Thursday, May 12 2005 15:06 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Balasore (Orissa): 'Prithvi', the country's most sophisticated surface-to-surface medium range missile, was test fired from the integrated test range (ITR) at Chandipur-on-sea, 15 km from Orissa today (May 12, 2005) Defence sources said.

Scientists of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and army personnel, who conducted the test, described it as a user's trial.

Mounted on a mobile tatra transporter erecter launcher, the indigenously developed missile with a range of 150 to 250 km was fired at 13:04 hrs (IST), the sources said.

The 8.56 metre high and one metre thick missile, with a launch weight of 3.6 tonne excluding the payload, blasted off perfectly, the defence sources said.

The entire trajectory of the missile was tracked by three telemetry stations, sophisticated radar, electro-optic telescopes and a naval ship stationed deep inside Bay of Bengal near the point of impact, the sources said.

Prithvi's test firing was part of the continuing effort to further fine-tune the performance of the missile, which had already been inducted into the Defence forces, they said.

The Army has raised two missile groups - 333 and 355 - to handle 'Prithvi' with a range of 150 km or more.

The missile has the capability to carry a payload of one tonne but if the same was reduced by half, the striking range of the sleek missile could be enhanced, the defence sources said.

Part of India's Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP), 'Prithvi' has sophisticated on-board computer and an advanced inertial navigation system, which can use both solid and liquid propellant.

This variant of the missile can reach a target located at a distance of 150 km in 300 seconds, the sources said.

The first test of 'Prithvi' was conducted on February 22, 1988 at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh, while the user's trial was conducted for the last time from the ITR in Orissa on April 29, 2003.