04-16-2010, 01:24 AM
[url="http://netspiderads2.indiatimes.com/ads.dll/photoserv?slotid=36459"]Indigenous engines bring down GSLV[/url]
Quote:T K Rohit, TNN, Apr 16, 2010, 12.56am IST
SRIHARIKOTA: In a setback to India's space programme, GSLV D-3, the satellite launch vehicle showcasing its indigenous cryogenic technology, trailed off its designated course and went out of control shortly after lift-off from the spaceport on Thursday. The rocket, along with its two payloads -- satellites GSAT-4 and GAGAN -- crashed into the Bay of Bengal 293 seconds after launch.
The launch was key to India's space programme as it would have become the sixth nation to successfully deploy the cryogenic technology, joining US, Russia, Japan, China and France. The earlier five versions of the GSLV had Russia-supplied cryogenic engine. India's cryogenic upper stage (CUS) engine was meant to replace the Russian engines.
It took scientists of the Indian Space Research Organization (Isro) around 17 years to develop cryogenic motors after its bid to import the technology from Russia in 1992 failed because of opposition from the US. The project to develop the indigenous cryogenic engine was approved in 1993. The powerful booster technology using supercooled liquid fuel is designed to put heavier satellites into high orbits, about 36,000 kilometres from earth.
This was also the second time in six launches that a GSLV mission has failed.
For Dr K Radhakrishnan, it was not the kind of `Vishu' (Malayali new year) he would have wished on his maiden launch as the head of the space organisation. However, putting up a brave face, Radhakrishnan said the launch would take place again within a year, when the space agency will rectify the mistakes.
"The mission objectives are not met fully. During the flight, everything was fine till the end of the second stage at around 293 seconds. The cryogenic stage is supposed to fire almost half the velocity to give the thrust to inject the satellite in its geostationary arch. We are not sure if the engine ignited," he said. Isro received no communication from the vehicle.
"We have to look at various parameters during the flight. The vehicle was tumbling, lost its control and altitude and finally splashed into the sea," Radhakrishnan told reporters. "In the cryogenic stage, the main engine and the two vernier engines need to ignite. We are not sure whether the main engine ignited," he added.
The Isro team will now look at the telemetry data and try to figure what went wrong. "We will carry out analysis and it will take two to three days to come to a conclusion as to what happened and what are the corrective measures to be taken. The team has all the capabilities and resilience to do the analysis and our target is one year... to do all corrections and have the next flight test," Radhakrishnan said as he turned up as the lone warrior to meet the press while his mission director, project director and other support staff toiled over details of what went wrong.
While the development of an indigenous cryogenic engine would make India self-reliant, it would also bring in tremendous cost advantage to Isro. "Today we are able to realize a cryogenic engine for Rs 36 crore. It would have cost about $18-$20 million for a Russian engine," the chairman said.
Isro has planned 11 launches of the GSLV in the coming years. The next GSLV launch carrying the GSAT-5P, a communication satellite, will soar sometime in September. Isro bought seven cryogenic engines from Russia and has used five of them. It plans to use the remaining two engines for its upcoming GSLV launches, he said.
Asked if Isro was confident of launching the second moon mission, Chandrayaan-II, on time on the GSLV, he said: "If India managed to have its own successful cryogenic engine and the stage tested, we should not have any reasons for a delay on that account."
Isro will also put into orbit the Cartosat-2 and an Algerian satellite, two Canadian satellite and an Indian-built eco-satellite, on its workhorse vehicle, the PSLV, in the first or second week of May.
GSLV Rises, And Falls
4.27:00pm: GSLV-D3 soars into sky from Sriharikota spaceport at the end of 29-hr countdown
4.29:31: First stage separates
4.29:33: Stage two ignites
4.30:48: Heatshield separates
4.31:53: Isro loses contact with launch vehicle as it veers off course
4.32:04: Presumed ignition of cryogenic engine
What Went Wrong
* Failure still being analysed but possibly the two steering engines, which control the rocket's path, may not have ignited in the cryogenic stage
* ISRO chief not sure if main cryogenic engine ignited
Second Failure
* Out of six launches, this is the second time GSLV has failed
* This was first launch using indigenously made cryogenic engine