A 'Pushpak' Lands Itself
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) recently completed its third and final Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) Landing Experiment, known as LEX-03, at the Aeronautical Test Range in Chitradurga, Karnataka. In this crucial test, a winged vehicle named
'Pushpak' was carried to an altitude of 4.5 kilometres by an Indian Air Force Chinook helicopter and released. From there, Pushpak had to find its own way to the runway and land completely on its own, simulating the conditions of a vehicle returning from orbit. The test was conducted under challenging conditions, including severe winds and being released at a significant distance from the runway, to prove the robustness of its autonomous systems. Pushpak expertly navigated its course, made a precise horizontal landing at over 320 km/h, and used its brake parachute and landing gear brakes to come to a safe stop.
The Quest to Slash Launch Costs
So, why is landing a robotic space plane so important? The answer comes down to cost. Traditionally, space launches are incredibly expensive because the rockets, which are the most costly part of the mission, are discarded after a single use. ISRO's goal with the RLV programme is to change this by creating a vehicle that can be used multiple times, much like a commercial airplane. By recovering and reusing the most expensive components, ISRO aims to slash the cost of putting a satellite into Low Earth Orbit by as much as 80 percent. This would bring the cost down from an estimated $20,000 per kilogram to around $4,000, making India a highly competitive player in the multi-billion dollar global satellite launch market. Cheaper access to space also opens up possibilities for more frequent scientific missions, enhanced satellite services, and supports ambitious future projects like India's own space station.
How the Reusable System Works
The RLV is envisioned as a Two-Stage-to-Orbit (TSTO) launch vehicle. In a future mission, the first stage would be a conventional rocket that propels the second stage—the winged Pushpak vehicle carrying a satellite—towards space. After its fuel is spent, the first stage would return to Earth for a vertical landing, similar to what SpaceX has pioneered. The Pushpak vehicle would continue into orbit, deploy its payload, and then re-enter the atmosphere. It would then glide through the air and land horizontally on a runway, just as it demonstrated in the recent LEX tests. These landing experiments were designed to perfect this final, critical phase of the mission, proving the vehicle's sophisticated guidance, navigation, and control systems. Notably, the vehicle used in the final test was the same one used in the previous experiment, proving the reusability of the hardware itself.
From Landing Tests to Orbit
While completing the trio of landing tests is a massive achievement, the journey to a fully operational reusable launch vehicle is still long. These experiments have validated the autonomous landing phase, which is one of the most technologically challenging parts. ISRO has proven its mastery of high-speed, unmanned landings. The next major step is the Orbital Re-entry Experiment (ORE). This will involve launching the winged vehicle into orbit and testing its ability to withstand the extreme heat and stresses of re-entering Earth's atmosphere before it even attempts its autonomous landing. This phase will require mastering hypersonic flight, thermal protection systems, and a whole new set of complex manoeuvres. These successful landing tests provide the confidence and crucial data needed to tackle these future challenges head-on.
