India’s GSLV rocket fails in first launch since 2019
India’s attempt today to resume launches of its large GSLV rocket, stalled because of the Wuhan panic since its last launch in 2019, failed today when something went wrong with the third stage.
This entirely Indian-built rocket is the one they plan to use for their manned missions. This failure will certainly set that program back, already delayed significantly because of the shut down of their entire launch industry because of COVID-19.
The satellite, also Indian-built, is also a big loss. It was to be the first in a series of Earth observation satellites.
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India’s attempt today to resume launches of its large GSLV rocket, stalled because of the Wuhan panic since its last launch in 2019, failed today when something went wrong with the third stage.
This entirely Indian-built rocket is the one they plan to use for their manned missions. This failure will certainly set that program back, already delayed significantly because of the shut down of their entire launch industry because of COVID-19.
The satellite, also Indian-built, is also a big loss. It was to be the first in a series of Earth observation satellites.
Readers!
Every February I run a fund-raising drive during my birthday month. This year I celebrate my 72nd birthday, and hope and plan to continue writing and posting on Behind the Black for as long as I am able.
I hope my readers will support this effort. As I did in my November fund-raising drive, I am offering autographed copies of my books for large donations. Donate $250 and you can have a choice of the hardback of either Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8 or Conscious Choice: The origins of slavery in America and why it matters today and for our future in outer space. Donate $200 and you can get an autographed paperback copy of either. IMPORTANT! If you donate enough to get a book, please email me separately to tell me which book you want and the address to mail it to.
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. My analysis of space, politics, and culture, taken from the perspective of an historian, is almost always on the money and ahead of the game. For example, in 2020 I correctly predicted that the COVID panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Every one of those 2020 conclusions has turned out right.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
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Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
Well, this is certainly a setback for India’s space program, and I wish them well and a speedy recovery from this incident. It was interesting to note that the animation of the 3rd stage actually showed the vehicle starting to pitch into a forward roll before they cut away. It will be interesting to find out what exactly happened, if we ever do. The announcer handled things well saying that the scientists were “continuing to evaluate the performance of the vehicle”. I really don’t know what else you could ask for in this situation, everyone seemed very calm and professional, and I wish them the best because when they succeed we all do.
Well, it appears I should have scrolled down a bit. It looks like the third, cryogenic, stage failed to ignite. What a shame.
Very soon, SpaceX will be happy to haul up NINE of their observation satellites to GSO on a single launch, and sprinkle them in a pretty constellation around Earth.
Save all SRB’s for pyrotechnic displays.
Never manned flight again!
Including, the Communist, Russian powered “Atlas”5.
Hey Captain Emeritus – how US Space policy mixes with foreign policy can be unpredictable. Fifty years ago Henry Kissinger made a secret trip to Beijing.
It is worth remembering that the opening began as a smart, hard-headed policy that helped win the Cold War against the Soviets. I know that Russia’s foreign policy is still largely driven by the Primakov Doctrine so relations with Russia will always be prickly. But maybe the U.S. can peel the Russians away from the Chinese, and maybe cooperation in space can be part of that. I think that many of us are tired of the issues with the ISS, tired of US Companies buying Russian rocket engines, and we are suspicious of the current Russian plans to work with China on the moon. But we need to keep our future options open.
This is not the rocket they are planing on using for human space flight, this was a GSLV mk.2. The GSLV mk.3 is what they will use to fly people.
https://www.isro.gov.in/launchers/gslv-mk-iii
Cheers,
Hey Mark,,
Your “U.S. space policy” point is well taken.
Perhaps, Mr. Musk will examine the possibility of building a “Starbase” in a friendly country.
Once “Stage Zero” at Boca Chica Starbase is pumping out Starships like a Tesla factory, he could load them on ships and export them.