No design deficiency in GSLV, says Failure Analysis Committee

"We could not find any design deficiency...," said FAC Chairman and former chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) G Madhavan Nair.

Last year, ISRO suffered set backs after two GSLV missions, one with the indigenous cryogenic engine and stage and another with the imported Russian ones, failed.

Thereafter, ISRO constituted the FAC to carry out an in-depth analysis of the flight data of GSLV-F06 as well as the data from the previous six flights of GSLV; establish reasons for the failure of GSLV-F06 flight and recommend corrective actions on the GSLV vehicle including the remaining one Russian Cryogenic Stage.

The FAC had 11 experts drawn from within ISRO and outside.

Nair said the problem with GSLV is of "minor nature" and it does not call for major changes. "We need not worry about it (failure). GSLV can only evolve as a successful launcher".

The Space Commission which reviewed the FAC report on May 24, asked ISRO to come up with specific proposals required for investment. GSAT-7 and INSAT-3D, scheduled to be launched by GSLV, would now be procured launches (from outside the country).

The investment that is talked about is in regard to additional costs, if any, for procured launches besides GSAT-14, the payload for the next flight of GSLV, expected after March.
"The idea is that in the next launch of GSLV, we do not want to put a costly, complex satellite," ISRO Chairman Radhakrishnan said.

He also said that the GSAT-12 equipped wit 12 transponders in the Extended C-band, is planned to be launched in the second week of July.

ISRO today started the process of switching on the payloads on board the GSAT-8 launched last month. Services from this satellite is expected to be available for users by the end of this month, Radhakrishnan said.