Pushpak Viman, an SUV-sized winged rocket is all set to be launched from a defence airfield in Karnataka tomorrow, Friday. The launch of the rocket is scheduled to take place at 7 AM from the Chalakere Runway.
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Speaking about the same the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman S Somanath said, “The Pushpak launch vehicle is India’s bold attempt to make access to space most affordable.”
“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 added.
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The RLV made its maiden successful landing on a virtual runway in the Bay of Bengal in 2016, after taking off from Sriharikota for the first time in a decade. The RLV was never found again. It plummeted into the ocean as planned.
On April 2, 2023, a second test at the defence establishment’s Chitradurga Aeronautical Test Range was successfully completed.
Known as the RLV-LEX, the winged rocket was launched by an Indian Air Force (IAF) Chinook Helicopter, hanged from its undercarriage, and executed an autonomous landing that transpired without any issues.
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A total of Rs 100 crore has been invested in the project, marking a significant milestone as the nation works toward building the Bhartiya Antariksha Station, its own space station, by 2035.
