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GSLV D-1 fails to lift off
AT 3.47 on Wednesday afternoon scientists of the Indian Space Research Organisation began the countdown to the first flight of India's Global Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV). But with just a second to go before they said "lift-off", the flight was abandoned.
DISAPPOINTMENT swept through Sriharikota this afternoon as the first developmental flight of the Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle, GSLV-D1, failed to lift off, resulting in the mission being aborted. A successful launch would have put India into the market for launching communications satellites.
The disappointment was all the more evident as those assembled on the terrace of the Brahm Prakash Building -- friends and relatives of ISRO officials, mediapersons and some local people -- had begun to clap and cheer at the final stages of the countdown in anticipation of a successful lift-off. Everyone turned quiet and sullen when the lift-off did not happen: One of the strap-on stages had not developed enough thrust.
At a brief press conference soon after, Dr K. Kasturirangan, ISRO Chairman, said scientists had yet to figure out what went wrong. However, he said that it was a matter of satisfaction that all the safety mechanisms on board the rocket worked.
Adapted from Newspapers - Business Line, Hindustan Times, Statesman
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