The 350-km range missile blasted off at about
9.10 a.m. from the launch complex No.III at the
Integrated Test Range (ITR) of Chandipur-on-sea
in Balasore district, around 230 km from here.
"The test was successful," ITR director
M.V.K.V. Prasad told IANS.
The launch was carried out by the Indian armed
forces, as part of user trial, and monitored by
the scientists of Defence Research and Development
Organisation (DRDO).
DRDO spokesperson Ravi Kumar Gupta said the missile
met all the mission objectives.
All the radars and electro-optical systems along
the coast have monitored the missile throughout
its flight path.
Prithvi is India's first indigenously built ballistic
missile.
It is one of the five missiles developed under
the country's Integrated Guided Missile Development
Programme.
The medium-range missile, with flight duration
of 483 seconds and reaching a peak altitude of
43.5 km, has the capability to carry a 500-kg
warhead.
Prithvi uses an advanced inertial guidance system
with manoeuvring capabilities and comes within
metres of its target.
The missile has been successfully flight tested
in the past on a number of times as part of the
training exercise.
India has also developed Dhanush, a ship-launched
naval version of Prithvi.
(IANS).
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