India launches 5,000-km range Agni-5 missile successfully

The tension sharpened at the launch area at Wheeler Island on the Odisha coast this morning as the massive, 50-tonne, 17.5-metre-high Agni-5 missile was elevated into the vertical launch position, and the pre-launch checks began. The previous evening, exactly at this stage, lightning and thunder in the skies above had led to the launch being put off till morning.
At 8.07 am the countdown went... 5… 4… 3… 2… 1… Now… and a giant ball of fire leapt out as the missile’s first stage ignited. As the Agni-5 rose smoothly off the launch pad, scientists checked off the health of its systems on the public address system, their voices calm, measured, almost surreal, given the tension amongst the viewers. After 90 seconds, the first stage burnt out and separated. The missile was travelling at exactly the speed it should have been. Then, on schedule, the second stage burnt out and separated, an all-new composite stage that had performed exquisitely. By now there was already the sense that this would be a perfect test.

				-K A Solaman

SKY IS THE LIMIT
With the successful test-firing of Agni V, India has proved it is not a laggard in developing high-end technology. With this missile launch, the country joins the elite missile club of the US, Russia, Francean