Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [Images] hailed the successful launch of Chandrayaan-I as the 'first step' in a historic milestone in India's space programme.

Chandrayaan-1 lifts off successfully

Dr Singh, who is on an official visit to Japan [Images], called up ISRO Chairman Madhavan Nair and congratulated him and his team of scientists for the successful launch.

Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) warhorse rocket PSLV C-11 put Chandrayaan-I into the earth orbit at around 6:30 am on Wednesday.

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"I congratulate all the scientists associated with this mission for the successful completion of the first step," the prime minister said.

Dr Singh said when completed, the mission will put India in the very small group of six countries, which have thus far sent space missions to the moon.

"The successful launch of the Chandrayaan-1 marks the first step in what we hope will be a historic milestone in India's space programme," he said.

The prime minister noted that all launch vehicle systems performed satisfactorily and the spacecraft has been successfully placed in an orbit around the earth.

"This is the beginning of a two-week long effort in which our scientists will now manoeuvre the spacecraft into expanding orbits around the earth before finally shifting it to an orbit around the moon," he said.

"Our scientific community has once again done the country proud and the entire nation salutes them," the prime minister said.

In her message, President Pratibha Patil [Images] said it was a 'landmark day', which would inspire the Indian space scientists for sending manned missions in the future.

Patil, who is on a tour of North-eastern states, said India should aim at sending Indian astronauts to space in an Indian space capsule.