GSLV failure not to upset India's space programme

Thiruvananthapuram, July 12 (UNI) Asserting the GSLV failure will not derail India's ambitious space programme, top space scientists today said the ISRO was strong enough to overcome the setback and go ahead with the next GSLV launch scheduled for September and also the Moon Mission.

''The failure of GSLV-F02 carrying INSAT-4C satellite will not upset the ISRO's upcoming programmes,'' Dr B N Suresh, Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), told reporters here.

However, he admitted the GSLV failure was a setback. ''But we are strong enough to overcome this setback and put back our whole programme back on rails,'' he said.

Stating failures in launch programmes were not unusual in world scenario, he said the ISRO was confident of going ahead with next launch of GSLV, as planned, in September.

Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) Director R V Perumal said the present setback would not upset the plans for the Moon Mission, ''Chandrayan'', as it was to be launched by Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle(PSLV).

Both the scientists, whose institutions were instrumental in fabricating the GSLV engine, said an experts committee had already been set up to find out what went wrong.

Corrective measures would be taken on the basis of the detailed investigation, they added.

UNI CR GM RL PM1658