What stopped India's rocket launch? 750 kg of leaking fuel

[Brahmos_2]

When India's Rs. 205-crore space mission was aborted earlier this month, scientists from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) blamed a fuel leak in the rocket that was meant to place a communications satellite in space.

NDTV has now learnt that scientists discovered that 750 kilograms of highly inflammable and explosive fuel had leaked from the engine.

The countdown clock was stopped barely 74 minutes before the scheduled lift-off for the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) fitted with a cryogenic engine made in India.

Video showed the rocket being splashed with water. Weighing as much as 80 well-fed adult elephants, the vehicle was dismantled at Sriharikota, 80 kilometres from Chennai.

Chairman of ISRO, K Radhakrishnan, said "timely detection and quick action" averted what could have been a massive fire that could have engulfed not just the rocket but the second launch pad facility at Sriharikota. This is the first time ISRO has had to dismantle a rocket that had been almost fully fuelled.

"There is no generic problem with the rocket," Mr Radhakrishnan told NDTV. The launch will be attempted again in December.

India has been trying to push further into the global market for launching commercial satellites.

What stopped India's rocket launch? 750 kg of leaking fuel | NDTV.com

 

[Indo-guy]

When India's Rs. 205-crore space mission was aborted earlier this month, scientists from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) blamed a fuel leak in the rocket that was meant to place a communications satellite in space.

NDTV has now learnt that scientists discovered that 750 kilograms of highly inflammable and explosive fuel had leaked from the engine.

The countdown clock was stopped barely 74 minutes before the scheduled lift-off for the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) fitted with a cryogenic engine made in India.

Video showed the rocket being splashed with water. Weighing as much as 80 well-fed adult elephants, the vehicle was dismantled at Sriharikota, 80 kilometres from Chennai.

Chairman of ISRO, K Radhakrishnan, said "timely detection and quick action" averted what could have been a massive fire that could have engulfed not just the rocket but the second launch pad facility at Sriharikota. This is the first time ISRO has had to dismantle a rocket that had been almost fully fuelled.

"There is no generic problem with the rocket," Mr Radhakrishnan told NDTV. The launch will be attempted again in December.

India has been trying to push further into the global market for launching commercial satellites.

What stopped India's rocket launch? 750 kg of leaking fuel | NDTV.com

Thanks ...for the latest update . I am sure many of us have been waiting to hear about GSLV D5 feedback...

They are saying December .....that means they will incorporate totally new Second stage engine ....guess they will do further tests for analysis ....


I think it's great that a major tragedy has been averted !!!

Did you hear the last moment ( just few seconds before launch ) stoppage of Japanese mission ?


So it happens ....some India-haters have been denouncing it as failed GSLV mission ....

I will try to post the link ....for Japanese mission ...

 

[Indo-guy]

Japanese satellite launch called off at last minute

Japan suspends satellite rocket launch at last minute - Channel NewsAsia

 

[Nisha]

Possibly moles rying to sabotage the launch. Just like the Sub explosion forced India to act fast and procure subs from Russia

 

[Abingdonboy]

"Why do we fall Bruce? So we can learn to pick ourselves up."

 

[livingdead]

Possibly moles rying to sabotage the launch. Just like the Sub explosion forced India to act fast and procure subs from Russia

dont blame enemy for your own incompetence .. I am pretty sure some of the clueless navy guy did something stupid.
In case of ISRO though, one can say it happens to best of org. Best of luck for next launch.

 

[Sergi]

dont blame enemy for your own incompetence .. I am pretty sure some of the clueless navy guy did something stupid.
In case of ISRO though, one can say it happens to best of org. Best of luck for next launch.

Wow. Just wow !!!

Since when clueless guies are put on the armed subs
Sabotage is very unlikely on Sub incident but to say it was a human error at this point is just ..............

Possibly moles rying to sabotage the launch. Just like the Sub explosion forced India to act fast and procure subs from Russia

You cant be sure on either incidents.
Sub incident isn't a sabotage.

But we cant deny GSLV leak for sure. Its second time something is leaking in final phases. Hoping it is just a mechanical and not sabotage.

 

[anant_s]

if it is a genuine case of leakage, ISRO needs to get a pat on its back for timely action. Had they proceeded with the mission, there could've been a grave danger of accident and no tto mention the embarasement that would follow. The important thing is that the engines are still intact, after the leak repair is done, the next launch could come sooner than we think.

Liquid fuel is inherently dangerous and in past several accidents have taken place including the infamous Nedelin catastrophe in Soviet Union.

IMHO calling off a launch isn't a disgrace, any accident certainly is.

 

[Indo-guy]

if it is a genuine case of leakage, ISRO needs to get a pat on its back for timely action. Had they proceeded with the mission, there could've been a grave danger of accident and no tto mention the embarasement that would follow. The important thing is that the engines are still intact, after the leak repair is done, the next launch could come sooner than we think.

Liquid fuel is inherently dangerous and in past several accidents have taken place including the infamous Nedelin catastrophe in Soviet Union.

IMHO calling off a launch isn't a disgrace, any accident certainly is.

This mission is too prestigious for ISRO and India ! ISRO need to make sure that everything is alright .
The leakage in second stage ( or any other stage for that matter ) is a very serious issue , possibly linked to faulty subsystem.
This has consequences to not only GSLV but also PSLV missions. How such thing can at all happen in such high stake mission ?

ISRO will have to get at the root of this problem ...the thorough check up of Second stage will require ! I think ISRO will use stand by Second stage engine rather than use the repaired original one ....

In any case whole process is going to take several months ....which is Ok ! Delay in GSLV mission will push back several of our GSLV dependent missions !!! But we have no choice .
any failure at this stage would be extremely demoralizing so it's ok for ISRO to take time they need and then launch mission with 100 % certainty ...

ISRO has repeatedly said that there is no problem with basic design of GSLV and GSLV had been sheer unlucky past few times .


Glad that timely action has saved mission - launch vehicle and satellite this time !

 

[anant_s]

This mission is too prestigious for ISRO and India ! ISRO need to make sure that everything is alright .
The leakage in second stage ( or any other stage for that matter ) is a very serious issue , possibly linked to faulty subsystem.
This has consequences to not only GSLV but also PSLV missions. How such thing can at all happen in such high stake mission ?

ISRO will have to get at the root of this problem ...the thorough check up of Second stage will require ! I think ISRO will use stand by Second stage engine rather than use the repaired original one ....

In any case whole process is going to take several months ....which is Ok ! Delay in GSLV mission will push back several of our GSLV dependent missions !!! But we have no choice .
any failure at this stage would be extremely demoralizing so it's ok for ISRO to take time they need and then launch mission with 100 % certainty ...

ISRO has repeatedly said that there is no problem with basic design of GSLV and GSLV had been sheer unlucky past few times .


Glad that timely action has saved mission - launch vehicle and satellite this time !

Absolutely, if all this is seen as a part of learning curve, it should augur well for future. Loss of material and face apart, any fatalities would've left a wound, that never heals. A sucessful launch 6-12 months is more welcome than a risky mission now.