India designing reusable spacecraft

Bhubaneswar, India (PTI)
May 12, 2011

Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram, P S Veeraraghavan on Wednesday said India`s space scientists are designing a reusable space craft, which is likely to be launched in 2030. The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is currently working on Human Spacelift Project or the man mission in 2015 and Chandrayan-II in 2013, he said.

"The winged Reusable Launch Vehicle Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD) has already been configured. It will give India an edge in space science as no country except the US has yet launched a reusable satellite launch vehicle," he added.

On the man mission to space, Veeraraghavan said, "ISRO is working on it but we are yet to get the final nod from the government." He was speaking on the occasion of 13th national technology day function organized by NALCO on Wednesday.

"Scientists are working on some critical areas of Chandrayan-II, which is ready for launch in 2013. It will consist of the spacecraft and a landing platform with the moon rover. The project is in the developing stage. In the Indo-Russian joint venture the lander will be from Russia and the rover will be a done by India. The rover will land on the moon and map a three-dimensional atlas of the moon and analyze the chemical and mineral composition of the lunar surface," he said.

Besides, Astrosat-an astronomy satellite to study the movements of celestial bodies, has already been popular among astronomy circle. However, the senior scientist was cagey about use of remote sensing in military missions and anti-Maoist operations.

Source: Press Trust of India

Source: Space-Travel.
Link: http://www.space-travel.com/reports/India_designing_reusable_spacecraft_999.html.