On December 25, 2010 at 10:34 UTC Indian GSLV-F06 rocket-carrier blasted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Center (Sriharikota Cosmodrome) on Sriharikota Island on the east coast of India.
The GSLV poised for launch. photo by ISRO
Trouble struck the rocket less than a minute after liftoff, when video footage showed the vehicle veering from its flight path, tumbling out of control and being engulfed in a fireball. The rocket was carrying GSAT 5P, the largest satellite ever launched by an Indian booster. GSAT 5P was designed to replace an aging satellite and extend television and telephone services across India. Saturday's mishap was the second failed launch this year for the GSLV, which is India's most powerful rocket.