RLV Technology Demonstration Programme: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 23:50, 28 October 2015

Revision as of 05:48, 14 November 2015

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===Background===

In the 1990s India had plans to develop a small space shuttle named ''Hyperplane'' that would to be orbited by non-reusable launchers.{{Citation needed|date=July 2013}} Then plans changed to project [[Avatar (spacecraft)|Avatar]] as a single-stage system. The [[Indian Space Research Organisation]] indicates that this vehicle was planned for development after 2010.<ref name=RIANOVOSTI>{{cite web|url=http://en.rian.ru/world/20070813/71203530.html|title=India plans to launch first space shuttle in 2010 - space official|author=Sputnik|date=13 August 2007|work=rian.ru}}</ref><ref name=TOI>[http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2006-12-12/india/27815394_1_space-capsule-recovery-experiment-polar-satellite-launch-vehicle-rlv Isro set to test reusable space vehicle]. ''[[Times of India]]'' </ref>

In parallel, India has more realistic and currently working the programme of manned spaceflights from 2014 to 2015 with non-reusable conventional spacecraft [[ISRO Orbital Vehicle|Orbital Vehicle]] launched by non-reusable launcher [[GSLV]].{{Citation needed|date=July 2013}}

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===Scaled-down tests===

In January 2012, ISRO announced that a scaled prototype, called '''Reusable Launch Vehicle-Technology Demonstrator''' ('''RLV-TD'''), was approved to be built and tested.<ref name="FinalTouches2015">{{cite news |url=http://idrw.org/indias-futuristic-unmanned-space-shuttle-getting-final-touches/ |title=India’s Futuristic Unmanned Space Shuttle Getting Final Touches |work=EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE |publisher=Indian Defence Research Wing |date=20 May 2015 |accessdate=2015-05-20 }}</ref> The aerodynamics characterization of the RLV-TD prototype was done by [[National Aerospace Laboratories]] in India. The unmanned scaled-down prototype has a diameter of 0.56 m and a length of 10 m.<ref name="Presentation">{{cite web |url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/thiruvananthapuram/ISRO-to-Launch-RLV-TD-in-October/2015/07/12/article2915712.ece |title=ISRO to Launch RLV-TD in October }}</ref> The RLV-TD is in the last stages of construction by a Hyderabad-based private company called CIM Technologies.

By May 2015, engineers at the [[Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre]] (VSSC) in [[Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station]] were installing thermal tiles on the outer surface of the 'RLV-TD', so it can withstand the intense heat during [[Atmospheric entry|atmospheric reentry]].<ref name="FinalTouches2015"/> This prototype weighs around 1.5 tonnes and would fly up to an altitude of 70 &nbsp;km.<ref name="FinalTouches2015"/> ISRO has tentatively slated the prototype's test flight from the first launchpad of [[Satish Dhawan Space Centre]] for December 2015.<ref>http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/RLV-TD-Mission-to-be-Delayed-At-least-Till-the-Year-End/2015/10/02/article3058357.ece</ref> The RLV-TD will be mounted on top of a rocket and launched beyond the atmosphere, after which the RLV-TD will separate and reenter the atmosphere while traveling through the hypersonic regime.<ref name="Brahmand 2010">{{cite web |url=http://www.brahmand.com/news/Reusable-Launch-Vehicles-%EF%BF%BD-The-future-of-space-missions/5595/3/15.html |title=Reusable Launch Vehicles |work=Brahmand.com |date=November 25, 2010 |accessdate=2014-10-22 }}</ref> The rocket is expendable while the RLV would glide back to Earth and fall in Bay of Bengal as there are no airstrips that are 5 &nbsp;km long in India that could be used to land such aircraft. ISRO has made detailed reports to construct an airstrip greater than 4 &nbsp;km long in the [[Sriharikota]] island and it will be built in near future. <ref name="Indian Express">{{cite web |url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/ISRO-Gears-up-for-6-Major-Missions-This-Year/2015/05/30/article2839810.ece|title=ISRO Gears up for 6 Major Missions This Year|work=Express News Service |date=30 May 2015}}</ref>

==See also==

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* [http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/media/33219-5/IMG_0024.JPG Image showing future RLV-TD flights]

{{Indian launch systems}}

{{Indian space programme}}