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.
Draupadi Murmu was sworn in as the 15th President of the country by Chief Justice NV Ramana. She
After Aryan, Karan Johar on NCB's target, two-year-old party video case is not closed yet
After Aryan Khan, film producer-director Karan Johar is the target of NCB. The NCB's investigatio
James Bond ditches formals for latest film poster
Los Angeles, March 18 (IANS) Sony and EON productions revealed a new teaser poster for the upco
Nepal's Prime Minister and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba have won the election fro
The ninth round of talks between the central government and leaders of farmer organizations on ag
MIT swine flu report to be studied: Indian experts
New Delhi, March 12 (IANS) A Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) report claiming that t
In the Naxalite attack on 3 April in Bijapur, Chhattisgarh, 23 soldiers were killed. The attack h
The air in the capital Delhi, continues to remain toxic. On Monday morning, thick smog enveloped
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Monday said Bangladesh owes Tripura Rs 200 crore in electric
Businessman Vijay Mallya is in the headlines these days. Soon the wedding bells will ring in his
