India satellite 'to be written off'

The actual launch was hailed as a major success

By Habib Beary in Bangalore

India's experimental communications satellite is close to being written off, officials say.

We have virtually exhausted all the fuel onboard in trying to bring it to the right orbit.

Space research head K Kasturirangan

The satellite was launched last week by the country's first Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV).

But it failed to reach its intended orbit and efforts to rectify the situation have not succeeded.

"There is no improvement in its status," a scientist at the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) in the southern city of Bangalore said.

The official confirmed that the satellite's intended three-year lifespan was now in jeopardy.

However, Isro officials declined to comment on whether the satellite would be abandoned.

"Since it is not in the right orbit, it could be lost any time," said one official, who did not want to be named.

No affect

Isro chairman, K Kasturirangan, has downplayed the failure of the satellite to reach its designated slot.

K Kasturirangan: Downplaying satellite problem

It fell short by as much as 1,000km.

"As the satellite was an experimental one, there would be no impact at all on communication or transmission links," he said.

"The satellite is adrift and is under observation," he said.

"We have virtually exhausted all the fuel onboard in trying to bring it to the right orbit, " he added.

Engine problem

"The orbit will now be 23 hours and two minutes instead of the designated 24 hours and whenever it passes India, we will conduct experiments," Dr Kasturirangan said earlier this week.

The GSLV is a major project

"The objective was the launch vehicle and not the satellite," he added.

Officials are saying in private that underperformance of the Russian-made cryogenic engine may be the cause.

India is developing its own cryogenic engine for its ambitious space programme.

Dr Kasturirangan said the indigenously-built cryogenic engine would be operational within two-and-half years.

But the second launch of the GSLV scheduled for next year will also be powered by a Russian cryogenic engine.