Author Topic: Indian Reusable Launch Vehicle Program  (Read 78382 times)

Offline sanman

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5974
  • Liked: 1312
  • Likes Given: 8
« Last Edit: 05/11/2012 12:45 pm by Ronsmytheiii »

Offline tigerade

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 718
  • Low Earth Orbit
  • Liked: 51
  • Likes Given: 36
Re: Indian Reusable Launch Vehicle Program
« Reply #1 on: 06/25/2011 09:54 pm »
Neat.  It seems everything has been outsourced to India lately, even space shuttles. ;)

Offline Gregori

  • Full Member
  • *
  • Posts: 195
  • Liked: 2
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: Indian Reusable Launch Vehicle Program
« Reply #2 on: 06/25/2011 10:33 pm »
Except its actually a domestically developed independent Indian launch solution. If the US wants to compete for launches with it own technology, its free to do that.

I don't think they could outsource such a thing to India or any other countries because of ITAR....

Offline tigerade

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 718
  • Low Earth Orbit
  • Liked: 51
  • Likes Given: 36
Re: Indian Reusable Launch Vehicle Program
« Reply #3 on: 06/26/2011 03:59 am »
Except its actually a domestically developed independent Indian launch solution. If the US wants to compete for launches with it own technology, its free to do that.

I don't think they could outsource such a thing to India or any other countries because of ITAR....

I'm aware.  I was being facetious.

Offline seshagirib

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 328
  • terra firma
  • Liked: 25
  • Likes Given: 37
Re: Indian Reusable Launch Vehicle Program
« Reply #4 on: 06/26/2011 05:38 am »
^^^^The news article in the first post is dated : "Wednesday, Apr 01, 2009", ISRO claims a few times every year, that it is about a year away from launching the TD vehicle. :(
astronaut on space ship earth

Offline sanman

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5974
  • Liked: 1312
  • Likes Given: 8
Re: Indian Reusable Launch Vehicle Program
« Reply #5 on: 07/08/2011 02:47 pm »
Yes, I suppose this is the latest claim:

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/nation/south/isro-have-reusable-launch-rocket-2-yrs-452

Quote
Dr Radhakrishnan said studies have been initiated on the re-usable launch vehicle (RLV) with plans for a lift-off of the technology demonstrator in two years. “We have to understand a gamut of technologies and also prove many new systems. We have to study the aerodynamics of a winged body, the auto pilot, the aero-thermo dynamics, thermal protection system, the de-boost operations for re-entry, navigation and guidance to land precisely on the ground. Of course, some of the lessons learnt from the space shuttle will be incorporated in this vehicle,” he added.

Along with the RLV, Isro would also test air-breathing technology using a scramjet fitted on a sounding rocket in the next couple of years.
« Last Edit: 07/08/2011 02:47 pm by sanman »

Offline sanman

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5974
  • Liked: 1312
  • Likes Given: 8

Offline Patchouli

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4490
  • Liked: 253
  • Likes Given: 457
Re: Indian Reusable Launch Vehicle Program
« Reply #7 on: 08/02/2011 08:22 pm »
One of the biggest false lessons from STS was that are not practical.
The Shuttle was unpractical because it was a jack of trades and was too complex.
It's good to see that ISRO sees the real lesson from STS.

Everyone talks about China dominating space but I think India is going to be the country to watch in the next 20 years.

Offline sanman

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5974
  • Liked: 1312
  • Likes Given: 8
Re: Indian Reusable Launch Vehicle Program
« Reply #8 on: 08/08/2011 03:04 am »
You'll see a similar message in this latest article:

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/182168/india-shuttles-idea-re-usable.html

ISRO chief Radhakrishnan seems to be saying that they'll explore this technology, but won't zealously/stubbornly overcommit to it.

As someone who works in IT, I'm always hearing how CIO's and architects should be technology-agnostic, and not show bias in stubbornly pursuing a particular technology or platform regardless of whether it fits or not.

So ISRO will explore this technology, but if it doesn't fit their needs, they'll pass it over.


Offline Salo Ukr

  • Full Member
  • *
  • Posts: 140
  • Odessa, Ukraine
  • Liked: 0
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: Indian Reusable Launch Vehicle Program
« Reply #9 on: 05/09/2012 08:06 am »
ISRO's design for its RLV-TD (Reusable Launch Vehicle Test Demontrator) has been approved by a National Review Committee, which has provided clearance to go ahead and build the vehicle:

http://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/report_isro-s-design-of-reusable-launch-vehicle-approved_1633779

This is something old,but I thought it might be useful to post:

http://www.aame.in/2011/08/india-space-shuttle-reusable-launch.html
« Last Edit: 05/09/2012 08:07 am by Salo Ukr »

Offline Salo Ukr

  • Full Member
  • *
  • Posts: 140
  • Odessa, Ukraine
  • Liked: 0
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: Indian Reusable Launch Vehicle Program
« Reply #10 on: 05/09/2012 08:09 am »
Relevant quote:

Quote
The space agency, as a first step towards realising a Two-Stage To Orbit (TSTO) re-usable launch vehicle, has developed a winged RLV-TD.
...
The RLV-TD will act as a flying test-bed to evaluate various technologies — hypersonic flight, autonomous landing, powered cruise flight and hypersonic flight using air breathing propulsion.

