(press release - link no longer works)

Indian Space Research Organisation
Bangalore, India

February 23, 2004

Accident at Sriharikota

An accident occurred at the Solid Propellant Rocket Booster (SPROB) Plant in Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC-SHAR), Sriharikota, at about 1600 hours[1030 UTC] today. This happened while a test propellant segment was being prepared for transportation after curing. The propellant in the segment caught fire and caused severe damage to the building, in which the operations were going on.

Three persons have escaped from the building with burns and they have been admitted to the hospital in Chennai. Operations are on to rescue the others.

Emergency action have been put on to approach the building and clear the debris and reach the people inside. A high-level Committee has been constituted to look into the matter. Chairman, ISRO, Shri G. Madhavan Nair, has rushed to Sriharikota to personally supervise the operations.

The current spirit in India concerning their space program is reminiscent of the US in the 60's. Tragedies must be avoided, but risks will be taken and despite setbacks the program will move forward.

Infrastructure can be rebuilt. Let's hope that they've learned some lessons in safety from this, so that those lives lost aren't just wasted.

Personal note: Hey BATFE, notice that this rocket propellant caught fire and burned? According to you, there should have been a massive ka-boom. Don't you hate it when real-life physics doesn't conform to your fantasy universe? Idiots.

Posted by: Ted at 06:01 AM | category: Space Program
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An explosion and fire at the Solid Propellant Fuel Plant. Undetermined numbers of fatalities and injuries reported.

Posted by: Ted at 10:14 AM | category: Space Program
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Everyone is focused on Mars right now, but Fred at The Eternal Golden Braid points up some links about our other planetary neighbor - Venus. I highly recommend this interesting collection of images, exploration history and timelines.

Posted by: Ted at 08:51 AM | category: Space Program
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Nifty pictures, and not one joke about "Black Hole Rips Unlucky Star Apart". Too easy.

Posted by: Ted at 08:49 PM | category: Space Program
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This link thanks to Doug Pratt of Pratt Hobbies. If you scroll down to the bottom, you'll see a picture of a young Dr. Rice, preparing to launch a model rocket. The photo caption reads:

Jim Rice at age nine, launching his lifelong dream of a career in rocket science.

And that's why I help introduce kids to the hobby.

Posted by: Ted at 07:47 PM | category: Space Program
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Check out this article over at Rocket Man's blog. The guest poster, Kelly Starks, worked on several NASA projects and puts together a virtual orbital system that's inexpensive and uses off-the-shelf parts.

Posted by: Ted at 09:48 AM | category: Space Program
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