Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Source: ISRO
Context: The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has successfully conducted the Reusable Launch Vehicle Autonomous Landing Mission (RLV LEX).
| About Reusable Launch Vehicle | Description |
| Meaning | A launch system that allows for the reuse of some or all of the component stages. The vehicle returns to earth intact after a mission. |
| Experiment | RLV-LEX involves taking an unmanned, winged prototype to an altitude of about 4.5km on a helicopter and releasing it to land. It must travel the distance autonomously, gain velocity, maintain control and land on the runway. |
| Phases | Hypersonic flight experiment (HEX, conducted in 2016)à Landing experiment (LEX)à Return flight experiment (REX)àand Scramjet propulsion experiment (SPEX). |
| Benefits | Cheaper access to space, resource reuse |
| Challenges | Lack of landing technology; Reusable stages weigh more than equivalent expendable stages; Refurbishment after landing may be lengthy and expensive. |
| Significance | The success of the mission shows that ISRO has achieved the autonomous landing of a space vehicle. |
| RLV Orbital re-entry Experiment (ORE) | ISRO is working on ORE. In ORE, a wing body called an Orbital Reentry vehicle (ORV) will be taken to an orbit by an ascent vehicle derived from the existing GSLV and PSLV stages and stay in orbit for a stipulated period, re-enter and land in a runway autonomously with the landing gear. |
| Other reusable vehicles | USA (SpaceX Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy, Starship); Blue Origin’s Space Shepard; Virgin galactic’s SpaceShipTwo |
