ISRO successfully lands Reusable Launch Vehicle ‘Pushpak’ in Karnataka

Bangalore: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully conducted a landing mission for its Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) LEX 02, called” Pushpak,” at the Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) in Chitradurga, Karnataka. The agency reported that Pushpak, the winged vehicle, autonomously landed with precision on the runway after being released from an off-nominal position.

According to ISRO, this successful landing denotes a major advancement in Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) technology, following the RLV-LEX-01 mission conducted last year. The RLV-LEX-02 experiment showcased the vehicle’s autonomous landing capabilities from non-standard initial conditions, such as release from a helicopter at an altitude of 4.5 km.

During the mission, Pushpak carried out challenging manoeuvres, including cross-range and downrange corrections, before freely landing on the runway. It executed a precise landing utilising its brake parachute, landing gear brakes, and nose wheel steering system.

Pushpak landed perfectly, simulating high-speed landing conditions expected of a space-returning vehicle.

All flight systems and the winged body used in the RLV-LEX-01 mission were reused in the RLV-LEX-02 mission following proper certification and approvals.

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