New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday commended the ISRO for launching the PSLV C44 as India became the first country to use the fourth stage of a space rocket as an orbital platform for microgravity experiments.

Addressing the nation in his radio program Mann Ki Baat, the Prime Minister congratulated the Indian Space Research Organisation for launching the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C44) carrying India's military satellite Microsat-R and students' payload Kalamsat.

Modi said that today, the nation’s space programme is powered by several young scientists. India has created a world record for launching 104 satellites simultaneously from the same spacecraft. “We must take pride in the fact that the satellites developed by our students are reaching the space today. On 24 January Kalamsat, created by our students, was launched. We will soon register India’s presence on the moon through the Chandrayaan-2 campaign,” he said.

The number of successful space missions since India’s independence till 2014 has been equal to the number of missions successfully completed in the past four years, the Prime Minister said.

“Our country is using space technology in devices employed in saving assets and life. Whether it is cyclone, or rail and road safety, all of these safety measures are being augmented by space technology,” Modi added.

The PM said that space technology is being used to improve delivery and accountability of government services. The Housing for All scheme involves geo-tagging of about 40 lakh homes spread over 23 states.