May. 26, 2015
http://www.aerospace-technology.com/news/newsisro-to-test-fly-a-reusable-launch-vehicle-in-july-4585547
Isro to test fly a reusable launch vehicle in July
"It is going to be an important engineering experiment for the Indian space agency." Lifting-off aboard a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle
(PSLV) rocket, the vehicle will be launched from
the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, in
the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.
The experimental rocket weighs around 1.5t and
will carry 9t fuel.
After cruising to an altitude of 70km, the re-entry
module will be detached from the main vehicle and
drop back to Earth.
Re-entry of the module will be controlled by
specially designed fins, while protective tiles will
protect the equipment from friction heat at high
speeds of 2km per second.
Satish Dhawan Space Centre director Prasad was
quoted as saying to IANS: "It is going to be an
important engineering experiment for the Indian
space agency."
Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) is
preparing to conduct a test flight of an aeroplaneshaped, small, reusable launch vehicle in July.
The space shuttle named Reusable Launch Vehicle Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD) is currently
under development and expected to be ready for
tests within two months.
In December last year, Isro launched a 3.7t crew
module atmospheric re-entry experiment to study
re-entry characteristics, aero-braking and end-toend parachute system.
During the test, a 630t rocket detached from the
vehicle at an altitude of 126km around 20 minutes
after lift-off, and its descent was controlled by three
parachutes.
The Indian space agency intends to develop a
technology to land re-entry vehicles on a runway.