India on Sunday successfully launched its first rocket using domestically produced booster technology after several previous missions had failed, taking another step forward in its ambitious space programme.
The Indian-made cryogenically-powered rocket blasted off from the southern spaceport of Sriharikota as scheduled, as Delhi tries to join an elite club of countries which have mastered the complex technology.
The 415-tonne rocket deployed a two-tonne advanced communications satellite some 17 minutes after blast-off, said Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman Dr K. Radhakrishnan.
"I am extremely proud and happy to say that Team ISRO has done it," Radhakrishnan announced at mission control in Andhra Pradesh state, sparking a roar of applause from colleagues.
"Team ISRO and the project directors all have put their heart and soul in making this proud moment for the country," he said.
India has for years been trying to develop its own cryogenic rocket engines that are designed to put heavier satellites into high orbits, about 36,000 kilometres (22,000 miles) from Earth.
The powerful booster technology, using super-cooled liquid fuel, is a much needed tool to help India capture a larger share of the lucrative global market for launching commercial satellites.
But the technology has only been successfully developed by a handful of countries including the United States, Russia, France, Japan and China as well as the European Space Agency.
India's project has had to overcome a string of hurdles and mishaps, including an aborted launch in August last year several hours before lift-off after fuel was found to be leaking from one of the rocket's engines.
The first India-built rocket crashed into the Bay of Bengal just minutes after take-off in April 2010 after the cryogenic engines failed to ignite.
"If we succeed this time, India will join a select club of space-faring nations with indigenous cryogenic engine capability to launch above two-tonne class satellites," ISRO director Deviprasad Karnik told AFP before the launch.
"The twin purpose of this launch mission is to flight-test once again our own cryogenic engine and put into the geostationary orbit a heavy communication satellite," Karnik added.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh congratulated the team on Sunday's mission, which cost 3.65 billion rupees ($58 million) -- 2.2 billion rupees for the rocket and 1.45 billion rupees for the satellite.
"It is yet another important step that the country has taken in the area of science and technology," Singh said in a tweet.
In November India successfully lifted into orbit a spacecraft bound for Mars as it tries to become the first Asian nation to reach the Red Planet.
It has taken ISRO scientists years to develop cryogenic motors after India's attempt to import the technology from Russia in 1992 failed because of opposition from the United States.
Since 2001 India has bought cryogenic engines from Russia and seven of them have been used on missions.
An Indian space rocket using a Russian-built booster exploded shortly after launch in December 2010, also during a mission to put an advanced communications satellite into space.
ISRO pushed ahead with developing its own engine, including the third and final part, fuelled with a mix of oxygen and hydrogen in liquid form and kept at a very low temperature.
"A cryogenic rocket stage is more efficient and provides more thrust for every kilogram of propellant it burns compared to other solid and liquid fuel stages," Karnik said.
India's first satellite launch, of an Italian satellite, was in 2007.
The country sees its space programme as an achievement that highlights its emergence as a major world economy, and many citizens take great pride in it.
But the cost of the programme has attracted criticism as the government struggles to tackle poverty and child malnutrition.
AFP
Sun Jan 05 2014
Manfaatkan teknologi AI dalam sektor pendidikan
Perbincangan diperlukan mengenai cara-cara untuk mengintegrasikan AI ke dalam sistem pendidikan secara berkesan.
AWANI Pagi: Berita tumpuan & menarik di astroawani.com [29 April 2024]
Antara fokus Awani Pagi bersama Geegee Ahmad & Afiezy Azaman;
IPR: Peniaga nasi kukus raih jualan RM14,000 sebulan
Waspada ejen nikah Siam
Pindaan Garis Panduan Lawatan: Sekolah diharap susun semula program – Fadhlina
IPR: Peniaga nasi kukus raih jualan RM14,000 sebulan
Waspada ejen nikah Siam
Pindaan Garis Panduan Lawatan: Sekolah diharap susun semula program – Fadhlina
TotalEnergies setuju tingkat pelaburan di Malaysia - PM
TotalEnergies menyatakan komitmen dan bersetuju untuk mempertingkatkan pelaburan dalam sektor huluan minyak dan gas.
PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu: Ramasamy perlu bertanggungjawab jika pengundi pilih pemimpin tidak tepat - Ramanan
Jika kempen tolak undi PH itu berjaya, Ramasamy perlu berdepan penduduk Kuala Kubu Baharu sekiranya timbul masalah pada masa hadapan.
