PUDUCHERRY: Following the unusual catch that a group of fishermen in Puducherry had, of the 'solid strap on motors' used in the satellite launch vehicle PSLV-C47 on Monday, a team of scientists from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota, took away the device that was lying ashore in public view.
"The strap motor was used in the PSLV-C47 to launch Cartosat-3 satellite on November 27, from Sriharikota. Cartosat-3 is an advanced Indian Earth Observation satellite built and developed by ISRO, which will replace the IRS (Indian Remote Sensing) series. During the launch of the satellite, this spent-stage motor is programmed to fall into the sea. Basically it is a destructive system for the rocket if it fails or deviates from the trajectory," ISRO scientists said.
It may be noted that this heavy spent-stage motor was caught in the net of fishermen from Vambakeerapalayam, who ventured into the sea 10 nautical miles from the coast, who brought it back to the shore. Odiansaalai police were informed and they reached the spot. It was later identified as a motor of PSLV -C47 rocket launcher, manufactured on March 22, from the markings on the tank.
Subsequently, ISRO was informed and a team from Sriharikota reached Puducherry on Tuesday. It inspected the motor and removed a portion with Polymer Explosive and found a portion of the tank missing. The team urged the fishermen to return the same if anybody was keeping it, as might explode. But the fishermen said that they did not possess any such part.
However, when the ISRO team planned to take the tank back, AIADMK legislature party leader A Anbazhagan, along with the fishermen, objected to it, stating that it could be taken back only after paying compensation to the fishermen who lost their nets, and the day's catch. Besides, their boats also suffered damage and bore diesel charges, on their efforts to bring it to the shore.
The ISRO team which came with a trailer vehicle hired a crane locally and moved the motor around 3.30 p.m. The fishermen pinned their hopes on the MLA, who had talks with the Chief Minister regarding compensation.