Sunday, March 19 2006 11:55 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Opening new frontiers, ISRO is developing a unique Reusable Launch Vehicle to put satellites into orbit, substantially reduce costs.

Built at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram, ISRO has completed the structural design and fabrication process studies for a technology demonstrator flight which is likely to take place in a couple of years.

"Conceptual design of the auxiliary power system for reusable launch vehicle and initiation of studies for the development of 2,000 kn thrust semi-cryogenic engine have been undertaken as part of developments related to technologies for reusable launch vehicles," according to the Annual Report (2005-06) of the Department of Space (DoS).

The aerodynamic and baseline characterisation, reference trajectory for the mission, avionics configuration, structural design and fabrication process studies have also been completed, the report said.

The Performance Budget of the DoS stated that the Preliminary Design Review of mechanical integration, electrical integration and checkout system would be completed in the 2006-07 fiscal.

The first stage of the RLV is configured as a winged body system, which will attain an altitude of around 100 km and deliver nearly half the orbital velocity.

After burnout, the vehicle will re-enter the Earth's atmosphere and will be made to land horizontally on a runway, like an aircraft.

In the second stage, after delivering the payload, the vehicle will be made to re-enter the atmosphere and will be recovered using airbags either in sea or land.

The RLV is at a conceptual stage and ISRO will have to develop a host of technologies related to advanced material and propulsion control before the dream is realised.

To prove the technology for RLV, a small-scale flight testbed vehicle for demonstration is being conceived.

Some of the technologies addressed through the demonstrator missions would be in the area of aero-thermodynamic characterisation of wing body configuration at hypersonic speeds, use of reusable thermal protection systems, advanced light weight materials, autonomous navigation, guidance and control systems landing mechanisms.

As a precursor to the RLV, a recoverable satellite weighing about 500 kg will be launched using Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) as a co-passenger of CARTOSAT-2 later this year.

Dubbed as the Space-capsule Recovery Experiment (SRE), the launch would test reusable thermal protection system, navigation, guidance and control, hypersonic aerodynamics, management of communication blackout, deceleration and floatation system and recovery operations.

After its launch by the PSLV, SRE will remain in orbit for a few days after which it will be de-orbited and made to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere.

On re-entry, after initial aerodynamic braking, a parachute system will reduce the touch down velocity. The SRE will splashdown in the Bay of Bengal, about 140 km east of Sriharikota coast.

A floatation system will keep the SRE afloat and enable its recovery.