An Indian-made rocket lifted off from a site north of Chennai carrying two small spacecraft to test a docking maneuver.
Space docking is crucial for manned travel to the Moon or to support a space station.
The head of the Indian Space Research Organization, Sridhara Somanath, said he was happy to announce the “successful completion” of the rocket, and added that the mission “placed the satellites in the correct orbit.”
Delhi hopes to become the fourth country to possess such technology after Russia, the United States and China.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had previously announced plans to send a person to the moon by 2040.
