\<COLOUR 1> LAUNCH DATE: \<COLOUR 0> July 18, 1980
\<COLOUR 1> LAUNCH SITE: \<COLOUR 0> Sriharikota High Altitude Range (SHAR), Sriharikota
\<COLOUR 1> LAUNCH VEHICLE: \<COLOUR 0> SLV3
\<COLOUR 1> ORBIT: \<COLOUR 0> 302/910 km
\<COLOUR 1> SIZE: \<COLOUR 0> Sphere, 60 cm diameter
\<COLOUR 1> WEIGHT: \<COLOUR 0> 35 kg
\<COLOUR 1> COUNTRY: \<COLOUR 0> India
\<COLOUR 1> COMMENTS: \<COLOUR 0> First satellite launched by India, which becomes the seventh space nation; stays in orbit for 306 days; Rohini 2 goes into orbit on May 31, 1981, but re-enters after only 8 days; Rohini 3 (April 17, 1983) is more successful, remaining aloft for 7 years.