India’s space program gets a lump of coal in their Christmas stocking.
Indian Rocket Explodes Seconds After Liftoff
An Indian space rocket carrying an advanced communications satellite exploded in smoke and fire just seconds after lifting off from a launch pad at the Sriharikota space center in Andhra Pradesh state, about 50 miles from the city of Chennai.
The Christmas Day launch of the satellite had originally been planned for December 20, but was delayed after engineers discovered a leak in one of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle’s (GSLV) engines, the United News of India reported.
The GSLV was carrying a GSAT-5P communication satellite into orbit when it strayed from its planned flight path, and was deliberately blown up by mission control 47 seconds after liftoff, according to state-owned Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) Chairman K. Radhakrishnan.
Radhakrishnan said the GSLV developed an error shortly after takeoff, and then lost command, resulting in a higher angle in the flight.
“That caused a higher stress, breaking up the vehicle,” he said.
The GSLV exploded “at an altitude of 4.9 miles (8 km) and the debris have fallen in deep sea,” Radhakrishnan said.
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Apparently, this isn’t the first time this particular type of rocket has failed.
/India might want to rethink their plans to use these rockets for manned flights
Filed under: Blog Entry | Tagged: Advanced Communications Satellite, Altitude, Andhra Pradesh State, Breaking Up, Chairman K. Radhakrishnan, Chennai, Christmas, Christmas Day, Communications Satellite, Debris, Deep Sea, Delayed, Deliberately Blown Up, Engineers, Engines, Error, Exploded, Explodes, Fire, Flight, Flight Path, Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle, GSAT-5P, GSLV, Higher Angle, Higher Stress, India, Indian, Indian Space Research Organization, ISRO, Launch Pad, Liftoff, Lost Command, Mission Control, Orbit, Planned Flight Path, Rocket, Satellite, Smoke, Space Program, Space Rocket, Sriharikota Space Center, Strayed, Takeoff, Vehicle | 1 Comment »
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