Jolt to ISRO, GSLV explodes mid-air

Sriharikota: In a major blow to India's space programme, the second operational flight of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle GSLV-F02 ended in a failure on Monday.

Seconds after a perfect takeoff, the 49-metre-long launch vehicle, deviated from its trajectory and plunged into the Bay of Bengal.

The three-stage 414-tonne launch vehicle of the ISRO, which lifted off from Satish Dhawan Space Centre on Monday evening, started under-performing right from the start and veered off its path after travelling a few kilometres into the sky.

The 2.2 tonne satellite cost Rs 100 crore; the rocket cost Rs 150 crore.

Though senior ISRO officials described it as a big setback, ISRO Chairman G Madhavan Nair ruled out major setback.

"I don't think there will be any major setback but we are doing other programmes, we are making PSLVs, GSLVs in a production mode and those launches will take place. Whatever lessons we learnt out of this failure, it will be applied and we will make sure that they are as reliable as ever," he said.

GSLV-F02 was carrying a 2,168-kg INSAT-4C, the latest satellite of the Indian National Satellite System series, aimed at augmenting the Direct-To-Home television services, facilitate video picture transmission, digital satellite news gathering and provide VSAT connectivity to National Informatics Centre.

INSAT-4C is the second satellite in the INSAT-4 series. The lift-off took place at 1738 hrs IST , exactly one hour behind schedule.

The launch was originally scheduled at 1638 hrs IST. It was deferred till 1715 hrs IST, before it was fixed at 1738 hrs IST. It was not immediately known whether adverse weather conditions posed a threat as the sky remained overcast.

ISRO Chairman G Madhavan Nair was to explain the reasons for the delay at the post-launch press conference.

The much-awaited launch then came unsuccessful with the GSLV, carrying the satellite, deviating a little bit from its chartered path, ISRO sources said.

After the vehicle lifted off from the launchpad at 1738 hrs IST, there was a slight deviation from its path, following which ISRO officials put the entire system on 'emergency condition.'

ISRO immediately declared an emergency and several areas near the launch site were evacuated as a precautionary measure.

The launch debacle comes a day after the Agni-III nuclear capable ballistic missile failed to hit its target off the Orissa coast and hurtled into the sea.

Next Page: ISRO's Milestones

2005	Successful launch of INSAT-4A by Ariane from Kourou French Guyana, (December 22, 2005). ISRO's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV-C6, successfully launched CARTOSAT-1 and HAMSAT satellites from Sriharikota(May 5, 2005).
2004	The first operational flight of GSLV (GSLV-F01) successfully launched EDUSAT from SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota (September 20, 2004)
2003	ISRO's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV-C5, successfully launched RESOURCESAT-1 (IRS-P6) satellite from Sriharikota (October 17, 2003). Successful launch of INSAT-3E by Ariane from Kourou French Guyana, (September 28, 2003). The Second developmental launch of GSLV-D2 with GSAT-2 on board from Sriharikota (May 8, 2003). Successful launch of INSAT-3A by Ariane from Kourou French Guyana (April 10, 2003).
2002	ISRO's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV-C4, successfully launched KALPANA-1 satellite from Sriharikota (September 12, 2002). Successful launch of INSAT-3C by Ariane from Kourou French Guyana, (January 24, 2002).
2001	ISRO's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV-C3, successfully launched three satellites -- Technology Experiment Satellite (TES) of ISRO, BIRD of Germany and PROBA of Belgium - into their intended orbits (October 22, 2001). The first developmental launch of GSLV-D1 with GSAT-1 on board from Sriharikota (April 18, 2001)
2000	INSAT-3B, the first satellite in the third generation INSAT-3 series, launched by Ariane from Kourou French Guyana, (March 22, 2000).

