India successfully test-fires interceptor missile in Orissa - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

India on Monday successfully test-fired a ballistic missile interceptor from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) on Wheeler Island off the Orissa's coast. The target missile, a modified indigenously built "Prithvi", was first lifted off from a mobile launcher from the ITR's launch complex-3 at Chandipur-on-sea. Minutes later, the interceptor missile getting signals from the hostile missile immediately reacted and swept in to action from the Wheeler's Island . The seven-metre long 'AAD' (advance air defence) interceptor is a single stage solid rocket propelled guided missile equipped with an inertial navigation system. It is meant to be used in 'endo-atmospheric conditions' (with in 50 km altitude of earth's surface). This is the fourth time that the DRDO has tested its intercepting missile. The three previous tests were conducted on November 27, 2006 , December 6, 2007 and March 6, 2009 from Wheeler Island.