India successfully launches its smallest rocket

India today successfully launched its smallest rocket with three satellites, the country's space agency said.

The rocket, which is a small satellite launch vehicle (SSLV), lifted from the first launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh this morning and injected an earth observation satellite of Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and two other payloads into a 450km circular orbit during its 15-minute flight, reports our New Delhi correspondent.

Besides the earth observation satellite, the two other satellites are US-based firm Antaris' Janus-1 and Chennai-based space start up SpaceKidz's AzaadiSAT-2.

Today's launch of the SSLV assumed importance as the first test flight of the same had ended in partial failure on August 9 last year when the rocket failed to inject its satellite payload in their intended orbits.

SSLV caters to the launch of up to 500kg satellites to low earth orbits on 'launch-on-demand' basis.

It provides low-cost access to space, offers low turn-around time and flexibility in accommodating multiple satellites and needs minimal launch infrastructure.