ISRO SUCCESSFUL TEST LANDING MISSION
India's
space agency, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), has once again
made history by successfully conducting the Reusable Launch Vehicle Autonomous
Landing Mission (RLV LEX) at the Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) in Karnataka's
Chitradurga. The successful landing of the RLV is a significant milestone for
India's space program as it marks the first time in the world that a
rocket-like RLV was left in the sky and returned to the ground autonomously
with the help of a helicopter.
The RLV-LEX test mission was conducted on April 2, 2023, and involved lifting the RLV to a height of 4.5km above the ground with the help of a Chinook helicopter belonging to the Indian Air Force. Based on the command of the mission management computer in the RLV, the RLV successfully returned to Earth at 7:40 am and landed in the designated area. The autonomous landing was carried out under the exact conditions of a space re-entry vehicle's landing, with high speed, unmanned, and precise landing from the same return path as if the vehicle arrives from space.
ISRO
has been working on the RLV project for several years, and the successful test
landing marks a significant milestone in the agency's efforts to develop a
fully reusable launch vehicle. The RLV is designed to be launched like a rocket
and land like an aircraft, making it a more cost-effective and efficient method
of space transportation.
The
RLV project is part of ISRO's larger efforts to develop indigenous technology
for space exploration and establish India as a major player in the global space
race. ISRO has made significant progress in recent years, including the
successful Mars Orbiter Mission in 2014 and the Chandrayaan-2 mission to the
Moon in 2019.
The
successful test landing of the RLV-LEX is a testament to the hard work and
dedication of the scientists and engineers at ISRO and its partner
organizations. The project was a collaborative effort between ISRO, the Indian
Air Force (IAF), Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC),
Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), and Aerial Delivery Research and
Development Establishment (ADRDE).
Dr
S Unnikrishnan Nair, Director, VSSC, and Shyam Mohan N, Programme Director,
ATSP guided the teams, and Dr Jayakumar M, Project Director, RLV was the
Mission Director, and Muthupandian J, Associate Project Director, RLV was the
Vehicle Director for the mission. Ramakrishna, Director, ISTRAC was present on
the occasion, and ISRO's Chairman Sreedhara Panicker Somanath witnessed the
test.
ISRO's
achievements in the space sector have put India on the world map as a leading
player in space exploration. The agency has become a key partner for several
countries, including the United States, and has signed several cooperation
agreements with other space agencies worldwide.
ISRO's
success in developing indigenous technology for space exploration has also
helped boost India's economy and create new opportunities for businesses and
startups in the space sector. With the successful test landing of the RLV-LEX,
ISRO has once again demonstrated its commitment to pushing the boundaries of
space technology and putting India at the forefront of the global space race.
For the latest Tech News Follow
One1ClickDownload on Twitter, Facebook, Reddit
