Sriharikota: Tense moments prevailed at the spaceport here as delays and an anomaly-triggered 'hold' forced ISRO scientists to revise the launch schedule of its maiden test of the launch vehicle demonstrating its ability to abort mission in-flight.
The nerve-wracking culminated with joy as the test vehicle carrying payloads related to the country's ambitious human space flight mission, Gaganyaan which soared into skies after initial hiccups and made a splash landing on the surface of Bay of Bengal as desired.
According to the ISRO chairman S Somanath, the anomaly was triggered in the monitoring system which was immediately identified and fixed enabling the liftoff in a short turnaround time. He lauded the team for their efforts in speeding up the process and for their precision in carrying out the test which ticked all the mission objectives.
Somanath rationed that there was an anomaly spotted by the ground computer handling the Automatic Launch Sequence (ALS) and the system subsequently did not offer its clearance for launch earlier in the day.
He said the space agency has postponed the launch by 45 minutes initially due to inclement weather and the liftoff scheduled for 8.45 am did not happen as the ground computer issued a 'hold'.
Identifying it as a 'monitoring' anomaly in the ground computer system, the ISRO chief said it was addressed and corrected immediately.
Though it took us little time to refill the gases, we were able to clearance from the ALS, mission computer and ground computer for the rocket's liftoff, he explained.
A visibly elated Somanath said he was in fact happy that scientists were able to swiftly make the course correction and resume the launch which culminated in success within the prescribed launch window.
The ISRO scientists were able to put the mission on course 75 minutes later when they launched the rocket with precision and achieved all the stated objectives of the mission which includes the goal of Crew Module and Crew Escape separation that was welcomed with loud cheers at the Mission Control Center here.
TVD1 Mission was fully achieved, ISRO announced. The crew module parachuted down with three primary chutes and splashed into the sea as planned, much to the jubilation at the Center. All three primary chutes carrying the crew module separated as it were supposed to, marking the proper touchdown.
Gaganyaan, is a programme, aims to send humans into space on a Low Earth Orbit of 400 km for three days and bring them safely back to the Earth.
Initial launch was scheduled for 8 am. It suffered two delays due to inclement weather and the liftoff time was rescheduled to 8.45 am. Five seconds before that, the countdown clock stopped with a "hold" message. The system handed "hold" led to rescheduling of the launch to 10 am.
