday that they had successfully launched into orbit Indo-French satellite "Saral", and six other micro satellites, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota in the south of the country.
The satellite, built in collaboration with France, has been deployed to study the world's oceans.
The other satellites on board the rocket were from Canada, Austria, Britain and Denmark.
Monday's launch marks the 23rd mission for India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).
India has had an active space program since the 1960s and has launched scores of satellites for itself and other countries.
In 2008, it successfully sent a probe to the moon that detected evidence of water on the lunar surface for the first time.
The space agency also plans to send a spacecraft to Mars.
