User Trial Of Astra Missile Off Odisha Coast Successful

Balasore: India on Monday successfully conducted the user trial of the surface-to-air medium-range missile ‘Astra’ from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur-on-sea in Balasore district.

The missile was test-fired from the launch pad no-3 at 9.28 AM.

The missile, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has a strike range of 20 km.

The missile has a length of 3.57 metres with a payload capacity of 15 kg.

In another success in the Indian defence sector, an interceptor missile was test-fired successfully off the Odisha coast on Sunday night.

This is a major milestone achieved in developing a two-layer Ballistic Missile Defence system, defence sources said.

The missile was launched from Abdul Kalam Island at around 8:05 pm. The Prithvi Defence Vehicle (PDV) mission is for engaging the targets in the exo-atmosphere region at an altitude above 50 km of the earth’s atmosphere.