The final countdown for Thursday's launch of GSLV-D2, the second developmental flight of India's prestigious Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle, commenced at 0158 IST on Wednesday, the Indian Space Research Organisation said.

GSLV-D2, carrying the 1800-kg GSAT-2, a technology experimental satellite, is scheduled for lift-off at 1658 IST on Thursday from the space port at Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota, about 100

"The countdown is progressing smoothly, absolutely without any hitches," an ISRO spokesman told PTI in Chennai on Wednesday morning.