Article Posted on : - Aug 18, 2013

Panoramic view of GSLV-D5 at the Second Launch Pad. Photo: ISRO.

CHENNAI (PTI): The 29-hour countdown for the launch of GSLV-D5, powered by indigenous cryogenic upper stage and carrying communication satellite GSAT-14, from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh began on Sunday at 11.50 AM, ISRO Chairman K Radhakrishnan said.

"Preparations for the launch of GSLV-D5, which is slated to be placed in orbit on GSAT-14, an advanced communication satellite, is progressing well. The countdown began at 11.50 AM and the launch is scheduled at 4.30 PM on August 19," he told reporters at Chennai airport en route to Sriharikota.

The launch time had earlier been fixed at 4.50 PM for the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) D-5 from the second launch pad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, about 90 km from here in Andhra Pradesh.

This will be the second attempt by Indian Space Research Organisation to flight test the indigenous cryogenic stage after the failure of previous missions of GSLV-D3 on April 15, 2010. The next GSLV flight with a Russian cryogenic stage also failed in December 2010.

After the unsuccessful launch in April 2010, the failure analysis committee had concluded that the thrust build up did not progress as expected due to non-availability of liquid hydrogen supply to the thrust chamber of the main engine.

This failure was attributed to anomalous stopping of Fuel Booster Turbo Pump (FBTP).

In the last three years, ISRO conducted extensive failure analysis studies and reviews. Cryo stage FBTP was modified as per GSLV-D3 failure analysis committee recommendations and qualification tests carried out.