Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV C11), a 44-metre-tall and 316-tonne rocket carried the 1,380-kg lunar orbiter Chandrayaan 1 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at exactly 0622 hrs IST.
The robotic probe will orbit the Moon, compiling a 3-D atlas of the lunar surface and mapping the distribution of elements and minerals.
With the successful launch of Chandrayaan-1, India now has joined an exclusive club of nations including the US, former Soviet Union, European Space Agency, China and Japan to have sent missions to moon.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh congratulated the scientists and said
Our scientific community has once again done the country proud and the entire nation salutes them
This is truly a historic moment for the billion strong country. Lets all salute the scientists for their dedication and hard work.
Jai Hind.
Image credit: ISRO