Chennai, May 15 (PTI) The Indian Space Research Organisation's programmes were planned to ensure the safety and security of the country, its Chairman V Narayanan said on Thursday and added that the space agency was gearing up for the 101st launch.

ISRO's missions were driven by the country's requirements in diverse fields and it was technologically capable of delivering upon its ware, he said.

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"All our programmes are for the safety and security of our people and country. We don't compete with any other nation. Our mission is planned based on our needs," Narayanan told reporters here when asked if ISRO planned any specific launch for the Indian armed forces.

"We have successfully launched the one-hundredth rocket from Sriharikota in January. India's 101st satellite - the Earth Observation Satellite RISAT-18 aboard the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C61) - will be launched on May 18," the Chairman of the space agency said.

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The PSLV bolsters India's surveillance and disaster management capabilities.

The country's journey in space began in 1979 when it launched its first rocket. "Then, the SLV3 was 98 per cent success and our first successful launch was in 1980," he said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)