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India-Pakistan | |
India to test longer range ballistic missile in 2007 | |
2006-11-10 | |
NEW DELHI - IndiaÂ’s longest-range ballistic missile, which proved to be a dud after a test-flight in July, will be re-tested next year, the countryÂ’s chief military scientist announced on Thursday. M. Natarajan, head of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), said the 3,500-kilometre range (2,710-mile) Agni-III (Fire) missile would not be scrapped because of the flop.
An Agni-III prototype blasted off July 9 and after travelling vertically 12 kilometres (7.4 miles), veered off course and crashed into the sea without hitting its designated target. The failure was attributed to a snag in a strapped-on solid fuel booster rocket. Natarajan said DRDO scientists were working to remove the glitches. “We will transfer technology to units which are manufacturing components of the missile,” he said, adding a new alloy being used in its casing would increase the missile’s range further. | |
Posted by:Steve White |
#1 The failure was attributed to a snag in a strapped-on solid fuel booster rocket. Typical media screw up. The GSLV satellite launcher failed due to one of its liquid strap on boosters. The Agni-3 doesn't have strap-on. The failure was in the second stage. |
Posted by: john 2006-11-10 11:42 |