ISRO Postpones Test Launch Of Reusable Launch Vehicle RLV-TD

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has decided to postpone the testing of Reusable Launch Vehicle - Technology Demonstration (RLV-TD) to 2016. ISRO engineers had scheduled to test the RLV in september this year, but had to delay it to make way for the ASTROSAT - India's first ever astronomy satellite.

ToI reports that ISRO's current focus is on its GAGAN system (GPS Aided Geo Augmented Navigation). Another important mission on ISRO's list is the ambitious IRNSS which it expects to be functional by July next year.

A source from ISRO informed that both the missions have a bigger and direct impact on the society and therefore are on higher priority for ISRO officials. It also confirmed that the initial tests for the RLV-TD are all done and the success of the RLV-TD mission will help bring the cost of launches to a tenth of what it is now.


Another source informed that the RLV-TD's ultimate test will be of a vehicle that is about a fifth of the size of the initial prototype. It will be able to launch into the space without the PSLV; using a single phase rocket. ISRO is already ready with successful tests of the crew module; which is going to be crucial for putting humans into space.

The RLV-TD is an important program for ISRO to develop a two stage to orbit (TSTO), reusable launch vehicle. ISRO aims to use it for hypersonic flight experiments (HEX), landing experiment (LEX), return flight experiment (REX) and others.

Source: ToI | ISRO