Isro has a track record of launching satellites for 19 countries including space-faring nations, but this is the first time the US would be using an Indian vehicle, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, to put one of its satellite in orbit. ISRO’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), which is a cost effective technology

ISRO has launched 45 satellites for 19 countries, and 28 more foreign satellites are scheduled to be launched in the next two years. US will be the 20th country to sign up for a commercial launch by India, said ISRO chairman A S Kiran Kumar.

Earlier in July, the space agency’s PSLV-C28, had placed five satellites from the UK into space. The vehicle has proved its reliability and cost effective functionality over the years. Between 1994 and 2015, the PSLV has launched 77 satellites through 29 flights.

ISRO is working for the launch of GSLV-Mark-II, which is scheduled for somewhere around 27th August. The GSLV-Mark-II will carry a communication satellite, and by March 2016, ISRO will launch 7 satellites.

After the successful Mars mission, ISRO is also planning a mission to Venus. They are also working on their next generation vehicle, GSLV-Mark-III, which will carry satellites up to 4 tonnes in weight, to be launched by December 2016.