The first in the series of trials is the hypersonic flight experiment (HEX) followed by the landing experiment (LEX), return flight experiment (REX) and scramjet propulsion experiment (SPEX).

During HEX, the vehicle will take lift off in the form of a rocket with a booster. Later, it can be recovered from sea.

So, it sounds like a two-stage vehicle, with a scramjet-powered recoverable first stage and a winged orbiter for a second stage.


Just to clarify, the RLV-TD is merely intended as a low-cost testbed platform, and is not intended as a prototype that later platforms would resemble.

India's ultimate goal for RLV is the AVATAR (Aerobic Vehicle for hypersonic Aerospace Transportation) which will be an SSTO (Single-Stage-to-Orbit) vehicle.

India can't make AVATAR right away, so it will first build and operate the TSTO (Two-Stage-to-Orbit) vehicle, which is composed of a lower stage and an upper stage. The lower stage is a winged flyback booster powered by a semi-cryogenic rocket, and the upper stage is powered by a cryogenic rocket.

But before India can even build TSTO, it will build RLV-TD to act as a testbed platform for the technologies which will be used by the TSTO as well as the AVATAR SSTO. For instance, the RLV-TD will also test a hypersonic scramjet engine, which is not used in the TSTO, but will be used in the ultimate AVATAR SSTO.

http://www.brahmand.com/news/Reusable-Launch-Vehicles-%EF%BF%BD-The-future-of-space-missions/5595/3/15.html

As a low-cost testbed (not a prototype), the RLV-TD will carry out a series of experiments: HEX, LEX, REX, and SPEX.

HEX (Hypersonic Flight Experiment) will see the RLV-TD launched on a rocket booster high above the atmosphere, and then released to glide back into the atmosphere at hypersonic velocity. Note that this will be a glide, and not an engine-powered flight, but it will be able to test the airframe and control systems. RLV-TD will then land in the ocean and be recovered.

LEX (Landing Experiment) will have the RLV-TD fitted with landing gear. It will be flown on a large transport plane and then dropped, so that it can glide down to a landing strip, deploy its landing gear and land like a regular aircraft.

REX (Return flight Experiment) will have RLV-TD fitted with jet engines that will allow it to take off from an airstrip like a regular aircraft. It will then fly around and return back to land on the strip like a regular aircraft.

Finally SPEX (Scramjet Propulsion Experiment) will have RLV-TD further fitted with a scramjet engine. It will get to take off from an airstrip like a regular aircraft, but once in flight it will accelerate to supersonic speed, after which it will activate its air-breathing scramjet engine and accelerate to hypersonic velocity. The scramjet will then switch off and the vehicle will decelerate until it can reactivate its normal jet engines and then return to land at the landing strip like a regular aircraft.


So the actual later vehicles that RLV-TD is acting as a testbed for, will look nothing like the RLV-TD itself. RLV-TD is a testbed, and not a prototype.
« Last Edit: 05/09/2012 08:10 am by Salo Ukr »

Offline Salo Ukr

  • Full Member
  • *
  • Posts: 140
  • Odessa, Ukraine
  • Liked: 0
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: Indian Reusable Launch Vehicle Program
« Reply #11 on: 05/09/2012 08:11 am »
Hi guys,

Check out the animation of RLV-TD by launch vehicle design team, ISRO. Its animation of the landing experiment.

video:

The upper stage will form the lower stage of RLV with 2000KN semi-cryo stage and will loft 10T to LEO.


