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.
Children Corona Vaccine: Children may start getting corona vaccine by November-December
Covid-19 Vaccine For Children: When will the corona vaccine be administered to children, this que
Convention on Libraries Automation in Shimla from March 12
Shimla, March 9 (IANS) The Indian Institute of Advanced Study and Himachal Pradesh University w
Swine flu toll 965 so far: Nadda
New Delhi, Feb 27 (IANS) There was no shortage of drugs to treat swine flu which has claimed 96
The first look of superstar Amitabh Bachchan from the film 'Kalki 2898 AD' has been revealed. As
The government may have given relief to vehicles that have completed their age in Delhi, but this
The first day of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025, December 24th, will be remembered for a long time
New Delhi: Coronavirus cases are seen to be increasing rapidly in India and there are record case
KM Chandrasekhar, who was a cabinet secretary in the Manmohan government, has made a big disclosu
The T20 World Cup 2026 is currently being held in India and Sri Lanka, with a total of six matche
Tripura Bypolls: CPI(M) alleges rigging in Tripura by-polls, announces boycott of counting
CPI (M) has announced a boycott of vote counting in Tripura by-elections alleging large-scale rig
