Isro to Look at Possibility of
Recovering Rocket Stage
The Indian space agency is planning to look at the possibility
of reusing its rocket stages after a launch by making them re-enter atmosphereand land at a specified location, a senior official said.
"We are also looking at that programme," K.Sivan,
director, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) told IANS on the phone from
Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.
Referring to US-based aerospace company SpaceX's attempts in
this regard, Sivan said Isro too is planning like that.
SpaceX, with its two rockets - Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy - offers
satellite launch services.
A rocket stage comprises the engine, fuel and other systems.
The stages constitute the bulk of a rocket's cost and a saving
on that will reduce the launch cost.
For instance, India's polar satellite launch vehicle (PSLV) is a four-stage
rocket. It also has six booster engines strapped on the first stage.
The rocket is an expendable one, that is, nothing is recovered
once it is launched.
So, recovering for instance the first PSLV stage means making it
re-enter the atmosphere safely after it puts the other three stages up.
The outer shell of the stage should have sufficient
heat-resistant materials. The stage should also be programmed to land at a
specified location, preferably at the launch pad itself.
Sivan said recovery of the stage and using it again is
completely different from the reusable launch vehicle (RLV).
He said developing a full-fledged RLV will take quite some time.
"We have to develop various technologies before finalisingthe specifications for our own RLV," Sivan said.
On May 23, Isro successfully took the first step in developing a RLV by successfully testing an aircraft like winged structure.
Called RLV-Technology Demonstrator HEX 01 mission, the winged
structure which sat atop a rocket was released into the space at above 70km
from the earth.
The winged structure returned and landed in the Bay of Bengal as
originally planned.
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