« Last Edit: 05/11/2012 12:47 pm by Ronsmytheiii »

Offline antriksh

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 758
  • Liked: 132
  • Likes Given: 107
Re: Indian Reusable Launch Vehicle Program
« Reply #12 on: 05/09/2012 05:29 pm »
« Last Edit: 05/11/2012 09:35 pm by antriksh »
Nasadiya Sukta:
Srishti se pehle sat nahin thaa, asat bhi nahin | Antariksh bhi nahin, aakaash bhi nahin thaa | chhipaa thaa kyaa, kahaan, kisne dhakaa thaa | us pal to agam, atal jal bhi kahaan thaa ||

From: 1st verse of 129th Hymn of the 10th Book of Rig Veda

Offline Steven Pietrobon

  • Member
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 39215
  • Adelaide, Australia
    • Steven Pietrobon's Space Archive
  • Liked: 32735
  • Likes Given: 8178
Re: Indian Reusable Launch Vehicle Program
« Reply #13 on: 05/11/2012 08:18 am »
I really like this TSTO vehicle. Its think its great that India is looking at these advanced launch vehicles.
Akin's Laws of Spacecraft Design #1:  Engineering is done with numbers.  Analysis without numbers is only an opinion.

Offline sanman

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5974
  • Liked: 1312
  • Likes Given: 8
Re: Indian Reusable Launch Vehicle Program
« Reply #14 on: 05/11/2012 08:25 am »
If you like, here's a slightly bigger image of TSTO:



And here is the mission profile:

« Last Edit: 05/11/2012 12:48 pm by Ronsmytheiii »

Offline lucspace

  • Member
  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 471
  • Hilversum, The Netherlands
  • Liked: 179
  • Likes Given: 3
Re: Indian Reusable Launch Vehicle Program
« Reply #15 on: 05/11/2012 08:25 am »
A bit disappointing though, that the 'Launch Vehicle Demand' chart now puts the manned vehicle 15 years into the future...

Offline kanaka

  • Member
  • Posts: 91
  • Liked: 4
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: Indian Reusable Launch Vehicle Program
« Reply #16 on: 05/11/2012 03:43 pm »
How does RLV differs from US Space Shuttle?

Offline sanman

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5974
  • Liked: 1312
  • Likes Given: 8
Re: Indian Reusable Launch Vehicle Program
« Reply #17 on: 05/11/2012 09:11 pm »
A bit disappointing though, that the 'Launch Vehicle Demand' chart now puts the manned vehicle 15 years into the future...

Well, the first manned flight was planned for 2016, and I think they'll probably be able to do it by 2018 at the latest. The GSLV-Mk3 will be the carrier for the first manned flights, and that will certainly be ready before then. It's mainly the crew capsule and launch abort system that remain to be done before then.

How does RLV differs from US Space Shuttle?

It's smaller - only takes 10 tonnes of payload to LEO - and all stages will be reusable.

Its flight profile is the inverse of the US Space Shuttle, because the booster is what glides back to Earth, instead of being thrown away. Meanwhile the more traditional-looking upper stage is what goes to orbit. However, it too would come back down to Earth for a powered vertical landing.

If you look at the diagram of the TSTO vehicle, you'll see a little red-colored section that mates the upper stage to the lower stage flyback booster. That interstage section obviously gets discarded during stage separation, and is not reused. But aside from replacing this you're only supposed to replace the fuel, as the TSTO is intended to be fully reusable in order to lower launch costs. Keeping costs down has always been a top priority for ISRO.

Ironically, the RLV-TD testbed sort of has the inverse appearance of the planned TSTO vehicle. The RLV-TD is mounted on a traditional-looking solid booster rocket which is discarded, and after separating it then glides back to Earth. But again, it's just a testbed.
« Last Edit: 05/11/2012 09:15 pm by sanman »

Offline Steven Pietrobon

  • Member
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 39215
  • Adelaide, Australia
    • Steven Pietrobon's Space Archive
  • Liked: 32735
  • Likes Given: 8178
Re: Indian Reusable Launch Vehicle Program
« Reply #18 on: 05/15/2012 08:19 am »
Thanks very much for posting those higher resolution images Sanman! That's much appreciated.
Akin's Laws of Spacecraft Design #1:  Engineering is done with numbers.  Analysis without numbers is only an opinion.

Offline antriksh

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 758
  • Liked: 132
  • Likes Given: 107
Re: Indian Reusable Launch Vehicle Program
« Reply #19 on: 06/12/2012 12:49 am »
ISRO is looking to conduct Hex01 and Hex02 experiments in 12th 5 year (2012-2017) plan and start work on hex03, landing and reentry experiment.
Nasadiya Sukta:
Srishti se pehle sat nahin thaa, asat bhi nahin | Antariksh bhi nahin, aakaash bhi nahin thaa | chhipaa thaa kyaa, kahaan, kisne dhakaa thaa | us pal to agam, atal jal bhi kahaan thaa ||

From: 1st verse of 129th Hymn of the 10th Book of Rig Veda

Tags:
 

Advertisement NovaTech
Advertisement Northrop Grumman
Advertisement
Advertisement Margaritaville Beach Resort South Padre Island
Advertisement Brady Kenniston
Advertisement NextSpaceflight
Advertisement Nathan Barker Photography
1