The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully completed its third mission using the Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV), which was christened "Pushpak" after the legendary spaceship from the Ramayana. The launch from the Challakere Runway happened at around seven in the morning.
RLV-LEX-02 Experiment:
🇮🇳ISRO nails it again!🎯
Pushpak (RLV-TD), the winged vehicle, landed autonomously with precision on the runway after being released from an off-nominal position.
🚁@IAF_MCC pic.twitter.com/IHNoSOUdRx— ISRO (@isro) March 22, 2024
“RLV-LEX-02 Experiment: ISRO nails it again! Pushpak (RLV-TD), the winged vehicle, landed autonomously with precision on the runway after being released from an off-nominal position," ISRO posted on its official handle on X.
This mission is part of ISRO's continuous efforts to develop critical technologies for a fully reusable launch vehicle, to provide low-cost access to space. According to All India Radio, an Indian Air Force chopper will lift the Pushpak RLV to a height of about 4.5 miles before releasing it when specified circumstances are met.
ISRO Chairperson’s statement
The ISRO Chairperson, S Somanath, emphasized the importance of this mission by saying, "India's daring attempt to make space access more affordable is the Pushpak launch vehicle." He went on to say that the RLV is an example of India's futuristic strategy, since it safely returns its most costly part, the top stage, which contains vital electronics, to Earth. To reduce space trash, this technology may make it possible to refuel satellites while they are in orbit or to retrieve satellites for repair.
About the Pushpak RLV
The Pushpak RLV is reportedly intended to be an all-rocket, fully reusable single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) vehicle that integrates cutting-edge features from earlier demonstrators, such as the X-33, X-34, and the improved DC-XA. The aircraft consists of a fuselage, a nose cap, twin vertical tails, two delta wings, and two active control surfaces known as the Rudder and Elevons.
Prior RLV missions were carried out by ISRO with success in 2016 and April of the prior year. During a recent visit to the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Trivandrum, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was informed by Somanath about the RLV mission, anticipated to cost roughly ₹100 crore.
Image Source: X(Twitter)/Multiple Source
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