The national space agency ISRO in its longest ever space flight using the workhorse rocket PSLV launched eight satellites in two different orbits in a single mission this morning.<br/><br/>The launch vehicle PSLV-C35 after its lift off from the national space port at Sriharikotta at 9.12 am successfully inserted India's sophisticated weather satellite SACTSAT-1 in a 724 kilometer altitude sun-synchronous polar orbit in 17 minutes as planned.<br/><br/>Afterwards, the fourth stage of the vehicle travelled in a switch off mode in space for a while and then reignited twice, an innovation adopted for the first time with seven satellites on board it. After lowering the vehicle to the specified 689 kilometer altitude, it ejected the three smaller satellites of Algeria, a micro-satellite each from the US and Canadian customer agencies and two nano-satellites of the IIT, Bombay and PES University, Bengaluru, in the copybook style mission.<br/><br/>The SCATSAT-1 satellite is India's continuity mission for the Oceansat-2 with an expected operational life of five years. It has modern devices to assess wind speeds and directions periodically over the ocean surface helping meteorologists to predict well in advance the formation of cyclonic systems and their expected landfall location and timing. Its predecessor Oceansat-2 data served to predict the landfall of Cyclone Phailin over Odisha coast in 2013 helping to mitigate its effects on lives and properties.<br/><br/>ISRO Chairman AS Kirankumar termed the launch as highly successful. In a post-launch press meet at Sriharikotta, he said the solar panels to power the SCATSAT-1 and its antenna were deployed immediately after its separation from the rocket and its health is very sound, emitting signals. In a week's time, it will start transmitting wind vector data in radio-meter mode. The five other foreign satellites and two Indian students satellites were also accurately positioned in space.<br/><br/>Mr Kirankumar explained that normally for every orbital height, separate launches were being carried out. With today's launch, the ISRO has demonstrated that the PSLV has the ability to put multiple satellites at multiple orbits in a single mission, saving money and time significantly.<br/><br/>He also informed that the much awaited GSLV Mark-III would be ready for launch by this year end that can lift 4-ton communication satellites for which India currently engages foreign launch service providers. The PSLV will have another journey by the end of next month. GSAT-18 is set to be launched from French Guyana on October 4th.<br/><br/>There were huge expectations among the ISRO scientists today, who were glued to the control room screens at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikotta after the lift off of the rocket PSLV C35. The mission ended with great excitement, as it accomplished all its targets adding a new chapter in the chronicles of the nation's space journeys. <br/><br/>The PSLV has proved its reliability as a versatile engine once more with today's longest journey in two different orbits disembarking its passengers. The commercial arm Antrix of ISRO has said it has generated Rs 1790 crore this year through commercial launches and has many more orders at hand. Today's success is set to attract many more inquiries apart from catering to India's launch needs.