Suspected debris of exploded rocket washes ashore

CHENNAI - An oval metal object, suspected to be debris of the rocket that was blown up mid-air by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientists Saturday following a failed launch, washed ashore near Pazhaverkadu in Thiruvallur district near here, officials said.

The geosynchronous satellite launch vehicle (GSLV) carrying advanced communication satellite GSAT-5P was exploded mid-air by ISRO after it started disintegrating within a minute of its lift off Saturday.

A huge oval shaped metal object washed ashore Monday.

According to Thiruvallur police, the part was taken in possession by officials from the Revenue Divisional Office in Ponneri Taluk.

The officials at the rocket launch centre in Sriharikota, around 80 km from here, were informed about the items and a team of ISRO officials is expected to take a look at it Wednesday.

Speaking to IANS, ISRO director S. Satish said: “We do not have any plans to mount any debris search operations.”

However, the space organisation four years back recovered the strap-on motors of another GSLV rocket that was exploded mid-air to test some parameters.

According to Satish, ISRO officials are poring over the telemetry data of Saturday’s ill-fated rocket.

Seventh in the GSLV series, the 51-metre tall rocket, carrying the 2.3-tonne GSAT-5P with 36 transponders, exploded barely a minute after it blasted off from the Sriharikota spaceport.

The 2,310 kg GSAT-5P satellite was meant to serve the needs of the telecommunication sector and the weather department.

The Rs.300 crore project was also to retire the INSAT-2E satellite, sent up in 1999.

“A preliminary report is expected to be announced in a day or two, post which a Failure Analysis Committee would be set up,” Satish said.