Article Posted on : - Aug 16, 2013

A file photo.

CHENNAI (PTI): The 29-hour countdown for the launch of India's GSLV-D5, powered by indigenous cryogenic upper stage and carrying communication satellite GSAT-14, will start on August 18 at 11.50 AM, according to an ISRO spokesman.

"It will be a 29-hour countdown and it will commence at 11.50 AM on August 18," the spokesman told PTI.

The crucial launch is scheduled at 4.50 PM on August 19 from the second launchpad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota, some 80 km here.

This will be the second attempt by the Indian Space Research Organisation to flight test the indigenous cryogenic stage after the failure of the previous mission of GSLV-D3 in April 2010.

The GSLV flight with a Russian cryogenic stage also failed in December 2010.

GSLV-D5 has been moved to the launch pad and other preparations were underway, ISRO sources said.

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 the anomalous stopping of Fuel Booster Turbo Pump (FBTP).

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