1999	Indian Remote Sensing Satellite, IRS-P4 (OCEANSAT), launched by Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C2) along with Korean KITSAT-3 and German DLR-TUBSAT from Sriharikota (May 26, 1999). INSAT-2E, the last satellite in the multipurpose INSAT-2 series, launched by Ariane from Kourou French Guyana (April 3, 1999).
1998	INSAT system capacity augmented with the readiness of INSAT-2DT acquired from ARABSAT (January 1998).
1997	INSAT-2D, fourth satellite in the INSAT series, launched (June 4, 1997). Becomes inoperable on October 4, 1997. (An in-orbit satellite, ARABSAT-1C, since renamed INSAT-2DT, was acquired in November 1997 to partly augment the INSAT system). First operational launch of PSLV with IRS-1D on board (September 29, 1997). Satellite placed in orbit.
1996	Third developmental launch of PSLV with IRS-P3 on board (March 21, 1996). Satellite placed in polar sunsynchronous orbit.
1995	Launch of third operational Indian Remote Sensing Satellite, IRS-1C (December 28, 1995). INSAT-2C, the third satellite in the INSAT-2 series, launched (December 7, 1995).
1994	Second developmental launch of PSLV with IRS-P2 on board (October 15, 1994). Satellite successfully placed in polar sunsynchronous orbit. Fourth developmental launch of ASLV with SROSS-C2 on board (May 4, 1994). Satellite placed in orbit.
1993	First developmental launch of PSLV with IRS-1E on board (September 20, 1993). Satellite could not be placed in orbit. INSAT-2B, the second satellite in the INSAT-2 series, launched (July 23, 1993).
1992	INSAT-2A, the first satellite of the indigenously-built second-generation INSATseries, launched (July 10, 1992). Third developmental launch of ASLV with SROSS-C on board (May 20, 1992). Satellite placed in orbit.
1991	Second operational Remote Sensing satellite, IRS-1B, launched (August 29, 1991).
1990	INSAT-1D launched (June 12, 1990).

1988	INSAT-1C launched (July 21, 1988). Abandoned in November 1989. Second developmental launch of ASLV with SROSS-2 on board (July 13, 1988). Satellite could not be placed in orbit. Launch of first operational Indian Remote Sensing Satellite, IRS-1A (March 17, 1988).
1987	First developmental launch of ASLV with SROSS-1 satellite on board (March 24, 1987). Satellite could not be placed in orbit.
1984	Indo-Soviet manned space mission (April 1984).
1983	INSAT-1B, launched (August 30, 1983). Second developmental launch of SLV-3. RS-D2 placed in orbit (April 17, 1983).
1982	INSAT-1A launched (April 10, 1982). Deactivated on September 6, 1982.
1981	Bhaskara-II launched (November 20, 1981). APPLE, an experimental geo-stationary communication satellite successfully launched (June 19, 1981). RS-D1 placed in orbit (May 31, 1981) First developmental launch of SLV-3.
1980	Second Experimental launch of SLV-3, Rohini satellite successfully placed in orbit. (July 18, 1980).
1979	First Experimental launch of SLV-3 with Rohini Technology Payload on board (August 10, 1979). Satellite could not be placed in orbit. Bhaskara-I, an experimental satellite for earth observations, launched (June 7, 1979).
1977	Satellite Telecommunication Experiments Project (STEP) carried out.

1975-1976	Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE) conducted.
1975	ISRO First Indian Satellite, Aryabhata, launched (April 19, 1975). Becomes Government Organisation (April 1, 1975).
1972-1976	Air-borne remote sensing experiments.
1972	Space Commission and Department of Space set up (June 1, 1972). ISRO brought under DOS.
1969	Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) formed under Department of Atomic Energy (August 15, 1969).
1968	TERLS dedicated to the United Nations (February 2, 1968).
1967	Satellite Telecommunication Earth Station set up at Ahmedabad.
1965	Space Science & Technology Centre (SSTC) established in Thumba.
1963	First sounding rocket launched from TERLS (November 21, 1963).
1962	Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) formed by the Department of Atomic Energy and work on establishing Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) started.