signal failed to reach the first stage
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Sriharikota, December 25, 2010
GSLV-F06 launch fails
T.S. Subramanian
The launch of Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle, GSLV-F06, from Sriharikota ended in failure on Saturday, with the rocket bursting into a ball of fire as it ascended into the sky.
After a smooth 30-hour countdown, the GSLV-F06 lifted off from its launch pad at 4 p.m. It ascended into the sky majestically, giving no hint of the disaster that awaited the rocket. As it was climbing into the sky, the rocket lost it trajectory and exploded into a ball of fire. Soon after, the sky was filled with white, reddish-orange and dark-grey smoke.
Flaming debris from the rocket came down in a shower over the Bay of Bengal.
Telemetry data has to be analysed to know the exact failure of the launch, an ISRO official said.
The rocket GSLV-F06 was to have put into orbit communication satellite GSAT-5P.
The previous GSLV flight flown in April 2010 also ended in failure.
PTI adds:
The destruct command was issued when the control and command signal failed to reach the activation system at the first stage itself, ISRO chief K. Radhakrishnan told a press conference shortly after the aborted launch.
The satellite was meant for augmenting communication services currently provided by the Indian National Satellite System. Built at Rs. 125 crore, it was to replace the INSAT-3E that was sent up in 2003.
“I am extremely sorry to say that GSLV-F06 mission has failed,” he said. Taking the failure in his stride, the ISRO chief said space agency everywhere goes through such failures.
“We learn from failures and such failures lead to success,” he said.
Reconstructing the events, Mr. Radhakrishnan said when the destruct signal was given the vehicle was at an altitude of 8 km and a distance of 2.5 km away from Sriharikota. The debris have fallen in the sea.
“At T＋63 seconds, when we saw the visuals of it breaking up and it also became clear in the radar and the destruct command was issued,” he said.
All the four liquid strap on motors worked as expected and the mission was still in the first stage, he said.
Mr. Radhakrishnan said the cause of disruption will be studied in detail and experts and review committee will sit on Saturday and Sunday to find out the exact cause of the failure.
“We hope to get an assessment of what exactly triggered the problem and will go back to it,” he said.
may be next time.
