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India's most powerful homegrown rocket to date was launched by ISRO from the coast of Sriharikota at 5.28 pm, making it another milestone for its indigenous space programme that one day hopes to put a man into orbit.

"The nation is proud!," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Twitter as he congratulated ISRO on the successful launch.

Congratulations to the dedicated scientists of ISRO for the successful launch of GSLV – MKIII D1/GSAT-19 mission. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 5, 2017

The GSLV – MKIII D1/GSAT-19 mission takes India closer to the next generation launch vehicle and satellite capability. The nation is proud! — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 5, 2017

The launch is another feather in the cap for scientists at ISRO, who won Asia's race to Mars in 2014 when an Indian spacecraft reached the Red Planet on a shoestring budget.

Here's what you need to know about India's 'Fatboy:

- The GSLV is a three-stage vehicle with two solid motor strap-ons, a liquid propellant core stage, and a cryogenic stage.

- Weighing nearly 640 tonnes or about 200 adult elephants, GSLV Mk III will place the heaviest Indian communication satellite, the Gsat-19 into the geo orbit.

- It is a three-stage vehicle with two solid motor strap-ons (S200), a liquid propellant core stage (L110) and a cryogenic stage (C25).

- GSLV-Mk III-D1 is the first developmental flight, carrying 3136 kg GSAT-19 satellite to a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). The vehicle is configured with a 5 m ogive payload fairing and slanted strap-on nose cone to provide aerodynamic robustness.

- The LVM3 will aim to reduce dependence on other countries as India has been using expensive European rockets to launch its heavier satellites weighing in at two tonnes.

- The rocket is reportedly more maneuverable than other rockets launched earlier and this feature will help change its position in space.

- GSAT-19 is a communications satellite that will improve internet speeds in the country.

- For the first time, there will be no transponders on the satellite. Instead for the first time, ISRO is using a whole new way beaming data down using multiple frequency beams and hence it is dubbed "a high through put satellite".

- Development of the GSLV Mk III began in the early 2000s, with the first launch planned for 2009-10.

- ISRO scientists took nearly 15 years to master the cryogenic technology powering the rocket which uses liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen as propellants.

Read: India muscling its way into the big boys club of space fairing: ISRO