Related News
India sees 2nd failure in launch of rocket
Source: Agencies |
December 27, 2010, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
A ROCKET carrying an Indian communication satellite exploded just after liftoff in the second launch failure for India's space agency this year.
Television images showed the rocket exploding in smoke and fire just after it launched on Saturday from the Sriharikota space center in Andhra Pradesh state. It was carrying a GSAT-5P communication satellite into orbit.
The vehicle developed an error 47 seconds after liftoff and lost command, leading to a higher angle in the flight, said K. Radhakrishnan, chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization.
"That caused a higher stress, breaking up the vehicle," Radhakrishnan told reporters.
In April, a similar rocket on a developmental flight plunged into the Bay of Bengal. The ISRO said its rotor seized and turbine casing ruptured, on excessive pressure and thermal stresses.
Yashpal, a retired Indian scientist, said he was very disappointed by Saturday's failure, but other countries too have suffered such problems.
"I hope it's just one of those things," Yashpal, who uses one name, told reporters.
India is planning its first manned space flight in 2016.
An Indian satellite launched in 2008 to orbit the moon was abandoned last year after communication links snapped and scientists lost control of the satellite.
India is the fifth country after United States, Russia, China and France to enter the commercial satellite launch market.
Television images showed the rocket exploding in smoke and fire just after it launched on Saturday from the Sriharikota space center in Andhra Pradesh state. It was carrying a GSAT-5P communication satellite into orbit.
The vehicle developed an error 47 seconds after liftoff and lost command, leading to a higher angle in the flight, said K. Radhakrishnan, chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization.
"That caused a higher stress, breaking up the vehicle," Radhakrishnan told reporters.
In April, a similar rocket on a developmental flight plunged into the Bay of Bengal. The ISRO said its rotor seized and turbine casing ruptured, on excessive pressure and thermal stresses.
Yashpal, a retired Indian scientist, said he was very disappointed by Saturday's failure, but other countries too have suffered such problems.
"I hope it's just one of those things," Yashpal, who uses one name, told reporters.
India is planning its first manned space flight in 2016.
An Indian satellite launched in 2008 to orbit the moon was abandoned last year after communication links snapped and scientists lost control of the satellite.
India is the fifth country after United States, Russia, China and France to enter the commercial satellite launch market.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
