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.
Rog Phone 5S: Another new phone for gaming lovers, know how powerful it is with 18GB RAM
Rog Phone 5S, 5S Pro Features: Asus has launched the all-new ROG Phone 5s and ROG Phone 5s Pro sm
The downtrend in the cryptocurrency market continues. The world's largest cryptocurrency is curre
Wrestlers Protest Olympian wrestlers, who opened a front against Wrestling Federation of India (W
Brucellosis bacteria causing hundreds of people getting sick in China
On one hand, the world is suffering from the havoc of the coronavirus which spread from Wuhan in
Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Ishaq Dar will be the new Finance Minister. Dar is close to fo
Coronavirus can spread up to 20 feet, needs change in 6-foot social distancing rule
6 feet social distancing is not enough for avoid coronavirus infection A new disclosure has been
The case of the suicide of AI engineer Atul Subhash in Bengaluru is now gaining momentum across t
Section 66A of IT Act unravelled
Section 66A of the Informational Technology Act was quashed by the Supreme Court on Tuesday, term
The Kanchanjunga Express, which had crashed near Jalpaiguri railway station in West Bengal
In the year 2018, Australian cricket is trying to wash its stains. Meanwhile, the revelations of
