NISAR launch among world's most precise, says ISRO chief Narayanan

Thiruvananthapuram: ISRO Chairman V Narayanan has said the successful launch of the NISAR satellite was one of the most precise launches in the world, and NASA was excited to see that India could successfully carry it out using the indigenously developed GSLV Mark vehicle.

He was speaking to reporters on Thursday night at the international airport here, a day after ISRO successfully placed the NISAR (NASA–ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) mission onboard a GSLV-F16 rocket from this spaceport.

"They were so excited to understand that Indians could successfully launch using the indigenously developed GSLV marked vehicle--our own vehicle for placing the satellite into orbit. They were excited and extremely happy," he said in response to a query.

According to Narayanan, it was one of the most precise launches in the world, with a five-stage rocket operating flawlessly at every stage, injecting the satellite into its precise orbit with a margin of just two to three kilometres.

"It is an unimaginable achievement even for them," the ISRO chairman said.

"It is one of the most precise launches that has ever happened in the world...The entire country today can be proud that a very technologically intensive and highly useful satellite built jointly by India and America is placed in orbit using the Indian launcher," he said.