The Hindu : Front Page : Prithvi-III testfired for first time

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Oct 28, 2004

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Front Page

Prithvi-III testfired for first time

By T.S. Subramanian

CHENNAI, OCT. 27. Prithvi-III, a versatile surface-to-surface missile, was successfully test-fired from the Interim-Test-Range at Chandipur, about 15 km from Balasore in Orissa, at 11.30 a.m. today.

This is the first time that Prithvi-III is being launched. It was launched from the ground.

Several tests of Prithvi-I, the Army version, Prithvi-II, the Air Force version, and Dhanush, the Naval version, have already taken place.

A two-stage missile, Prithvi-III, is powered by solid propellants. It has a range of 300 km but the range is flexible. The nine-metre missile weighs about six tonnes.

When contacted, Prahlada, Director, Defence Research and Development Laboratory, Hyderabad, who was present at Chandipur, said he was happy with the success of the flight. The DRDL is the nodal agency for designing Prithvi-III.

A lot of testing and ground simulation preceded the launch. The missile can be canisterised, that is sealed, and launched from multiple platforms, including from a launch pad on the ground, a vehicle and a ship.

Prithvi-I has been operationalised and inducted into the Army. It has a range of 150 km and can carry a payload weighing about one tonne. The Prithvi-II is a five-tonne, single-stage missile with a range of 250 km. It can carry a payload of 500 kg.

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