ISRO's re-entry vehicle by 2015

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will take the first step to develop its own space shuttle, a Re-entry Launch Vehicle Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD), in about five years time by 2010.

G Madhavan Nair, chairman, ISRO and also chairman - Space Commission & Secretary to Government of India, Department of Science, told the Eighteenth NAL Foundation Day celebrations here today: "The RLV-TD is aimed at demonstrating the ability to make a launch craft re-enter the atmosphere at hypersonic (above Mach 10) speeds, slow it down subsequently, and make it land like a normal aircraft. The conceptual design has been completed and work will soon start on making the craft."

It will subsequently form part of a two stage to orbit (TSTO) re-entry launch vehicle capability to be developed by 2015, which will enable ISRO to reuse launch vehicles for launching satellites at low cost.

The RLV-TD will possess wings and tail fins, and will be launched atop a solid booster, similar to the ones on the PSLV. The booster will then separate and fall away, and the craft will go on to make an unpowered ascent.

It will then re-enter the atmosphere at hypersonic speed, which will be slowed down using aerodynamic breaking techniques. It will be brought to a gliding, unpowered cruise speed of about 0.8 mach, and slowed down further to make a horizontal landing.

The craft will have materials designed to withstand the high temperatures of re-entry "" carbon in the nose, thermal protection in the upper fuselage, and ceramic tiles in the lower fuselage.

In the TSTO concept targeted for 2015, the winged re-entry vehicle and the rocket booster will be separately recovered, with the booster making a parachute landing.

Nair further underlined the need to develop a hypersonic wind tunnel facility in the country (the existing ones are supersonic) which will enable testing of models of aircraft designed to fly at hypersonic speed.

The TSTO concept was more feasible than the much talked about SSTO (single stage to orbit) concept, which might take time till 2050 for any country in the world to develop, he said.

In the path towards developing the RLV-TD, ISRO will be launching a 500 kg 're-entry capsule' next year, a small satellite which will then be brought back to earth.

It will be launched along with CARTOSAT-2, by PSLV, sometime in late 2005 or early 2006.

The project will try out important re-entry technology, which will cover the issues like precise control of the angle of entry into the atmosphere, materials technology to minimise the chance of burn-up at the high temperatures generated during re-entry, and control of the spacecraft to ensure its landing at the desired spot on the ground.