Jiwa SME: Permintaan daun moringa meningkat, jadi tumpuan luar negara
Berdasarkan laporan Vodus Market Research, sebuah firma penyelidikan dan analisis data pasaran dalam talian, kira-kira 71 peratus penduduk di negara ini mengambil suplemen pada 2021.
Nilai pasaran suplemen negara juga menunjukkan peningkatan ketara dalam tempoh 2014 hingga 2019, iaitu daripada RM2.07 bilion kepada RM3.1 bilion. Angka itu dijangka terus meningkat pada masa akan datang.
Nilai pasaran suplemen negara juga menunjukkan peningkatan ketara dalam tempoh 2014 hingga 2019, iaitu daripada RM2.07 bilion kepada RM3.1 bilion. Angka itu dijangka terus meningkat pada masa akan datang.
Biden kekal tidak sokong pencerobohan di Rafah
Mesej itu disampaikan menerusi perbualan telefon dengan Perdana Menteri Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu pada Ahad.
Biden kekal tidak sokong pencerobohan di Rafah
Presiden Amerika Syarikat, Joe Biden bercakap dengan Perdana Menteri Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, pada Ahad.
Tiga perkara perlu dilakukan bagi elak kemusnahan di Gaza
Presiden Palestin Mahmoud Abbas menyuarakan tiga perkara yang perlu diberikan pertimbangan masyarakat dunia dan mengiktiraf Palestin sebagai negara merdeka termasuk ahli penuh Persatuan Bangsa Bangsa Bersatu (PBB). Beliau berkata demikian di Mesyuarat Khas Forum Ekonomi Dunia (WEF) di Riyadh hari ini.
Delegasi Hamas ke Kaherah bincang gencatan senjata
Satu delegasi Hamas akan melawat Kaherah untuk rundingan yang bertujuan untuk mendapatkan gencatan senjata, pada Isnin.
37 juta tan serpihan runtuhan di Gaza - UNMAS
Pusingan konflik Palestin-Israel yang bermula pada Oktober 2023 telah meninggalkan kira-kira 37 juta tan serpihan runtuhan di Semenanjung Gaza.
PRK KKB: MIPP jamin PN akan terima undi terbesar kaum India
Punithan berkata, pihak lawan dilihat mula menunjukkan kebimbangan dan rasa takut dengan kekuatan yang dimiliki PN ketika ini.
Parti politik India perhebat dekati pengundi, bagi pusingan pertama pilihan raya kebangsaan
Modi berkata kerajaannya terus berusaha untuk pembangunan ekonomi wilayah timur laut itu.
Pakistan sambut Aidilfitri hari ini, Bangladesh dan India rai Khamis
Umat Islam di Pakistan dan Sri Lanka meraikan Aidilfitri pada Rabu manakala mereka yang berada di Bangladesh dan sebahagian besar India akan menyambut perayaan itu Khamis.
15 pekerja maut bas terjunam dalam lombong di tengah India
Sekurang-kurangnya 15 pekerja terbunuh selepas bas yang membawa mereka terjunam ke dalam lombong di tengah India pada Selasa malam.
Harimau Muda atasi India 2-1
Skuad bawah 23 tahun (B-23) kebangsaan menundukkan India 2-1 pada aksi persahabatan tertutup di Stadium Bola Sepak Kuala Lumpur, malam tadi.
Doktor terpendek di dunia
Tiada siapa sangka seorang lelaki di India dinobatkan doktor terpendek di dunia apabila hanya mempunyai ketinggian tiga kaki atau 91 sentimeter.
Zii Jia dedah resipi kalahkan bekas juara dunia
Dalam aksi di Birmingham itu, Zii Jia memperagakan aksi bertenaga untuk menundukkan juara dunia 2021 dalam masa 33 minit permainan.
Umat Islam di Bangladesh, India dan Pakistan mula berpuasa pada Selasa
Arab Saudi mengumumkan anak bulan kelihatan pada Ahad dan Isnin merupakan hari pertama Ramadan.
Pelan Tindakan Masyarakat India akan diteliti semula
Satu sesi libat urus bersama pelbagai pihak berkepentingan termasuk kumpulan fokus akan diadakan bulan ini.
AirAsia sasar hak trafik dua hala ke beberapa bandar di India
Tumpuan untuk meluaskan rangkaian penting bagi AirAsia kerana bandar utama di India telah mencapai puncak pengembangan.