New Delhi:
It was a big moment for India - the launch of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV). But minutes into launch, there was crisis with the indigenous cryogenic engine underperforming and the rocket deviating from its path. The worst fears had come true. The mission was a failure.
ISRO chairman, K Radhakrishan, announced that the rocket had spun out of control and that the cryogenic engine may have ignited. He promised another attempt next year. (
Read: ISRO statement on GSLV's failure)
"Sorry to inform you that the cryogenic stage was not successful. The countdown was eventless. We are not very sure that the cryogenic main engine did ignite. The vehicle was tumbling, it lost its control and altitude and splashed down in the sea," Radhakrishan said.
The cost of the mission was Rs 330 crore. The tall and majestic GSLV, if launched successfully, would have marked India's entry into the multi-billion dollar commercial launcher market on a fully indigenous rocket. A sophisticated new Indian technology called the cryogenic engine was being flown for the first time. In the five earlier flights, India had used pre-used imported Russian made cryogenic engines. It was this engine that underperformed.
Today's failure will impact India's efforts at launching its own communication satellites, its first manned space flight and the planned launch of Chandrayan 2 in 2012.
It took India more than 15 years to develop this cryogenic engine as technology for this was denied. In the 1990s, America put pressure on Russia and forced the cancellation of an Indo-Russian technology transfer deal. The argument given was that India will use these engines to make missiles. Two decades later, none of the Indian missiles uses a cryogenic engine. A team of hundreds of scientists toiled day and night to master this technology.
It's the second major setback months after the failure of Chandrayaan-1 - India's maiden mission to the moon. But on a positive note, ISRO has been able to come back with a bang in the past. It plans to attempt another launch in a year. (
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Scientists also point out that cryogenic engines are a difficult technology to master and even countries like the US and Japan failed in their maiden attempts.
The Indian-made Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle, at 50 meters tall would be as high as a 25-storey building, and weighing a whopping 416 tons. It is a three-stage rocket.
At lift-off, the first stage ignites using one of the world's largest solid fuel motors and strap on boosters. (
Read: GSLV - India's big launch)
The first stage separates and the second stage, powered by a liquid engine takes over, while the heat shield is shed.
At an altitude of about 130 kilometres, the second stage separates and the all-important cryogenic engine takes over. Using very cold liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen as fuel, this special engine helps launch heavier satellites into space.
After a 17-minute flight, the satellite was to have been put into its designated orbit above Earth.
This mission was to have hoisted a sophisticated communications satellite called G-Sat, an Indian-made experimental satellite that weighs 2200 kg and would improve the global positioning system. It was also to have tested a new electrical propulsion system to keep the satellite in its orbit. It was also carrying a set of Ka band transponders, which would have increased the quality of television coverage.
Also See:GSLV launch picturesApril 14, 2010: ISRO chief on GSLV-D3