Isro Pushpak

1. Isro marks milestone: ‘Pushpak’ RLV lands successfully in Karnataka’s Challakere.
2. Isro chairman S Somanath and senior officials witnessed the event.
3. Successful landing signifies progress in India’s space exploration endeavors.

New Delhi, March 22: The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) achieved a significant milestone on Friday with the successful landing of its Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) named ‘Pushpak’ at the Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) in Challakere near Karnataka’s Chitradurga. Isro chairman S Somanath and other senior officials witnessed the event firsthand.

“Isro nails it again! Pushpak (RLV-TD), the winged vehicle, landed autonomously with precision on the runway after being released from an off-nominal position,” Isro announced on X.

This achievement represents India’s bold step towards making space access more affordable and sustainable.

Pushpak was lifted by an Indian Airforce Chinook helicopter and released from a height of 4.5 km. Upon release, Pushpak autonomously approached the runway, making 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.

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The Pushpak RLV is an all-rocket, fully reusable single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) vehicle, incorporating elements from various advanced technology demonstrators.

This successful landing marks the third flight of Pushpak, following a series of tests aimed at perfecting its robotic landing capabilities under increasingly complex conditions.

Named after the mythical ‘Pushpak Viman’ from the Ramayana, Isro’s modern-day aircraft symbolizes prosperity and innovation.

It acts as a flying test bed to evaluate hypersonic flight, autonomous landing, and powered cruise flight technologies.

With an investment exceeding Rs 100 crore, the project not only showcases India’s technological prowess but also lays the groundwork for future endeavors, including the establishment of the Bhartiya Antariksha Station by 2035.

During his visit to the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was briefed by Somanath about the development of the vehicle. Isro’s RLV spacecraft design was approved by the National Review Committee in January 2012. The prototype, named RLV-TD (Technology Demonstrator), was built thereafter.

Advanced supercomputer simulations and the development of heat-resistant materials by the National Aerospace Laboratory and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) have contributed to the success of the RLV project.

The maiden flight of the RLV took place in 2016, marking a significant milestone in India’s space exploration journey.