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 55th meeting of the GST Council has started in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. This meeting is being he
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a tour of South India for preparations for the Lok Sabha elect
Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a meeting at the Home Ministry to review the security situa
The third wave of the corona epidemic in Maharashtra may come in December. This is to say of the
Chief Minister Yagi Adityanath is on a two-day visit to Mumbai for preparations for the Global In
PM Modi In Mahakumbh: PM Modi took a holy dip in Sangam, CM Yogi was also present with him.
On the eighth day of Maha Kumbh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a holy dip in the holy Sangam.
New India: New resolutions emerged from Sadhana; Our governance model is an example for the world
My dear countrymen, one phase of the biggest festival of democracy was completed on June 1. There
The International Cricket Council has given its verdict on the first World Test Championship fina
Junagadh Dargah Violence There was a lot of ruckus last night in Junagadh, Gujarat over the remov
Lok Sabha Election 2024: Rajamouli returns from Dubai to vote, Jr NTR also in line; Who voted where?
This year, many stars of Bollywood and the television industry are all set to start their journey
