![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]()
New Delhi (AFP) February 17, 2000 - India's first test firing of its locally built and most ambitious rocket engine has failed, a government statement said Thursday. The 7.5-tonne engine, using liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen, was ignited at the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre at Mahendragiri in southern Tamil Nadu state on Wednesday, the statement said. "However, the test had to be aborted at 15 seconds instead of the planned duration of 30 seconds," it said. Indian Space Research Organisation's scientists plan to to analyse the data generated during the aborted test to pinpoint the anamoly and take corrective action, the statement said. India, which has been working on the project for the last seven years, developed its own cryogenic engine from the scratch, following Russia's denial of the technology under pressure from the United States. The cryogenic engine was originally scheduled for testing at the end of December 1999. "Since the engine was moved to the test stand on December 23, 1999, elaborate trials with cryogenic propellants were carried out as part of final preparation and checks prior to the conduct of test," the statement said. "Wednesday's test also marks the beginning of a series of ground qualification trials of the engine that will be carried out during the next several months," it said. The cryogenic engine was meant to launch India's Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle. Copyright 1999 AFP. All rights reserved. The material on this page is provided by AFP and may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Email This Article Comment On This Article Related Links Space
![]() ![]() The successful launch Thursday of India's heaviest satellite from spaceport of Kourou in French Guyana may have boosted the country's space research efforts to yet another level, but it has also lifted the spirits of at least three Direct-To-Home televisions broadcasters, one of which has been waiting for years to launch its services in India. |
![]() |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement |