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.
T20 has now become the most played format in cricket. Whereas ODI matches have been reduced. At t
The gathering of farmers at the Shambhu border is continuously increasing. There are more youth a
Australia's Clarke Ready to Play
Auckland, Feb 27 (IANS) Australia skipper Michael Clarke is set to make a comeback in the high-
Heavy rains have caused flood situations in many states of the country. Life has become hectic. I
French President Emmanuel Macron met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky late on 8 Februa
Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar 2 broke the records of several films. At the same time, it dealt
There was talk of becoming a biopic of freedom fighter and poetess Sarojini Naidu for a long time
Following the Israeli-American attack on Iran, the entire Middle East has been placed under threa
The case of teacher Manisha's death has once again taken a new turn. Calling the police's claim o
Thanks to the stormy innings of Mark Chapman (104 *) and James Neesham (45 *), New Zealand defeat
