Making history in its space Odyssey, India today successfully launched its 100th mission with its workhorse PSLV-C21 placing in orbit two foreign satellites in a flawless flight from the spaceport in Sriharikota.

The third wholly commercial launch with no Indian satellite was a textbook mission as ISRO's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle placed in orbit French spacecraft SPOT 6 and Japanese micro satellite PROITERES some 18 minutes after lift-off at 9:53 am.

The lift-off was delayed by two minutes at the end of the 51-hour countdown to avoid collision with space debris.

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, Minister of State in PM’s office Mr. V. Narayansamy, Union Minister Mrs. Panabaka Lakshmi, ISRO’s former Director Dr. Kasthurirangan and a host of senior scientists of the organisation witnessed the historic feat of Indian Space Science from the spaceport.

The specialty of PROITERES is that the project was developed by students of Osaka Institute of Technology Electric Rocket Engine on board small satellite.

SPOT 6 is the heaviest satellite to be launched by PSLV for an international customer. Both will be into a 655 km polar orbit inclined at an angle of 98.23 degree to the equator.

Since 13 years after the PSLV went commercial this is the third time that the launch vehicle exclusively carries foreign satellites.

This is also the first time that France has chosen an outside launch for SPOT. The previous five SPOT satellites went up on aboard earlier versions of European Ariane rocket.