
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.
The 3-match T20I series between India and Sri Lanka is starting from Thursday. The first match be
Modi wishes people on various Festivals
New Delhi, March 21 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday greeted the people as variou
Indian pacer Mohd on social media. After being trolled by Shami, Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Akhta
Truck drivers and transport operators are creating blockades in many states due to the new law of
Uttarakhand Board class 10 and 12 results have been declared. The intermediate result has been 82
The Supreme Court will hear on Friday the application for protection of the 'Shivling' found in t
Ravi Tandon passes away: Ravi Tandon, the father of Bollywood actress Raveena Tandon and a well-k
2 million free grain to 8 million migrants
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved 8 kg migrant laborers to be given 5 kg of grain free of c
Smartphone companies are now bringing phones equipped with 5G technology. Meanwhile, Realme is al
Antilia Bomb Case: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday claimed in the High Court