Sriharikota: The Indian Space Agency today said the launch of the agile earth observation satellite EOS-03 on board its heaviest rocket GSLV-F10 from the spaceport here could not be fully accomplished due to a technical anomaly.
About 10 minutes after the lift off from the Second Launch Pad as scheduled at 5.43 am, ISRO Chairman Dr K Sivan, addressing the scientists from the Mission Control Centre, said, ‘the
mission cannot be fully accomplished fully because of a technical anomaly observed in the (indigenous) cryogenic stage’.
After a 26-hour smooth countdown and after the Mission Director gave the stamp of approval, GSLV-F10, the home grown rocket in its 14th flight, lifted off majestically from the Second Launch Pad at 5.43 am as scheduled, with a rumble that shook the earth.
The ignition and separation of the first two stages of the three stage vehcile was smooth, before the technical snag was observed in the upper cyrogenic stage.
After analysing the data with his scientists, Dr Sivan said the mission could not be fully accomplished.
This is the 14th flight of indigenous cryogenic stage, 79th launch vehicle mission from the SHAR Range and the 14th flight of GSLV.
This is the second mission for ISRO this year after the launch of Brazillian satellite Amazonia-1 by PSLV-C51 in February after its several launch missons were affected by the Covid pandemic.
The 2,268 kg EOS-3 or the Geo Imaging Satellite-1 (GISAT-1), is the country’s first sky eye or earth observation satellite that should have been placed in geostationary orbit.
The satellite is intended to keep a steady eye on the areas of interest (the satellite will move in sync with the rotation of the earth and hence would look stationary) unlike other remote sensing satellites placed in lower orbit that can come to a spot only at regular intervals.
Originally the GISAT-1 was slated for launch on March five last year, but was postponed at the last minute due to a technical glitch.
Soon after the Covid-19 pandemic broke out and the subsequent lockdown delayed the mission. Due to the delay, the rocket had to be dismantled and cleaned up.
Subsequently, the GISAT-1 launch was slated for March this year, but due to problems in the satellite’s battery side, the flight got delayed.
With the replacement of the battery the satellite and the rocket was readied for the mission when the second Covid wave led to further delay. However, the jinx continued.