Probe should detail reasons by weekend, says Isro.
What caused the failure of the Indian Space Research Organisation's latest mission to launch an advanced communication satellite, GSAT-5P, a consecutive failiure of a launch? Allegations and accusations are said to be flying between the three divisions of Isro, according to sources.
Isro Chairman K Radhakrishnan had said at a post-launch press conference on Christmas Day that cables carrying control signals from the on-board computer to the first stage snapped. The mission control could not send commands to the vehicle, as a result. The uncontrolled vehicle started deviating from its flight path and had to be detonated. Isro's routine post-launch press release gave no details, but only made a cryptic announcement that the "launch of GSLV-F06/GSAT-5P mission (was) not successful".
Isro's official spokesperson told Business Standard the space agency was trying to find out why it happened, from all possible angles. "We know what happened and when it happened. We are trying to find out why it happened," he added.
It is being speculated that the snapping of connectors between the second and third stage of the Indian rocket GSLV might have led to the failure, according to a scientist. But, it's mere speculation, added the spokesperson. He said in a day or two, Isro would come out with reasons for the mishap.
The three divisions involved in the project — the Isro Satellite Centre (ISAC) in Bangalore, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in Thiruvananthapuram and the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (Shar) at Sriharikota — had been pointing fingers at each other. Was the payload the problem or the design and manufacturing or the assembly? The inquiry is now trying to figure if the problem occurred at the ISAC, where the satellite was assembled, or at the VSSC, where the rockets are made or at the Shar, where the whole GSLV, the launch vehicle, was assembled with the satellite.
According to a retired Isro official in the know of things, the scientists were sceptical from the beginning about the launch. The capacity of the third stage of the GSLV had been increased to be able to launch a heavier satellite. A team of Russian engineers are said to have come here to help raise the capacity of the launch vehicle.
At 2,310 kg, the GSAT-5P communication satellite carried aboard the ill-fated mission was the heaviest payload ever lifted by a GSLV. It was 180 kg heavier than the Insat-4CR launched successfully by a GSLV in 2007, 400-kg heavier than Edusat, launched in 2003, and about 800 kg heavier than GSAT-1, launched in 2001.
Instability introduced by the excessive weight of the payload was most likely responsible for failure of the launch, according to a source. "The cable joints cannot snap just like that," he said. He said the connectors are locked so well they cannot snap unless the vehicle itself breaks. According to the source, the GSLV most likely broke due to instability caused by the heavy payload.
The snapping of connectors between the second and third stage of the GSLV led to the failure, according to a scientist.
Tests and retests, an analyst said, were the only way to overcome any possibility of failure in future.
