RLV Technology Demonstration Programme

RLV Technology Demonstration Programme
	Technology Development Vehicle (TDV) for RLV Programme
Program overview
Country	India
Organization	ISRO
Programme history
Duration	2012–present
First flight	01:30 UTC, 23 May 2016
Last flight	March 2024
Successes	2
Launch site(s)	Satish Dhawan Space Centre; Chitradurga Aeronautical Test Range (Landing);
Vehicle information
Launch vehicle(s)	GSLV Mark II

Reusable Launch Vehicle–Technology Demonstration Programme is a series of technology demonstration missions that has been conceived by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) as a first step towards realising a Two Stage To Orbit (TSTO) reusable launch vehicle, in which the second stage is a spaceplane.^[3]

For this purpose, a winged reusable launch vehicle technology demonstrator (RLV-TD) has been configured. The RLV-TD acted as a flying test bed to evaluate various technologies like powered cruise flight, hypersonic flight, and autonomous landing using air-breathing propulsion. Application of these technologies would bring down the launch cost by a factor of 10.^[4] This project has no connection with the Avatar spaceplane concept by India's Defence Research and Development Organisation.^[5]

^ "ISRO to Begin Flights of Reusable Launcher Test Bed".
^ "India's First-Ever Indigenous Space Shuttle RLV-TD Launched Successfully". Archived from the original on 23 May 2016. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
^ "Indian Space Research Organisation to test its reusable RLV spacecraft". SpaceFlight Insider. 2 June 2015. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
^ "Tuesday, December 22, Isro's small steps towards developing its own reusable rocket [Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV)] program". LIVE MINT, IN. 2015. Archived from the original on 26 May 2016. Retrieved 23 December 2015.
^ "Government of India Department of Space" (PDF). 14 March 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 August 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2016. Feasibility study of project "AVATAR)" has been done by a group of scientists in DRDO. ISRO has no connection with the project.

[1] "ISRO to Begin Flights of Reusable Launcher Test Bed".

[HEXlaunched-2] "India's First-Ever Indigenous Space Shuttle RLV-TD Launched Successfully". Archived from the original on 23 May 2016. Retrieved 23 May 2016.

[3] "Indian Space Research Organisation to test its reusable RLV spacecraft". SpaceFlight Insider. 2 June 2015. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2015.

[Presentation-4] "Tuesday, December 22, Isro's small steps towards developing its own reusable rocket [Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV)] program". LIVE MINT, IN. 2015. Archived from the original on 26 May 2016. Retrieved 23 December 2015.

[Avatar_is_DRDO-5] "Government of India Department of Space" (PDF). 14 March 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 August 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2016. Feasibility study of project "AVATAR)" has been done by a group of scientists in DRDO. ISRO has no connection with the project.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]