ISRO halts full cryo test; postpones by three to four weeks

Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu, Jan 19 (UNI) The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) today decided against going ahead with the full duration test of GSLV's indigenously developed cryogenic stage here after anomalies were noticed in the initial ''short duration test.'' While one source said the long duration test was aborted by the onboard computer after 30 seconds when anomalous readings were sensed, the organisation's website carried a press note stating that ''preparations for the hot test were completed satisfactorily. During the initial short duration test, certain anomalies were observed and hence the long duration test was postponed.'' The source said the test was aborted after the pressure line came down and temperature went up in the Liquid Hydrogen Passage of the thrust chamber, which is the power house of the engine. The computer sensed the anomaly and it immediately shut down the engines.

ISRO Chairman Madhavan Nair told UNI, ''all the parameters worked allright. But we could not go through with the long duration test because we found some anamolous readings. We will conduct the full duration test in three to four weeks from now.'' (Eds pick up suitably from the earlier series) UNI GV AA RR RS2112