Isro to conduct second landing test of reusable launch vehicle Pushpak

[Ajay0]

The Indian Space Research Organisation is gearing up to conduct the second landing test of the Reusable Launch Vehicle, Pushpak.

https://www.indiatoday.in/science/story/isro-to-conduct-second-landing-test-of-reusable-launch-vehicle-pushpak-2514143-2024-03-13

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The Indian space agency is working to develop essential technologies for a fully reusable launch vehicle to enable low-cost access to space as it plans to build a space station by 2035. Sources in Isro confirmed that the landing test could happen by the end of this month.

With advanced supercomputer simulations and the development of heat-resistant materials for protecting the spacecraft from high temperatures during atmospheric re-entry by the National Aerospace Laboratory and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), RLV went for its maiden flight in 2016.

The successful autonomous landing mission conducted on April 2, 2023, marked a critical milestone for the Pushpak RLV, bringing it closer to achieving orbital re-entry capabilities. This experiment demonstrated the vehicle's ability to perform high-speed, unmanned, precise landings, simulating conditions similar to those experienced during space re-entry.

The reusable launch vehicle promises to revolutionise the sector by slashing launch costs by nearly 80%, thereby making space exploration more accessible and sustainable.

 

 

[Ajay0]

Pushpak was successfully tested this morning, and its performance was found to be "excellent and precise".

https://www.ndtv.com/science/isro-successfully-lands-pushpak-indias-first-reusable-launch-vehicle-5287362

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"The winged vehicle, called Pushpak, was lifted by an Indian Airforce Chinook helicopter, and was released from 4.5 km altitude. After release at distance of 4km from the runway, Pushpak autonomously approached the runway along with cross range corrections. It landed precisely on the runway and came to a halt using its brake parachute, landing gear brakes and nose wheel steering system," it said in a statement.

The experiment was the third flight of Pushpak, part of a test of its robotic landing ability in more complicated circumstances. It is expected to take many more years to deploy Pushpak operationally

"The Pushpak launch vehicle is India's bold attempt to make access to space most affordable," Mr Somanath had earlier asserted.

"It is India's futuristic Reusable Launch Vehicle, where the most expensive part, the upper stage, which houses all the expensive electronics, is made reusable by bringing it back safely back to Earth. Later, it could even do refuelling of in-orbit satellites or retrieving satellites from orbit for refurbishment. India seeks to minimise space debris and Pushpak is one step towards that as well," he had said.

 

 

[Ajay0]

Decoding India's Reusable Launch Vehicle, Pushpak Viman.

https://www.indiatoday.in/science/story/isro-rlv-pushpak-viman-space-access-satellite-launch-landing-test-2520904-2024-03-30

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The Pushpak mission is part of Isro's broader strategy to develop a fully reusable launch vehicle, which could slash the current costs of space access by a staggering 80%.

Currently, launching a kilogram of payload into space can cost between $12,000 and $15,000. The vision is to reduce this to $500 - $1,000 per kilogram, employing a two-fold approach: making systems recoverable and reusable, and adopting more efficient propulsion systems, such as air-breathing rockets.

The experiment was designed to test the vehicle's ability to handle off-nominal conditions — that is, scenarios that deviate from the expected path. Pushpak was released with induced anomalies to evaluate the robustness of its navigation, control, and guidance mechanisms. Pushpak successfully demonstrated its ability to autonomously course correct and land.

These technologies include state-of-the-art navigation systems, a pseudolite system acting as a ground-based GPS alternative, a Ka-band radar altimeter for precise altitude measurements, an indigenous NavIC receiver, and an innovative landing gear system.

Additionally, the mission used aerofoil honey-comb fins and a brake parachute system for controlled descent and landing.

 

 

[Ajay0]

Pushpak was tested a third time successfully in more challenging and demanding conditions .

https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/2024/Jun/24/third-final-landing-of-pushpak-gives-wings-to-isro

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At 7.10 am, the winged vehicle successfully conducted the third and final Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) Landing Experiment (LEX). The RLV LEX-03 mission demonstrated the autonomous landing capability of the RLV under more challenging release and severe wind conditions. The vehicle, Pushpak, was released from an Indian Air Force Chinook helicopter at an altitude of 4.5 km.

Pushpak autonomously executed cross-range correction manoeuvres, approached the runway, and performed a precise horizontal landing at the runway centreline.

“With the objectives of RLV-LEX accomplished, ISRO embarks into RLV-ORV, the orbital reusable vehicle,” ISRO posted on X.

Because of Pushpak’s low lift-to-drag ratio aerodynamic configuration, the landing velocity exceeded 320 kmph, compared to 260 kmph for a commercial aircraft and 280 kmph for a fighter jet.

VSSC Director S Unnikrishnan Nair said this consistent success bolsters ISRO’s confidence in critical technologies necessary for future orbital reentry missions. It simulated the approach and landing interface and high-speed landing conditions for a vehicle returning from space.