#missile Agni-V's maiden canister trial of a roaring success
The missile is expected to be inducted into service in a year after a few more canister trials.
Marking another technological milestone in the country’s missile
programme, the maiden canister-based trial of India’s most potent
strategic missile, Agni-V was successfully carried out for its full
range of more than 5,000 km from the Wheeler Island, off the Odisha
coast on Saturday.
A DRDO missile technologist who was associated with the launch described
it as a grand success and said it was a perfect launch. Another missile
technologist said it would be the footprint for future configuration of
Agni-V.
The missile sealed in a canister and mounted on a TATRA track was
launched in its final deliverable configuration at 8.10 am. As soon as
the auto-launch command was given, the 17-metre-long Agni-V lifted off
majestically leaving a trail of orange flames and leapt into a sunny sky
after the gas generator at the bottom of the canister gave it a
forceful thrust.
Within moments after its ejection and upon reaching a height of around
30 metres, the first stage got ignited and separated. As it reached a
height of more than 500 km and began descending rapidly, the subsequent
two stages also got decoupled with clockwork precision and the missile’s
nose cone carrying the dummy payload withstood searing temperatures of
more than 3,000 degrees Celsius and impacted near the pre-designated
point in the Indian Ocean after a flight of about 20 minutes.
The 17-metre-long, thee-stage solid-fuelled missile, developed
indigenously by the Defence Research and Development Organisation
(DRDO), is expected to boost India’s nuclear deterrence capability along
with other strategic missiles in Agni series. Agni-V is capable of
delivering a 1.1 nuclear warhead over a distance of 5,000 km and the
range of missile can cover most parts of China and Europe.
A network of radars, electro-optical tracking systems and telemetry
stations, besides two ships stationed near the impact point monitored
the health of the missile during its flight and recorded the terminal
event.
This was the third successful flight test of the Inter- Continental Ballistic Missile and the first canister trial.
The missile is expected to be inducted into service in a year after a few more canister trials.
Scientific Advisor to Defence Minister Avinash Chander, the architect of
Agni-V, who will be relinquishing office on Saturday, was present along
with other top DRDO missile technologists, including Director-General
of Missiles and Strategic Systems, Dr.V.G.Sekaran and Research Centre
Imarat Director, G. Satheesh Reddy.
Keywords: India's missile programme, Agni-V trial, canister trial, technological milestone
No comments:
Post a Comment