Chennai: Isro is all set for testing an indigenous winged prototype Resusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) on Monday morning from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
“It has got a launch window between 7 am and 11 am tomorrow. Depending upon the weather and wind conditions the RLV will be launched,” an Isroofficial told DC on Sunday. “The RLV will be launched by a solid rocket motor to 70 km height andit will re-enter the atmosphere. Everything in this RLV technology demonstration was developed indigenously,” he said.
The reusable launch vehicle with delta wings and angled tail fins willfly into space and inject an orbiter, then land on Earth like anaircraft. After that it can be reused. This will help cut cost of satellite launches by at least 10 times.
This RLV prototype will have 6.5 metre long aeroplane-like structure. It weighs more than 1.75 tonnes. “The RLV will splash down in the Bay of Bengal within ten minutes of the launch. The descent of the RLV will be a controlled one and it will be closely monitored,” he added. It is described as “a very preliminary step” in the development of areusable rocket.
The final version is expected to be built in 10-15years. Isro is launching the winged flight vehicle for the first time.
