Indian RLV Tech Demonstrator Test

[antigravite]

Better image found today...

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[antigravite]

RLV-TD model wind tunnel testing (launch / propulsive phase).

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[RGClark]

Isro's Annual report (March 2013) reads:

A winged Re-usable Launch Vehicle Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD) has been configured to act as a flying test bed to evaluate various technologies, namely, hypersonic flight, autonomous landing, powered cruise flight and hypersonic flight using air breathing propulsion towards realising a Two Stage to Orbit (TSTO) fully re-usable launch vehicle.
...
The Integrated Technical Review (ITR) of RLV-TD by the National Review Committee in October 2012 has concluded that launch of RLV-TD HEX-01 mission in September 2013 is feasible

source: http://www.isro.org/pdf/Annual%20Report%202012-13.pdf page 64

Can't tell if this September test flight is supposed to be suborbital or orbital.

Bob Clark

 

[antigravite]

Can't tell if this September test flight is supposed to be suborbital or orbital.

Bob Clark

Suborbital, that was the original plan. It is unlikely though that Indians ever match the september deadline. (As any deadline, BTW.)
One issue is that pictures surfacing over the last 6 months, really are outdated. Indians performed lots of tests with those models and refer to one of them as the "Iron Bird". for static and structural testing.

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[antigravite]

Hi there,

Here are sequential screenshots of a promotional RLV-TD intended flight test (CGI) video.
This video was commissioned by the Indian Space Agency (ISRO)'s Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) / Vehicle Configuration Analysis Division / Launch Vehicle Design Group. They are based in Thiruvananthapuram

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[antigravite]

More (batch #2)

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[antigravite]

More (batch #3)

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[antigravite]

More (batch #4 / END)

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[antigravite]

BTW, I'm not aware of any drop test yet performed by ISRO of any RLV-TD model or whatever along these lines, in any test range wit the intended purpose of testing well... the vehicle's flight behavior and maneuvers at supersonic / transonic / subsonic speeds and/or basic ALT procedures. These risk-reduction step-by-step undertakings, are experienced as business as usual everywhere else. Example: X-37 series, X-38, X-40, Italian Castor & Pollux demonstrators, Japanese HSFD (Hope-X), DreamChaser, Chinese Aotian-1 "vehicle", etc.

Reminder: RLV-TD was originally planned to perform 4 types of flight tests: HEX / LEX / REX / SPEX. All this with the "real" (actual) vehicle, if I'm right. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Soooooo... Since when do Indian FTE avoid testing ALT with "scale models" or anything like this? Everyone does this!
Any suggestion? Did I miss something? Searched the web. Found nothinga.

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[antigravite]

Launched today.

http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/india-successfully-launches-reusable-launch-vehicle/article8635448.ece

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Isro link:
http://www.isro.gov.in/technology-development-programmes/reusable-launch-vehicle-technology-demonstration-program-rlv-td

 

[antigravite]

Ascent and descent phase wind tunnel models.

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