1. India Successfully Test-Fires AAD Supersonic Interceptor Missile.
In its effort to ensure a full-fledged multi-layer Ballistic Missile Defence System, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully test fired an Advanced Area Defence (AAD) interceptor missile from a defence test facility on Kalam Island, off Odisha coast today.
The interceptor missile was engaged against a target missile, a modified version of Prithvi-II launched from a Launching Complex of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur in Balasore about 70 km from the Kalam Island.
The interceptor positioned at Abdul Kalam island destroyed the incoming hostile missile mid-air, in an endo-atmospheric altitude at less than 30 km.
The DRDO termed the test, a ‘brilliant’ mission and success.
The test comes just 5 days after the DRDO launched a Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile (QRSAM) from the defence base.
The AAD interceptor missile was successfully test fired for the first time from the Launching Complex-III of the ITR at Chandipur in 2006. The DRDO had also successfully carried out its last test on May 2016.
2. ISRO to launch 31 satellites in single mission on Jan 10.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Friday said it would launch 31 satellites, including India’s Cartosat-2 series earth observation space craft, in a single mission on January 10.
The mission will be the first ‘Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle’ (PSLV) mission after the unsuccessful launch of the navigation satellite IRNSS-1H in August this year.
“The launch is tentatively scheduled for January 10,” a senior ISRO official said.
The mission’s main payload would be India’s Cartosat-2 series earth observation satellite. The high-profile Mission Readiness Review committee and Launch Authorisation Board is scheduled to meet soon to take the final call.
PSLV-C40 will be used for the launch from the spaceport in Andhra Pradesh’s Sriharikota, about 100 kilometres from Chennai.
The mission would be a combination of 28 nano satellites from abroad, including Finland and the U.S., one micro and one nano satellite from India along with one Cartosat satellite, the official said.
On August 31, India’s mission to launch its backup navigation satellite IRNSS-1H on board PSLV-C39 was unsuccessful after a technical snag on the final leg.
In February this year, PSLV-C37 launched the first Cartosat-2 series satellite along with 103 co-passenger satellites in a single flight.