At the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on Sunday, the Indian Space Research Organization successfully launched its largest rocket, the Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM-3), placing 36 satellites of the UK-based OneWeb satellite communications firm in orbit.
The LVM-3's launch at 12:07 a.m. on Sunday, with its largest-ever payload of 5,796 kg, also signalled India's entry into the world market for commercial launch services.
Speaking to the crowd at the Mission Control Center, Somanath stated that Diwali celebrations had already begun at the Satish Dhawan Space Center thanks to LVM3 and its maiden commercial mission, which had successfully completed the orbit.