BENGALURU: With India’s space mission expanding both in size and vision, the Indian Space Research Organisation ( Isro ) is all geared up for the establishment of the third launch pad at its spaceport in Sriharikota.
In an exclusive interview with TOI, Isro chairman S Somanath said: “We only have the second launch pad now. The first one was created for PSLV, but it can’t be used for GSLV as it cannot handle the cryogenic stage . When LVM-3 came, we re-engineered the second launch pad. Now, LVM-3 will also have a semi-cryo stage, and the human spaceflight initially has to happen there.”
Pointing out that the second launch pad has been undergoing several improvements in the past two decades, Somanath said in case something happens to the second launch pad — an explosion, for instance — there won’t be a launch pad available for GSLV, and every programme will come to a standstill.
Redundancy & NGLV
“The primary objective of the third launch pad is to serve as a redundancy. Next is that we are moving to a new philosophy with the NGLV (New Generation Launch Vehicle); it is going to be integrated horizontally and tilted, not vertically. The launch pad must support this aspect. NGLV will be more liquid engine booster-based than solid engine, so the entire launch pad jet deflector design will change. Also, the entire stage testing will happen here and not at Mahendragiri. The launch pad will cater to all of this,” Somanath said.
According to S Sivakumar, project director, NGLV, the need for the new rocket — a three-stage vehicle with a reusable first stage — comes in the wake of emerging technologies and the need to reduce launch costs, aside from the realisation that existing launch vehicles cannot meet future demands.
“Current operational vehicles cannot meet future requirements because we are targeting a 20-tonne payload capacity to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) from LVM-3’s capacity of 9.2 tonnes. The target for Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO) is 9 tonnes compared to the current 4.3 tonnes,” he said.
NGLV Recovery & Reusability
“Both are possible, but both have penalties. For example, the vehicle already has a velocity to move away from land, and you have to kill all the velocity and bring it back to the launch site; you will need a lot of fuel, which means you’ll have lower payload capability,” Somanath said.
He added: “Initially, you need to do that on land only because sea-based recovery is costly, and you won’t have such a platform available readily. Later, once you have confidence, you move to the sea and land it there. Both capabilities are there. When you do it at sea, you will get a higher payload.”
On the NGLV’s reusability, Sivakumar said that while both vertical and horizontal landing options are available, the first stage needs to have a horizontal landing or a wing-body supported vertical landing. “Otherwise, the structural mass will be enormous,” he said in his talk on transportation vehicles on Oct 6.
While the establishment of the launch pad got the National Space Commission nod at the 153rd meeting of the panel ahead of the Sept 18 Cabinet meeting, which cleared four big-ticket space projects — Chandrayaan-4, NGLV, Venus Orbiter Mission (VOM), and the establishment of the first module of India’s own space station — it will be put up before the govt by Isro for final approval.
In an exclusive interview with TOI, Isro chairman S Somanath said: “We only have the second launch pad now. The first one was created for PSLV, but it can’t be used for GSLV as it cannot handle the cryogenic stage . When LVM-3 came, we re-engineered the second launch pad. Now, LVM-3 will also have a semi-cryo stage, and the human spaceflight initially has to happen there.”
Pointing out that the second launch pad has been undergoing several improvements in the past two decades, Somanath said in case something happens to the second launch pad — an explosion, for instance — there won’t be a launch pad available for GSLV, and every programme will come to a standstill.
Redundancy & NGLV
“The primary objective of the third launch pad is to serve as a redundancy. Next is that we are moving to a new philosophy with the NGLV (New Generation Launch Vehicle); it is going to be integrated horizontally and tilted, not vertically. The launch pad must support this aspect. NGLV will be more liquid engine booster-based than solid engine, so the entire launch pad jet deflector design will change. Also, the entire stage testing will happen here and not at Mahendragiri. The launch pad will cater to all of this,” Somanath said.
According to S Sivakumar, project director, NGLV, the need for the new rocket — a three-stage vehicle with a reusable first stage — comes in the wake of emerging technologies and the need to reduce launch costs, aside from the realisation that existing launch vehicles cannot meet future demands.
“Current operational vehicles cannot meet future requirements because we are targeting a 20-tonne payload capacity to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) from LVM-3’s capacity of 9.2 tonnes. The target for Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO) is 9 tonnes compared to the current 4.3 tonnes,” he said.
NGLV Recovery & Reusability
“Both are possible, but both have penalties. For example, the vehicle already has a velocity to move away from land, and you have to kill all the velocity and bring it back to the launch site; you will need a lot of fuel, which means you’ll have lower payload capability,” Somanath said.
He added: “Initially, you need to do that on land only because sea-based recovery is costly, and you won’t have such a platform available readily. Later, once you have confidence, you move to the sea and land it there. Both capabilities are there. When you do it at sea, you will get a higher payload.”
On the NGLV’s reusability, Sivakumar said that while both vertical and horizontal landing options are available, the first stage needs to have a horizontal landing or a wing-body supported vertical landing. “Otherwise, the structural mass will be enormous,” he said in his talk on transportation vehicles on Oct 6.
While the establishment of the launch pad got the National Space Commission nod at the 153rd meeting of the panel ahead of the Sept 18 Cabinet meeting, which cleared four big-ticket space projects — Chandrayaan-4, NGLV, Venus Orbiter Mission (VOM), and the establishment of the first module of India’s own space station — it will be put up before the govt by Isro for final approval.
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