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.
Kejriwal salutes Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru
New Delhi, March 23 (IANS) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday paid homage to freedo
TMC MP took a jibe at PM Modi as James Bond, targeted 007 on Facebook with the economy
Trinamool Congress has targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi by calling him, James Bond. TMC MP D
'I am surprised it took so long', Mukesh Khanna apologizes after Sonakshi Sinha's retort.
TV's Shaktimaan i.e. Mukesh Khanna is again seen embroiled in controversies these days. After com
The second season of the Women's Premier League (WPL) will start on Friday. On the lines of IPL,
The number of corona patients in the country crossed 49 lakhs. In 24 hours, 81 thousand 911 peopl
Telecom regulator Trai has recommended the installation of small equipment for 5G services on ele
In the 64th match of IPL 2024, Delhi Capitals defeated Lucknow Super Giants by 19 runs. Rajasthan
Big decision in Saudi Arabia: fixed the limit of loudspeakers in mosques
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is continuously implementing liberal policies in Saudi Arab
The constituent parties of the Congress-led opposition alliance 'India Bloc' on Wednesday walked
Israel Hamas War Israel has declared war after the Hamas attack. The conflict is still going on i
