Panaji, Sep 28 (IANS): Union Minister of Science and Technology Harsh Vardhan on Monday congratulated scientists on the successful launch of ASTROSAT, India's dedicated space observatory.

Speaking to reporters on board an ocean research vessel off Goa's coast, the minister said he wanted to "share his joy with countrymen as India looked forward to prospective research in astronomical sciences".

Vardhan, who also holds the portfolio of the ministry of Earth Sciences, said that he was "very happy" that several institutes under the ministry -- Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Raman Research Institute, and the S.N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences -- contributed towards the success of the launch.

Minister of State for Science and Technology Y.S. Chowdary also congratulated scientists for the venture.

"We should all endeavour to take science forward for the development of the country and for alleviating the problems of the people," he said in a statement issued at New Delhi.

Earlier on Monday, India joined a select group of nations -- the US, Japan, Russia and Europe -- owning space observatories with the ASTROSAT rocket launch that also put into orbit six other foreign satellites.