By IANS
Balasore (Orissa) : India Wednesday tested its surface to surface medium range Prithvi-1 missile from a defence base in Orissa.
The missile was launched from the Integrated Test Range of Chandipur in the coastal district of Balasore, about 230 km from the state capital, at 10.04 a.m., defence ministry sources said.
Prithvi is one of the five missiles under various stages of development by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
"The recent successful test firings of Agni, BrahMos, Dhanush and Astra missiles have moved us to go for a user trial of Prithvi-1," a military scientist said.
The 8.56-metre-high and one metre thick missile, with a launch weight of 4.4 tonnes excluding the payload, has a minimum range of 50 km and a maximum of 150 km. It has the capability to carry a payload of 1,000 kg.
The missile has two liquid propellant motors side-by-side, providing aerodynamic control as well as thrust vectoring. It stops climbing when it reaches an altitude of 30 km and dives at the target at an 80-degree angle.