Powered by the indigenous cryogenic stage, ISRO’s GSLV-D3 carrying communication satellite GSAT -4 successfully blasted off from the Satish Dhawan Space centre at Sriharikota at 4.27 pm on Thursday evening. AIR correspondent covering the launch reports that it was an awesome sight as the giant 50 metre tall 416-tonne three stage vehicle roared into the skies with a rumble that shook the earth, leaving behind a trail of smoke.<br/><br/>A galaxy of Scientists, including ISRO Chairman Dr K Radhakrishnan, watched with bated breath, the course of the flight from the Mission Control Centre. Anxiety gave away to applause as scientists involved in the mission shared their joy hugging and shaking hands, to laud the efforts of the scientists involved in developing the cryogenic technology after over 19 years of painstaking efforts. It would take approximately 17 minutes from blast off to place the GSAT -4 satellite into the Geo synchronous orbit. GSAT-4 is carrying communication and navigation payloads including Ka-band bent pipe and regenerative transponder, and GAGAN a navigational payload. <br/>