Postponing launch at last minute is nothing new, say ISRO officials

"The technical error was detected at the right time. Otherwise, the launch would not have been successful and the money invested in the mission would have been wasted," former ISRO technical committee member K Rajan said.

In 2013, the launch of GSLV-D5, carrying GSAT-14, was delayed due to a fuel leak, Rajan pointed out and said the rocket was launched successfully after the glitch was resolved. "ISRO would have lost Rs 200 crore if the fuel leak was not detected in time," he said.

Another ISRO official recalled that in 2006, the ISRO was forced to destroy its satellite carrying GSLV-F02 rocket mid-air. "ISRO had lost about Rs 250 crore in GSLV-F02 launch failure because the rocket and the satellite were not insured," he said. “Even if it were insured, the time involved in developing the satellite project could have been considered a waste,” the official said.

During the first moon mission Chandrayaan-1 in 2008, the 1,380-kilogram satellite was carried by a PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) C11 rocket, an XL variant. But, Chandrayaan-2, by comparison, was scheduled to launch on GSLV (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle) Mk III, which is a much more powerful launcher, and can carry a heavier payload into space.

“Thanks to an alert launch team, Chandrayaan-II rocket is safe now. Early detection of the technical snag prevented the mission’s failure. The rocket might have blasted in the mid sky if the problem was not detected and resolved," an ISRO official involved with Chandrayaan – II said.

According to the statistics available with the ISRO, the space agency has till date flown 16 GSLV rockets (Mk I, II and III). Of them, 12 were successful while the rest failed.