New Delhi: After scripting history by successfully launching 104 satellites using single rocket on Wednesday, India has emerged as a ‘key player’ in the global space race..

ndia has come out to an important part as far as global commercial market for space-based surveillance and communication is considered.

Isro’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV-C37 on Wednesday injected India’s weather observation Cartosat-2 Series satellite and 103 nano satellites, including 96 from the US, into orbit after a textbook lift-off from Sriharikota space centre.

The launch was “another success for the Indian Space Research Organisation, which is rapidly gaining a reputation globally for its effective yet low-cost missions,” The Washington Post said, noting that India has already sent up dozens of satellites, including 20 at once last year.

The New York Times said that by sending a flock of 104 satellites into space within minutes, nearly tripling the previous record for single-day satellite launches, establishes India as a “key player” in a growing commercial market for space-based surveillance and communication.

“The launch was high-risk because the satellites, released in rapid-fire fashion every few seconds from a single rocket as it traveled at 17,000 miles an hour, could collide with one another in space if ejected into the wrong path,” the paper noted.

“Forget the US versus Russia. The real space race is taking place in Asia,” CNN commented.

London’s Times newspaper reported that by today’s feat, India has reinforced its ambition to join the elite space-faring nations.

UK’s Guardian newspaper, commented that the record-breaking space launch will help India to cement its place as a serious player in the burgeoning private space market.

“India, which became just the sixth nation to launch its own rocket in 1980, has long made space research a priority. The Indian government has increased the budget for its space programme this year and also announced plans to send a mission to Venus,” the British paper said.

The BBC, quoting observers, said today’s space success was a “sign that India is emerging as a major player in the multi-billion dollar space market.”

“The successful launch is yet another feather in the cap of India’s ambitious space programme that has earned a reputation of offering a reliable low cost alternative to existing international players,” it said.

  104, India, ISRO, PSLV, Satelite