
New Delhi, March 4 (IANS) India will conduct a test flight of a reusable launch vehicle by the second quarter of this year to reduce the cost of satellite launches, union minister Jitendra Singh said on Wednesday.
Replying to a question in the Lok Sabha, the minister of state for department of space said the rocket's 1.5-tonne technology demonstrator would be lofted to a height of 70 km using solid booster to attain five times the speed of sound.
"The reusable launch vehicle's technology demonstrator (RLV-TD) will descend by gliding and splashing down into the sea. The test flight will demonstrate the hypersonic aerodynamics characteristics, avionics system, thermal protection system, control system and mission management," Singh told the lawmakers.
The state-run Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has taken steps to develop the next generation launch vehicle GSLV MkIII for placing four-tonne class communication satellites into geo-synchronous transfer orbit and bring down the cost of satellite launches.
"Developing reusable rockets is a challenge, as it involves many cutting-edge technologies. The magnitude of cost reduction depends on the development and realisation of fully reusable launch vehicle and its degree of reusability," Singh added.
The space agency had conducted the maiden test flight of GSLV MkIII on December 18, 2014 with a crew module from its spaceport at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh, about 90 km northeast of Chennai.
Five minutes after the launch, the heavy rocket ejected the 3.7-tonne crew module at a height of 126 km for its re-entry into the earth's atmosphere and descent in the Bay of Bengal near Andaman and Nicobar islands.
New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has again targeted the Modi government concerning vaccina
India-China tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) of eastern Ladakh have decreased over
The death toll due to the landslide on the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra route has risen to 33. Pr
You wouldn't know this about North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un
New Delhi: North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un is very popular these days. Rumors related to his al
Congress making an issue out of non-issue: Venkaiah Naidu
Hyderabad, March 15 (IANS) Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday acc
Is India walking on the edge of the sword regarding relations with Russia and America?
After the situation arising after Russia attacks Ukraine, if any country is facing the biggest ch
Wanted my statement to be India's statement: Femina Miss India World
Mumbai, March 30 (IANS) Aditi Arya, who is the proud possessor of this year's Femina Miss India
China: Retrenchment in China after Corona, employees of COVID test kit manufacturer Zybio protest
After the outcry from Corona in China, amidst the news of the slow pace of the economy, news of t
₹10,000 SIP to BMW: Find Out How Many Years It Could Take to Build the Required Corpus
Owning a luxury car like a BMW is a dream for many Indians, but the high price tag often makes it
Summer heat continues in North India. The mercury is very high in various states including UP, an