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Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman K Radhakrishnan said on Wednesday that preparations are on for the historic hundredth mission -- the launch of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C21). Addressing media here, Radhakrishnan said two foreign satellites, one from Japan , and the other from France , would be launched in September. "We are preparing for the 100th mission -PSLV-C21- and, we have two foreign satellites, one is from France , SPOT-6 remote sensing satellite. There is a small satellite Protiers from Japan , which is going as a co-passenger. Preparations are going on, and in the second week of September, we plan to have the launch," he said. According to media reports, ISRO has undertaken 99 missions, including 62 satellite missions and 37 launch vehicle missions. Recently, India had announced plans to send a satellite via an unmanned spacecraft to orbit Mars next year, joining a small group of nations already exploring the red planet. A rocket will blast off from the southeastern coast, dropping the satellite into deep space, which will then travel onto Mars to achieve orbit. India 's space exploration programme began in 1962. Four years ago, its Chandrayaan satellite found evidence of water on the moon. India is now looking at landing a wheeled rover on the Moon in 2014.

ISRO gears up for launch of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle