India proves second to none in space safety, says ISRO Chief at Osmania Convocation

ISRO Chairman and Secretary, Department of Space, Dr V Narayanan on Tuesday said that India has demonstrated its global stature in space technology by ensuring the safe launch of astronaut Swati Sukra to the International Space Station after detecting and correcting a critical rocket leak at the Kennedy Space Centre.

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Delivering the convocation address at the 84th Annual Convocation of Osmania University, Dr Narayanan recalled how the ISRO team insisted on halting the original launch scheduled for June 11 after spotting a flaw, which was later confirmed and rectified, averting a potential disaster. He said this intervention not only safeguarded the mission but also proved India’s capabilities in handling human-rated rockets at par with global space powers.

Highlighting recent milestones, the ISRO Chief noted that India successfully carried out its 100th launch from Indian soil on January 29 and executed a complex docking experiment on January 16, making it one of only four nations to master this critical technology.