Article Posted on : - Dec 27, 2010

A file photo

BANGALORE (PTI): A veteran space scientist has strongly vouched for the robustness of the indigenously-built GSLV, saying it was a well-proved rocket and that "quality problem" led to its failure.

"It is just a quality problem," former Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation Prof U R Rao told PTI, adding, the command did not reach the actuators leading to non-ignition resulting in thrust being insufficient.

He said unlike the GSLV failure on April 15 this year when the fault was at the cryogenic stage, the problem was at the first stage itself.

Prof Rao said the first stage is "well-proven" and "we must be able to get back to the rails very quickly".

"Once in a while, these things (failures) do happen.

It has happened with Ariane (European space consortium Ariane) and Shuttle (of NASA)", he said.

Rao said he does not see any impact of GSLV failure on India's space programme, but acknowledged that it would take time to "sort out enormous data" to find out the "problem" that led to the unsuccessful mission.

He also does not believe that GSLV failure would lead to some delay in the 2013-scheduled Chandrayaan-2 mission, saying "This (GSLV) is a proven system".

Earlier this year, the payloads to be flown onboard Chandrayaan-2 (orbiter and rover) were finalised by a national committee of experts drawn from ISRO, academic institution and R & D laboratories and chaired by Rao, also Chairman of Advisory Committee on Space Sciences.