Sriharikota, Oct 21: – The eagerly awaited TV-D1, the first test flight of the unmanned Gaganyaan mission aimed at testing the Vehicle Abort System, faced an unexpected delay as it went on hold just five seconds before lift-off at the SHAR Range. Dr. Somanath.S, Chairman of ISRO, addressed scientists at the Mission Control Centre, explaining that the ignition did not occur, leading to the postponement of the launch.
Originally scheduled for 8:00 am, the launch was pushed back by 45 minutes. Despite a smooth Automatic Launch sequence initiation, the critical ignition of the engine did not take place, leaving the mission in suspense.
Assuring the safety of the launch vehicle, Dr. Somanath stated, “We will investigate the non-ignition of the engine and rectify the anomaly. Once resolved, we will announce fresh dates for the launch. The launch vehicle is secure, and we are committed to understanding and addressing the issue.”
He emphasized that the team would thoroughly examine why the onboard computers failed to ignite the engine, expressing confidence in a swift resolution. “The launch has been rescheduled, and new dates will be communicated very soon,” he concluded.
