ISRO Achieves Third Consecutive Success in Pushpak Reusable Launch Vehicle Landing Experiment

Tags: Science and Technology

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has achieved a third consecutive success in the Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) Landing EXperiment (LEX) with the Pushpak vehicle.

An Overview of the News

• The third and final test in the series, RLV LEX-03, was conducted at 07:10 IST on June 23, 2024 at the Aeronautical Test Range in Chitradurga, Karnataka.

Pushpak's Autonomous Landing

• The winged vehicle 'Pushpak' was released from an Indian Air Force Chinook helicopter at an altitude of 4.5 km.

• Pushpak then autonomously executed cross-range correction maneuvers, approached the runway, and performed a precise horizontal landing at the runway centerline.

• Due to Pushpak's low lift-to-drag ratio aerodynamic configuration, the landing velocity exceeded 320 km/h, compared to 260 km/h for a commercial aircraft and 280 km/h for a typical fighter aircraft.

• After touchdown, Pushpak's velocity was reduced to nearly 100 km/h using a brake parachute, followed by landing gear brakes for further deceleration. Pushpak autonomously maintained a stable and precise ground roll along the runway.

Significance of the Mission

• This mission simulated the approach, landing interface, and high-speed landing conditions for a vehicle returning from space, reaffirming ISRO's expertise in acquiring critical technologies for developing a Reusable Launch Vehicle.

• The successful completion of the RLV-LEX-03 mission, building on the previous LEX-01 and LEX-02 successes, boosts ISRO's confidence in the critical technologies essential for future orbital re-entry missions.

About ISRO

• Established on August 15, 1969

• National space agency of India

• Launches space rockets from Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

• Headquarters located in Bengaluru. 

• Current Chairman: S Somnath